One of my best friends from High School loved Hot Air Ballons and I know if he was here he would have loved receiving Animal Friends Ballon ride to decorate his office with and discussing the different items it came with the colors with his friends and family.
For my family there are some toys that are fun for a few minutes, and then there are toys that seem to invite children to make up an entire world around them. The PLAYMOBIL Animal Friends Balloon Ride, Item #71853, feels like one of those toys in so many ways which make it the perfect gift for children of all ages.
When I first saw this colorful hot air balloon, I immediately thought about my niece and nephew when they were younger—and Charlie, too. I can picture all of them sitting on the floor with this set, creating adventures for the woman, the tiger, and the cockatoo and deciding where their balloon was going next.
I bet if Charlie had his way they would head to New York then Paris. I would like to take the hot air balloon to Hawaii and David said he didn’t care were the balloon took him as long as it took him away for a nice long rest from everyone.
And honestly, I can still see children enjoying this today. But I also think adults are going to enjoy this unique one of a kind toy from Playmobil. For my family there something about a hot air balloon that naturally makes you want to create an adventure.
Where would you go? What would you see? Who would travel with you? What would happen along the way? That is what makes this set more interesting than simply another toy.
The PLAYMOBIL Hot Air Balloon Ride is designed for children ages 4 and up and includes 48 pieces. The set includes one woman figure which I thought was cool but Charlie wanted to know why there wasn’t a man driving the Hot Air Balloon and I was able to remind Charlie women can do anything men can do but better, a tiger and we all know Charlie and my sister loves white Tigers so this was the perfect pet to have in the set.
There was a cockatoo that reminded me of the tv show Baretta I loved watching when I was youger and I wish I could have had it as a Pet and so does David.
The hot air balloon with basket, four external ladders, a hanging rope ladder, an anchor on a string, four sandbags, and additional accessories. There are plenty of little pieces that give children something to do and allow them to change the way they use the balloon during play. And the pieces themselves are something I noticed and had fun exploring and playing with my nieces and nephews..
Even as a child PLAYMOBIL has always been known for making toys that feel substantial, and I really like how well-made and durable this set feels. These aren’t pieces that look like they’re going to fall apart or tear up two minutes after a child starts playing with them.
I can see them lasing for years on end. For a toy that is meant to be played with, moved around, rearranged, and taken on imaginative adventures, that matters because it saves parents money and allows the toys to be handed down from generation to generation.
The balloon itself is what caught my attention first and it is decorated in beautiful, cheerful colors—blue David’s favorite color, green my sister’s favorite color, purple my favorite color, and a pinkish-purple shade Charlie and Suzzane would like, orange my step daughter
Leslie would like, and turquoise which reminds me of the trailer we had.. It is such a pretty combination that it feels like more than just a toy. I could actually see this balloon hanging from a child’s bedroom ceiling or sitting on a shelf when it isn’t being played with. I wouldn’t mind using it as a decoration on my back porch.
it was nice to find out Playmobil even lets us know the balloon can be hung from the ceiling as a room decoration. That gives it another life beyond playtime. That is one of the things I like about PLAYMOBIL sets. They can become part of a child’s storytelling world rather than simply being another toy tossed into a toy box.
The hot air balloon is designed for imaginative play, and there are plenty of little details that give children opportunities to create their own adventures and I would like to invite you along with me.
The tiger can travel along on the journey, while the cockatoo can perch on the ropes. The ladders, sandbags, and anchor can be attached in different ways, giving children the opportunity to change the balloon and decide how their adventure works.
Where are they going? Are they traveling over a jungle? Are they searching for animals? Are they explorers looking for a hidden destination? Is the tiger helping them keep watch? Is the cockatoo delivering an important message?
Maybe the balloon is going somewhere completely different. That’s the fun of it. There isn’t one right way to play with this set. Which is designed for both inside and outside play and can even work on Road Trips as it wouldn’t take up much room in your suitcase.
And I think that is especially important for children. It gives them permission to think outside the box and create their own games instead of following one set of instructions about what the toy is supposed to be.Take the Adventure Outside
Again I wanted to remind you I don’t think this is a toy that has to stay inside. I can see children taking the balloon outside and creating an entire adventure around it. Maybe the backyard becomes a jungle.
Maybe the patio becomes the launch site. Maybe the children are explorers who have landed somewhere they have never been before. Maybe they are searching for animals. Maybe they are traveling across the world.
The toy can become whatever the child imagines. And that makes it a great fit for our Summer Gift Guide, because summer is the perfect time to encourage children to get outside and create their own adventures.
Instead of simply saying, “Go outside and play,” you can give them something that helps them decide what kind of adventure they’re going to have. Which turns this into learning based play.
One of the things I really like about this set is if your #Homeschooling children will be able to learn that the animals aren’t simply accessories. The tiger could become the beginning of an entire animal study. A child could learn where tigers live, what they eat, how large they can become, how they communicate, and what makes them different from other big cats.
They could draw a tiger, write a report, create a tiger fact sheet, or make up a story about discovering a tiger while traveling in the balloon. Then there is the cockatoo. That little bird opens up another opportunity for learning.
What is a cockatoo? Where does it live? What does it eat? What makes it different from other birds? Why can some birds mimic sounds? Is this a bird that can fly if so how far and for how long.
A child could research cockatoos, compare them with other birds, or even go outside and see what birds they can find around their own home. For a homeschool family, this is where a toy like this can become much more than a toy.
You can start with one little animal and turn it into a science lesson, a writing assignment, an art project, or a geography study. You can even create stories based on the women flying the Hot Air Balloon.
Something else caught my attention when I looked at this set that I knew would surprise David and Charlie about the balloon ride is it comes with a woman figure. Just like I thought this actually surprised Charlie.
When my family thinks about a hot air balloon adventure, we may automatically picture a man as the explorer, pilot, or adventurer. So having a woman included gives children another opportunity to think about who gets to be the explorer, scientist, traveler, wildlife photographer, or leader in their stories.
And I like that because a child can decide that this woman is the pilot. Maybe she is an explorer. Maybe she is a wildlife photographer traveling over the jungle looking for animals. Maybe she is a scientist studying wildlife from above.
Maybe she is simply taking her family on the adventure of a lifetime. The child gets to decide and for my nieces and nephew this would make Playmobil Hot Air Balloon more fun than other toys they play with.
And that is another example of how a simple toy can open up conversations and stories and I wanted to share of my favorite things about a toy like this is that it can easily become a writing activity.
A child could create a story about the people and animals traveling in the balloon. They could give the tiger a name, decide where the cockatoo came from, draw a map of the journey, or write about what they saw from high above the trees.
For homeschool families, I could see this becoming a jumping-off point for lessons about animals, geography, weather, transportation, storytelling, vocabulary, creative writing, and art.
You could ask a child: Where is your balloon going? Who is traveling with you? What animals do you see below? What happens if the weather changes? What would you pack for a balloon adventure? Suddenly, a toy has become a story prompt. And that is something I really appreciate.
I also knew as soon as I saw this set that it belonged in our Back-to-School Gift Guide. Not every back-to-school gift has to be a backpack, lunchbox, pencil case, or school supply when a toy can unleash a whole new learning experiance.
Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that encourage children to keep creating, imagining, reading, and writing. This PLAYMOBIL set could be used for creative writing, storytelling, animal studies, geography, art, and homeschool activities.
A child could create a whole story around the balloon and then write it down. They could research the tiger and cockatoo. They could draw what they imagine the balloon sees from above. They could create a map showing the balloon’s journey.
They could even build a game around the balloon and then explain the rules to someone else. That makes it a very different kind of back-to-school gift and it is why it’s inside my Gift Guide and my Summer Gift Guide to.
This is also going to be included in our Christmas Gift Guide because I think it would make a fun Christmas gift for a child who loves animals, PLAYMOBIL, storytelling, pretend play, and creating their own adventures.
And because the pieces are sturdy and well-made, I think this is the type of toy that can stay in a child’s collection and continue being played with instead of becoming a forgotten Christmas toy after a few days.
It is also the kind of gift that could become part of a larger PLAYMOBIL collection, especially because there are other sets in the Animal Friends series. That gives children even more opportunities to combine sets and create their own little worlds.
So whether you’re shopping for back-to-school, looking for something fun for summer, or starting your Christmas shopping early, this is one PLAYMOBIL set I’m adding to all three of our gift guides.
And you may even find it in our Halloween Gift Guide as part of our decorations or a way to hold the candy the children come and get so I don’t have to sit outside all night and wait for them.
The listed price I found for this set is $27.99. My first reaction was that it felt a little high. But the more I looked at everything you can actually do with this set, the more I understood where the value comes in.
You’re not just getting a balloon. You’re getting the balloon and basket, a woman figure, a tiger, a cockatoo, ladders, an anchor, sandbags, and other accessories that can all become part of different adventures.
You’re getting something children can use for imaginative play, outdoor play, storytelling, writing, animal studies, homeschool activities, and creative games. And you’re getting pieces that feel strong enough to actually be played with. That last part matters to me.
Children play with toys. They move them around, carry them outside, rearrange them, make up games with them, and sometimes play much harder with them than adults expect. I like knowing that these pieces are made to hold up to play.
So while I wouldn’t call $27.99 an inexpensive toy, I also wouldn’t judge this set simply by the number of pieces in the box. For the right child, I can see this becoming one of those toys that gets played with again and again.
I think the PLAYMOBIL Animal Friends Balloon Ride is one of those toys where the real value isn’t necessarily in the number of pieces inside the box. It is in what a child can imagine once the box is opened.
I can imagine my niece and nephew playing with this when they were little. I can imagine Charlie creating adventures with it, too. And I can imagine today’s children turning that balloon into everything from a jungle expedition to an animal rescue mission to a trip around the world.
I can see children taking it outside and creating games. I can see homeschool families using it as a starting point for animal studies, writing, geography, and creative lessons. I can see children using it to practice storytelling. And honestly, I can see adults enjoying it, too.
There is something about creating an adventure with a beautiful hot air balloon, animals, and a whole collection of accessories that makes you want to join in. The colorful balloon is beautiful, the animals add another layer of imaginative play, and all those little accessories give children plenty of opportunities to change the story.
And I really like how well-made and durable the pieces feel. They are strong enough that I don’t expect them to be torn up within two minutes of opening the box. At $27.99, it would not be at the top of my list for an inexpensive gift.
But for a child who loves animals, PLAYMOBIL, pretend play, creating stories, and making up their own adventures, I think it could be a very fun addition to the playroom. And when the adventure is over? Hang the balloon up and let it become part of the room.
Sometimes the best toys are the ones that leave room for a child to decide what happens next. You can find the PLAYMOBIL Animal Friends Balloon Ride, Item #71853, on PLAYMOBIL’s website and through other retailers, including Amazon. As always, prices may vary by retailer.
This PLAYMOBIL Animal Friends Balloon Ride will be featured in our Back-to-School Gift Guide, Summer Gift Guide, and upcoming Christmas Gift Guide and just don’t be surprised if you don’t find it in our Halloween Gift Guide as well.
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Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates