Are you concerned kids toys coddle them too much? They’re all bright colors and happy people, but what’s the world REALLY like? Playmobil doesn’t want kids to just assume the world is all animal nurseries and magic princess castles — there’s a serious side too. So serious, in fact, that they want kids to play Security Checkpoint, just like mom and dad do at the airport!
No, this isn’t a joke. It’s a real Playmobil set. Before you buy, though, be sure to check the reviews:
3.0 out of 5 stars Great lesson for the kids!, September 9, 2005Byloosenut (Seattle, WA) – See all my reviewsThis review is from: Playmobil Security Check Point (Toy)I was a little disappointed when I first bought this item, because the functionality is limited. My 5 year old son pointed out that the passenger’s shoes cannot be removed. Then, we placed a deadly fingernail file underneath the passenger’s scarf, and neither the detector doorway nor the security wand picked it up. My son said “that’s the worst security ever!”. But it turned out to be okay, because when the passenger got on the Playmobil B757 and tried to hijack it, she was mobbed by a couple of other heroic passengers, who only sustained minor injuries in the scuffle, which were treated at the Playmobil Hospital.
The best thing about this product is that it teaches kids about the realities of living in a high-surveillence society. My son said he wants the Playmobil Neighborhood Surveillence System set for Christmas. I’ve heard that the CC TV cameras on that thing are pretty worthless in terms of quality and motion detection, so I think I’ll get him the Playmobil Abu-Gharib Interogation Set instead (it comes with a cute little memo from George Bush).
If you’re ready to whip out your wallet, be prepared. This set appears to be discontinued and is being sold for over $175 on Amazon!
But maybe you don’t want your kids exposed to the harsh realities of airport security. Don’t worry, Playmobil offers more family-friendly sets too, like “Jewel Thieves” and “Safe Crackers“. First, the Playmobil guys will crack into a bank safe, then plan an international jewel heist! Of course, to round out the whole experience they’ll all end up in Playmobil jail…
Unless, of course, they successfully smuggle their jewels past the bored looking guard in the Security Checkpoint set!
Playmobil sets have been pretty cool. Where else can you get a Classical Roman playsets like a galley, arena, or the like?