The @Playmobil Wildlife Adventures 4 x 4

The 4×4 pick-up is part of a new line of ‘wild life rescue & research ‘ sets that include a vivarium, an animal care station, a fabulous new treehouse (complete with suspension bridge!) and poachers in a motorboat. The series has lots of animal sets – we would particularly like to get our hands on the hippo with a baby and the naturalist with beaver tree – and even boasts a float plane that has water tanks so you can fight the included forest fire.

The truck has realistic looking axles, great chunky tires and a front mounted winch that will pull you out of trouble if the unpaved roads get too muddy to maintain grip. 

The two Playmobil figures included in the set can use their GPS to navigate any bumpy road and drive down to the riverbank where they can launch their canoe into the choppy water. Don’t worry though – they come with life-jackets so safety isn’t compromised and a hand held radio, so they are in constant contact with base-camp. I’m sure they have even had the proper firearms training for the included rifle.

The kit itself is straightforward to put together – well within the abilities of a child aged 4 & up (the recommended age range) with clear pictorial instructions and easily differentiated parts. Total assembly took approximately 5 minutes, and the kids were off and played with it in no time at all. This was a real bonus because there is little worse when you buy a new toy and the kids loose interest because it takes so long to put together.

When assembled the 4×4 has high ground clearance and a roof rack for safe carriage of the canoe. One of the things I like most about the set is the new level of detail Playmobil have added to items like the figures clothing. No more one colour top & one colour bottom, the new generations of figures have cargo pants, multiple layers of clothing and molded details such as rolled up sleeves.