1991:

THE SCHOOLHOUSE

The My Little Pony Schoolhouse was one of two playset buildings released after My Little Pony in the US had begun to fold, and so was never sold over there. The Schoolhouse is most famous internationally for being the school attended by the Seven Characters in the MLP Tales series, but it was originally issued before they were even thought of.

SCHOOLHOUSE: 1992 UK INSERT

As the 1992 insert image suggests, the school was initially designed to follow the theme of two sets of ponies this year - Schooltime Ponies and Playschool Babies. None of these ponies were sold in North America, either.

Though Sportstime is pictured with the set in one insert, he was not actually sold with the building, which had no ponies with it. The original insert from 1990-1 showed it without ponies (pictured below).

SCHOOLHOUSE: 1990/1 UK Insert

It did, however, have many accessories. I have taken a picture of my playset which shows all of the loose accessories available with this set, some of which are in intricate detail! Please ignore the weaving threads by the doorway - no idea what I was thinking there, but they are not original to the set. (Please note my set is currently missing its window frames, which are aqua, and shown in both insert photos. For some reason mine have got in a different box from the playset itself..sigh). The playset does have an aqua weathervane...the photo seems to have cut mine off, but the one in the insert photo is pretty accurate.

The desks have letter shaped feet (in the case of mine, the letters are 'e' and 'u', although the promotional photos show a letter 'a') and there were two of them with lift up lids in pink and yellow. The set included plastic books, pencils, a bell that could be rung and a very nicely crafted xylophone complete with beaters. On the wall was an etchasketch type drawing board in neon pink, serving as a black board, and there was also a blue globe of the world. The ponies could literally learn anything here!

In the My Little Pony Tales cartoon opening, the clock is seen chiming hometime, and the playset had a working clock which flipped open when the hands were turned to the right time to reveal the cuckoo. And, also as seen in the My Little Pony Tales opening, the one window converts to a slide, for easy and quick pupil access. I think the Schoolhouse is really designed to accommodate baby ponies, since I'm not sure Sportstime and his fellows would fit through the window...

Some more detailed pictures of the playset, with ponies and accessories for comparison (and entertainment) can be seen by clicking here

The satchel worn by Sportstime was not issued with the school, but is his own. The spectacles, however, came with the playset!