We have two young boys – a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Here’s our challenge: the 4 year old doesn’t put things in his mouth (including dinner, but that’s a different story). The 1 year old put everything – EVERYTHING – in his mouth. Carpet lint, dog toys, and yes – even his dinner (he eats more than the 4 year old).
So anything we buy for the 4 year old will have the potential of being played with – and eaten – by the 1 year old. Birthday and Christmas gifts bring a challenge, since the 4 year old is entertained by toys and games that have small, little pieces which could be dangerous for the 1 year old. Alternatively, toys that the 1 year old would be able to play with aren’t very entertaining for the 4 year old.
Our solution: Duplo Blocks! Duplo has fit perfectly in the space between our two boys: entertaining our 4 year old for HOURS, while also safely entertaining our 1 year old when he decides to participate. One builds numerous creations with them while the other tastes them. Its comforting to know that if the Duplos are left on the floor, in the hallway, on the bathroom floor, or any other place that the 1 year old can access, it’s not a disaster waiting to happen. 99% of the pieces are too big to be dangerous, and the remaining 1% are not essential to the toys being used, so we take them out of the equation.
Duplo Train Sets
One of the stand out toy sets offered by Duplo have to be the Trains. We have a couple of the powered train sets, and they are one of the most well-thought toys I’ve come across for little kids. The tracks come together easy, and can even be used with the blocks as well! A nice added touch. The trains move easily with a simple push forward or pull backward, and they move easily even if they aren’t on the tracks – something even the 1 year old has figured out. They also make just the right amount of noise – enough to entertain the kids but not enough to make a parent crazy. To top it off, Duplo even offers a free app that works with the trains that can control them and offers a visual of the train cab that animates as the train moves. It’s a great free addition to an already great toy set, and making it non-essential is a really smart move. Use it if you want, but there’s no obligation!
Duplo Construction Sets
Our boys are big into toy construction sets, so it’s the dominant theme in our Duplo selection. Again, they’ve done a spectacular job of providing neat functionality, like excavator arms that bend and crane bodies that swivel, that are easy to put together. Even pieces which you wouldn’t think would (or should) fit together somehow do, making your kids monster/construction/dinosaurs even cooler, at least by your kids standards.
It’s easy to recommend these sets to anyone who is looking for a tough, well thought, and long-lasting gift for a toddler. If they’re anything like our 4 year old, you’ll get hours of entertainment. We can’t recommend them for children that are too young, but for our needs they have fit the bill perfectly!