When we review toys on Mellow Mummy, I always like to leave it a few weeks after a toy has arrived to see if the toy still holds appeal after the initial excitement - The My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle has been played with EVERY SINGLE day over the past few weeks - its fair to say it has withstood the "lastability test". Holly absolutely loves it. She loves showing it to others but mostly she loves to disappear into her own little world of imaginary play with her ponies - something I've never seen her big sister do. If you've ever met Holly and know her normal attention span, you'll know that anything she is happy to play with for more than 20 seconds at once is a big hit in our household.
The My Little Pony Crystal Empire Castle playset includes the castle, Princess Cadence and her baby Flurry Heart. It also includes a number of accessories such as a throne (and baby throne), a swing, a mirror and plenty of jewels to decorate your princess pony.
I found the playset really easy to remove from its box and assemble - Holly didn't have to wait long in order to start playing. When I discovered that the castle required batteries, I panicked a bit because I didn't really want another noisy toy but to my relief, we discovered that there is no noise - just a sparkly crystal pattern which spins under the castle to create a special place where Holly invites all of her My Little Pony friends to come for a ball! There are flashing, spinning coloured lights, perfect for a pony dance floor and this seems to be one of the main themes of imaginative play when Holly is playing with her castle.
Princess Cadence comes with a sparkly coat that matches the castle and which fits neatly over her wings. Holly find it quite hard to put this on her, so it tends to become my job. Holly (and her big sister) enjoy letting baby Flurry Heart play on her swing and Holly also enjoys placing all of her My Little Pony figures at different places around the castle. I'm really pleased how the arrival of the playset has breathed new life into the girls' collection of My Little Pony characters.
The My Little Pony Explore Equestria Crystal Empire Castle Playset costs around £41.99 and is suitable for ages 3 upwards. It would make a stunning centre piece in a playroom and has really lit up Holly's evenings. Find it at Smyths, Argos and Amazon.
