Whether it be a TV show, a hit movie, a video game, or, in this case, an app, kids love toys that allow them to bring what they see on screen into their own hands—and parents love that it pulls them away from their tablets, smartphones, gizmos, gadgets, and things of that nature. That’s why K’NEX, in partnership with PopCap Games, has continued its Plants vs. Zombies line to bring kids the Plants vs. Zombies Pirate Seas Plank Walk Building Set.
This jam-packed set includes 319 pieces that will keep older kids (ages 7 and up) occupied for hours as they recreate the Pirate Seas level straight from the Plants vs. Zombies 2 app. I love big sets such as these because of how much play value they provide to kids. K’NEX has seen a great amount of success with its Plants vs. Zombies action figure and Mystery Packs, but with this kit kids have all the materials they need to build a battery-powered rumble grid where zombies and plants will battle it out—just like they do in the game. Using an easy-to-follow instruction manual, kids will piece together the ship’s deck and sails, the tracks the zombies will move across, the Cabbage-pult, the Coconut Cannon, the Pirate Zombie Figures, and more. Like any K’Nex set the pieces easily snap together and the step-by-step instructions show kids exactly what to do using big, vibrant pictures (my favorite).
Once the scene is set, kids will switch the motor on and get ready to defend their brains from the zombies darting towards them—well, they don’t exactly dart, but considering the size of the grid I was surprised at how quickly they moved across it. Using the Cabbage-pult and the Coconut Cannon kids will take aim and fire at the zombies, causing them to fall off the track and sometimes even off the ship entirely which mimics the app’s game play.
For me, building is a lot more stimulating than advancing through the levels of an app and I think a lot of kids will agree. This is something they can physically touch; they can snap together the plants and zombies figures and determine who is victorious on their own terms. They can play alone, or include their siblings, friends, mom, dad, or grandpa in the game. Here, the rules are up to them and they can imagine and play any way they like without being stuck staring at a screen.
