- Medical 'Copter
- Playmobil, $35
How tired do you get of seeing your child use her SpongeBob action figures to re-create a recent episode of the TV show, complete with verbatim dialogue? Dolls and action figures may encourage creative play, but when each bears the likeness of a favorite animated character, it's nearly impossible for kids to leave out the personalities and behaviors they know and love. For decades, Playmobil's action-figure play sets have been blessedly devoid of such characters. Each one—from bakery to pirate ship, hair salon to medieval castle-is an imagination starter kit, which kids can use to craft story lines and develop characters themselves. The new Citylife-Hospital line, for example, featuring this realistically detailed rescue helicopter, doesn't spell out who needs saving, or how that person got into trouble. It doesn't even absolutely require an emergency—perhaps those guys are taking the 'copter out on a sightseeing tour. But you can be sure of one thing: Scooby and Shaggy won't be using it to investigate a haunted amusement park, only to discover that the "ghost" is really the ornery groundskeeper.—Ages 3 to 10
