The Lakeside Riding Center by Schleich is a fantastic toy that offers endless opportunities for imaginative play and storytelling. This playset includes a variety of highly detailed figurines and accessories, including horses, riders, a stable, and various riding gear, all of which allow children to create their own unique stories and adventures.
Like so many of Schleich’s unbelievable playsets, the Lakeside Riding Center encourages children to use their imagination and creativity. With so many different characters and accessories to choose from, children can create their own unique scenarios and storylines. Our toy testers imagined they were training for a big competition, caring for their horses, and of course, simply riding leisurely through the countryside.
As they create these different sequences in their pretend play, children use higher level language skills in a variety of different ways. They practice dialogue, problem solving and conflict resolution, negotiation, commenting, requesting and so much more. Practicing these language skills will give them the tools they need for developing self-advocacy in peer situations. Narrative development — or storytelling — can also predict reading and writing skills as children grow into those academic years.
One of the best features on Schleich’s toys are the highly detailed and realistic props and animals, which add to the play experience. Children became interested in horses and all of their “gear” and these new vocabulary words became part of the play. They learned about different types of horses, riding gear, and stable management as play progressed. This not only promotes learning but also encourages children to develop an appreciation for animals and nature.
Schleich delivers another high-quality playset that offers endless opportunities for imaginative play and storytelling, while also promoting the development of language, stoytelling, and social-emotional well being. Whether your child is a horse lover or simply enjoys creating their own stories and adventures, this toy is sure to be a hit.
