Kids in Prague

Playmobil FunPark, Germany

Day Trips, Weekends Away on 24 April 2010 by Karen

A 2 ½-3 hour drive from Prague in the direction of Nuernberg, in western Germany, will take you to a unique theme park, where your kids will have an absolute ball playing with life-sized Playmobil sets and characters. We have already been here a few times with our two sons at different times of the year but since many of the areas involve water play, I would strongly suggest to plan your visit during the warmer months of the year.

It is possible to start early in the morning and return back to Prague on the same day but for a more leisurely journey, you could either find inexpensive accommodation in one of the small towns on the way or even sleep over at the park’s very own Playmobil Aparthotel.

Compared to other theme parks, the entrance fee to Playmobil FunPark is negligible, which may be due to its lack of automated rides. Don’t let this deter you because despite this, any child between the ages of 0-13 years of age is bound to find this place totally irresistible! In the words of the management itself, the emphasis is on “movement through play” and not on endless standing and waiting in long queues.

Upon entering the theme park you will be greeted by a large make-shift coal mine all set up for digging and exploring with the help of all sorts of Playmobil equipment. Your kids can also test out their skills as potential farmers by milking cows, looking after horses and tending to chickens (all playmobil, of course).

On a hot day, nothing beats playing around the artificial water-falls or huge sand pit (covered with a convenient sun shield) and interspersed with natural water pools.

Then there’s a wild-west area with a goldmine, rodeo, saloon, bank and another large sandpit for playing. Good climbers can try out the climbing walls that go to the top of the medieval castle, complete with a hall of mirrors, a real well, secret passage and a throne that belts out royal trumpet music each time that someone sits on it. There is also a large pirate ship for little explorers, surrounded by water and rafts for punting. A huge tree house area, complete with climbing frames, slides and a miniature mining pulley is another attraction.

For a quieter time you can retire to the plant-centre and pursue numerous arts and crafts activities with your little ones. Recently the park also installed an 18-hole outdoor mini-golf course, which we unfortunately did not have enough time to visit.

In case of rain, there is a huge indoor play area, complete with slides, tree-house-like climbing equipment as well as automated playmobil train sets with a ticket system and attendant that ensures that each child gets their turn.

Parents can sit around sipping their cappuccinos, while watching their offspring play train stations, airports, princesses and much more, all with the large array of Playmobil toys that is made available.

The indoor playground boasts a nice and inexpensive buffet-style restaurant, with a good choice of food and drink. As you pay at the cash register, you are given a receipt with special tear-off papers, which later give you a refund (Pfand), upon the return of your dirty cups and plates at the end of your meal.

Before you leave the park, much temptation awaits you in the massive gift store, with possibly the largest array of playmobil merchandise on offer under one roof.

One of the greatest things about the park is the absence of automated rides, and hence no long waiting queues that one often has to endure at other theme parks. Built with a German eye for perfection and detail, there are plenty of baby changing areas, a room for warming up milk and baby food, and even clothes dryers for drying up garments following water play.

With so many areas for playing both indoors and out, even if the park was overfilled with people, one never felt cramped in. Our 4-year-old gave it a rating of 10 out of 10 and I would not dare to differ!