Small world play is something that we are huge advocates for. It’s an opportunity for children to explore new worlds and also act out and make sense of the world around them.
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We were recently sent a Playpress RNLI set to review. Initially, I was most interested in the fact that they are a sustainable toy that is both recyclable and biodegradable! They’re also totally screen-free.
Playpress have been nominated and won several awards for their ingenious toys. In this post you will find out what we thought of this concept for a toy and how we used it to develop small world play. If you’re looking for more ideas around the topic of People Who Help Us – check out this post.
Playpress Post Quick Links
Size of a Book – Travel Play
🛟The RNLI set comes completely flat packed – similar to the size and feel of a board book
🛟Ideal for taking on your travels or for entertainment when eating out or going to appointments such as hospital trips. Check out more travel play ideas here.
🛟Check out the YouTube video further below where you can see just how these ‘books’ fold out to reveal all the pieces
STEM Learning Skills
🛟Great set for developing fine motor skills – the RNLI set is designed for 6-10 years age range – if towards the younger age I would suggest an adult supports with the removing of pieces and putting together
🛟There are some sets with a guide age of 4+
🛟It’s a lot like a 3D jigsaw in many ways so if you have a child/ren who enjoy puzzles this would be a great challenge
🛟The instructions are pictorial and easy to follow
🛟The construction is very well thought out and will spark the imagination of many young designers into considering their own designs.
🛟We loved that the construction meant that the lifeboat actually slides down the jetty once the doors are open – clever thinking!
Playpress RNLI Set Thoughts
🛟Take care when removing pieces – we had a couple that the paper tore a little – you can’t notice when it’s all constructed but worth noting
🛟The final finished parts are incredibly sturdy, much more robust than I imagined, and ready to withstand hours and hours of play
🛟We also loved that there were other packs that you could get to expand your play opportunities
Playpress Perfect Small World Play
These sets can easily be used as stand alone sets as they are well thought out to offer plenty of play opportunities with people/ animals and scenery. You could easily incorporate them into a bigger set up too like the play tray in the video below.
Plethora of Sets
There are so many great sets to choose from. You can see the full range here. We particularly love the collaborations such as the RNLI but also with Julia Donaldson books such as The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom. Probably the most exciting one for us is a Moomin collaboration. However, Playpress have just release a Book Shop set which is just perfect for us!
Accolades Galore
We love that this is a UK manufactured product from sustainably sourced board that’s recyclable. Plant based inks are a great idea too.
For me the genius in this ‘toy’ is that there is a dual aspect to it. You have the construction of the pieces into a toy that you can then play with. With this dual nature I feel there is a wide appeal. Children who enjoy puzzles will be thrilled to construct a real project. Those like my daughter, who have a love of design, are thrilled by the concept and want to understand it, reconstruct and deconstruct to learn about it. Then you bring in the imagination and creativity to be able to play with what you have made. It truly is a very clever concept in a compact, sustainable parcel!
Playpress Price Point
The starting price for sets is very reasonable at just £6 for some sets.
Free UK Delivery
All UK delivery is free and they also have international delivery options. You can find out more details here.
Looking for screen free fun that encourages reading and writing skills then this subscription is perfect. Join Banjo monthly in a different location around the world. Learn about the language, culture, food and landmarks in this child friendly way.