DUPLO or LEGO for a 3 year old.

[Cutiecat]

My son is about to turn three and I can't decide if he is ready for Lego or get him more Duplo. He does have some Duplo that he plays with at my mothers and enjoys it but wonder if Lego would be too advanced. Any thoghts?

Thanks.

[ChasingSquirrels]

my 4.10yo had some lego for his 4th birthday, and while he could do stuff with it he couldn't really follow the instructions to make the models - he is just starting to be able to do that now.
Friends kids also got some lego for their 4th birthdays.
I guess duplo would be better now but wouldn't have as much of a shelf life.

[kittywits]

I would say duplo now. Lego would be too frustating.

[southeastastra]

duplo

[funnypeculiar]

ds is 3.5 and still only just getting any good at duplo.
So duplo

[Cutiecat]

Thanks. I am concerned with it having a short shelf life but as the castle kits for lego look really complicated I don't think that is really an option. Hmm it is so expensive that I don't really want to get it wrong. I also worry about the small pices of Lego being all over the floor as I also have a 6 month old.

[Loshad]

definately duplo - it won't have a short shelf life, my 6 yo still gets it out sometimes eg building really tall towers - duplo ones will reach the ceiling, and your 6mo will use it later.

[southeastastra]

duplo is great or mega blocks for the under 5s, they get better with lego at 5plus ime

[tortoise]

Duplo, definatly!
My 10 yr old still plays with dd1 and dd2 with our duplo!

[Donk]

I would say Lego! DS was given some when he was about 20 months (we watched him like a hawk in case it went in his mouth) - and it was the first time he was aborbed in something totally for hours
The only problem now (3 years on) it trying to get him to do anything else!

[Cutiecat]

What about Playmobil? They also do castle and knight sets. Again very pricey.

[prongsinthongs]

we bought our son several bits from the lego city fire range for his third birthday and he loves it......there were a few problems to begin with because he thought when a bit came off it was broken, but he now understands that he can press the back in place. he loves all the fiddly bits and sometimes its a bit wonky but he loves it! only rule i have is that it stays in his bedroom so that we can find any bits and they aren't trailed around the house.

[christywhisty]

My 2 played with Duplo for years after they got into ordinary lege. They liked building huge towers etc.
I am about to put a boxful on the for sale section if your interested

[kittywits]

Even my 9 year old and 8 year old still like duplo!!!!