Playmobil Playroom: Camping Lodge

Welcome to the Playmobil Playroom, where we take a monthly peek inside those impressive blue boxes and see what treasures await within. Sometimes we’ll have step-by-step photos walking you through assembly, maybe we’ll discuss and review a particular set or theme, or maybe we’ll have an unboxing video.

This month, we’re going camping! Even though we’ve had a mild winter around these parts, it’s only now getting warm enough to think about venturing into the woods with the kids. But this set has definitely made them excited for spring! The Camping Lodge is part of the Summer Fun line. Confusingly, the box says Family Fun, but the catalogs and website lump this in with the Summer Fun line that also includes the theme park and water park sets.

The Camping Lodge is the centerpiece playset of the outdoors sets, which also include a camp site with fire, family camping trip with tent, whitewater rafters, biking trip, and an off-road SUV (with kayak).

Today, though, we’re looking inside the Camping Lodge, so let’s get to it!

Specs:

Product Number: 9152
Number of Pieces: 136
Number of figures: 1 adult (male), 3 kids (2 male, 1 female)

Ease of Build:
On a scale of 1-5, this one probably comes in at about a 2. The kids put it together fairly easily. Even though there are a lot of pieces, t’s pretty easy to assemble. Most of the pieces are tiny accessories for inside the lodge. The lodge itself is all that actually requires assembly, and it’s basically composed of five main pieces.

Coolest Features:

There’s a lot, but it might just be the zip line. Connect the separate platform to something a bit higher than the lodge (with a plastic screw knob), click the handles into a figure’s hands, and what him/her fly! Seriously, it shouldn’t be as much fun as it is.
The kitchen is full stocked with plates, mugs, pots and pans, canned food, utensils, bottles, and bread.
The hanging grill, with its tiny hot dogs and bbq tongs, was a major selling point for me. It’s adorable.
A soccer ball, a Frisbee, a guitar, and an archery range are all included, so there’s no way the little Playmobil people will get bored at camp!
The figures are pretty cute. They’re each wearing hoodies, and the adult has a little stubble growing (typical for camp). There’s only one female figure, although one of the other kids is a bit ambiguous with respect to gender. The female is also African American, so it’s nice to see a bit of diversity. (Playmobil has never been a pioneer in diversity when it comes to their figures.)

Playability:

Endless. With a bit of imagination, kids could get lost in this set for hours. As I’ve said, there are a lot of little pieces, and there are enough different types of pieces and activities represented, that it’s entirely possible to re-create a solid day of camping. Add to the Camping Lodge one of the other related sets, and you’ve got a tent, raft, bicycle, or kayak. It’s enough to make me long for spring.

Kid Verdict:

Two enthusiastic thumbs up!