Fischertechnik Junior Jumbo Starter

For people from Europe, particular Germany, Fischertechnik is very well known. (For people in the construction industry the Fischer Werke are well known for their Nylon wall anchors and fasteners.) When I was a kid in the 70th and 80th, Fischertechnik could be found as common in kids' rooms as Lego. Fischertechnik is different from Lego, though. Lego is about vertical building while Fischertechnik allows for all kinds of geometry. Fischertechnik is about mechanics and science. Over the years, Lego tried to adapt many of Fischertechnik's features such as the release of Lego Technic as a direct response to the competition from Fischertechnik. It is Lego Technic parts which make today's Lego models more lively and allow for horizontal building. Lego added Mindstorms as a response of the computerization which Fischertechnik had in its program from the very early 70th, even before the event of the home computer. The biggest difference to Lego is that Fischertechnik is not about role playing. Fischertechnik models are rather dominated by their mechanic and electronic features of moving parts and control circuitry. Though, I do not look at Fischertechnik as an alternative to Lego but more as a compliment. In Europe, Fischertechnik is part of curriculum of many primary schools and even some colleges and Fischertechnik also pushes heavily into STEM in the US. Fischertechnik parts are made from Nylon and ABS. Lego is made from ABS. The Nylon parts are flexible while ABS is hard. Both Nylon and ABS are resistant to water, so that parts can be washed or even used outside. Fischertechnik parts started out in grey and red as the only colors. Black, yellow, blue, and last year green, has been added over the years to make models more colorful. All Fischertechnik parts are compatible with each other no matter whether bought in the 60th or in 2012, across all sets of all age groups. Fischertechnik parts are literally heirloom toys - there is no noticeable aging. However, this review is about the Junior set for the very small ones. The age group is 5 years plus. (Advanced sets go up to college age.) There are no electronics or computerization, science and little mechanics in this set. Though, the basic parts are the same, so that it can be expanded upon while the child grows. This set is an introduction to a building and construction toy. The Junior series exist in the program since the early 80th. This particular set was released in 2011. I bought this set for xmas for my 5 year old daughter. She is very much into crafts and arts as I believe many girls are. So a construction toy is the natural extension to her creativity and artwork. The Jumbo Junior Starter set is the big brother of the smaller Junior Starter Set. The set contains instructions of 16 models which are easy to follow for a five or six year old, perhaps with a little bit of help. There are only enough parts (135) to build some larger models by their own, but other models allow for the construction of two or three related models, such as a crane with a dump truck together. The model suggestions are various cars, trucks, boats, air crafts, and cranes. This set contains bigger form elements like a truck bed or the cabin which makes building for younger kids easier. But one does not have to follow instructions, and my daughter quickly started to enhance on the models. My younger children enjoy picking the models apart which my older daughter fixes again, so that the models gain their own dynamic. There are some smaller parts in this set so that it is not recommended for kids under the age of three without supervision. There are enough model suggestions in this set to keep a child busy for a couple of weeks.