10 LEGO® DUPLO® sets your kids will love this Christmas

If you’re looking for a timeless gift for your kids this Christmas, you can’t go wrong with a new shiny set of LEGO® DUPLO®. These colourful, and easy to handle bricks have been entertaining little ones for more than half a century now (yes, really). There is no right or wrong way to play with LEGO DUPLO and the possibilities are truly limitless.

Vibrant DUPLO sets are a go-to Christmas gift for kids, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are they fun, they’re educational too - allowing toddlers to learn and develop core skills while they play. Building with DUPLO is not only beneficial to the progression of your child’s fine motor skills; it can also help them become accustomed to learning with the alphabet and numbers.

If you have a preschooler who has seen older siblings or friends playing with LEGO but can’t quite get to grips with the smaller bricks, DUPLO is the ideal gift. Precisely twice the size of conventional LEGO bricks, DUPLO bricks are less tricky for tiny hands to hold. Parents on our Talk board are full of praise for DUPLO, such as this happy Mumsnetter who enthused: "My son makes fabulous DUPLO creations that he likes to show off and say: ‘I made it by myself!'"

Despite their chunkier size, the great news is that DUPLO bricks are still compatible with LEGO bricks. This makes DUPLO a great value toy because, when your child progresses to LEGO, they can enjoy playing with both bricks parts together, adding to the toy’s longevity as they pass from child to child.

In the last 50 years, DUPLO colours and characters have moved with the times, with various exciting new themes being introduced. But the basic concept -  to encourage creativity and excite young minds - has not wavered.

Keep reading to find the top 10 LEGO DUPLO sets for kids for Christmas 2022…

1. Number Train - Learn To Count

RRP: £17.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 18 months+ | Bricks: 23 | Set number: 10954

What Mumsnet users say

“[Get] the DUPLO train with numbers on.” BadgertheBodger

Our verdict

Choo choo! Tiny train spotters will love this rail-inspired toy. The carriages and engine all have fully functioning wheels. There’s also a removable roof so that the three included characters can take it in turns to drive the train.

While this is a super fun toy, it’s also educational. The train set is a great introductory DUPLO set for toddlers as it introduces them to the basics of fitting DUPLO bricks together. It also helps them learn and develop their numeracy skills thanks to the rainbow colour sequence which helps little learners to put the numbers in the correct order. With this toy, you’ll be right on track for lots of fun at Christmas and beyond. Next stop: smiles all round.

2. Frozen Ice Castle

RRP: £44.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2 years+ | Bricks: 59 | Set number: 10899

What Mumsnet users say

“My 2 year old has enjoyed DUPLO …lately.” Emelene

Our verdict

This buildable, educational Frozen castle is ideal for toddlers aged two years and above, and lets fans of the film join main characters Elsa, Anna, and Olaf mini dolls at Elsa’s famous ice castle.

Not only does this set come with 59 pieces, but the castle can also be illuminated with a special button-operated light brick that will offer endless fun while building. Toddlers can role-play with their favourite mini dolls from the popular Disney franchise, improving their language, fine motor skills, and their social and emotional development.

3. Wild Animals of South America

RRP: £44.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2 years+ | Bricks: 71 | Set number: 10973

What Mumsnet users say

“We have about six sets of DUPLO. The items my four- and two-year-olds play with the most are the cars, windows and doors, animal figures and people.” PerditaNitt

Our verdict

An exciting set featuring a bumper collection of colourful bricks (71, to be exact), Wild Animals of South America is great for junior animal lovers. It features monkeys, a crocodile, sloth, baby jaguar, toucan and alpaca along with a selection of the animals’ natural habitat - trees, rocks and a waterfall.

Included in the set is a fold out three dimensional play mat to add extra depth to your child’s imaginative play. Wild Animals of South America is a fun and colourful way to introduce your child to the wilder side of life.

4. Wild Animals of Asia

RRP: £89.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2 years+ | Bricks: 117 | Set number: 10974

What Mumsnet users say

“DS is almost five – we get the most play value out of DUPLO [sets] because [they’re] more robust for actual games.” SemiFeralDalek

Our verdict

With a huge 117 pieces, this Wild Animals of Asia set is sure to entertain little minds for hours on end. Little builders can explore and learn about Asian wildlife with this set, as it’s packed full of fun details and amazing animal toy figures sure to delight your toddler.

Little animal lovers will find endless play possibilities with the set as they create Asia’s wildlife environment. The set even contains a sound brick that plays realistic noises and animal sounds.

5. Wild Animals of the World

RRP: £114.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2 years+ | Bricks: 141 | Set number: 10975

What Mumsnet users say

“All the animal sets are lovely.” Sawyersfishbiscuits

Our verdict

An investment buy, this mammoth set includes 141 bricks and infinite possibilities when it comes to imaginative play. The set features 22 different animals from across all seven continents, including African lions, Asian pandas, South American alpaca, North American bear, Australian koala and European deer.

A sound brick plays realistic animal sounds for added fun and learning. There’s also a large foldable playmat allowing your preschooler to venture across the globe with their new animal friends.

6. Deluxe Brick Box

RRP: £44.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 18 months+ | Bricks: 85 | Set number: 10914

What Mumsnet users say

“I kept a big DUPLO box and the grandchildren have loved playing with it.” Knittingnanny

Our verdict

Themed sets are great but if your child would rather not follow instructions and just let their imagination run wild, a box of DUPLO bricks is sure to make them smile. The Deluxe Brick Box contains a whopping 85 bricks in a rainbow of colours, both brights and pastels. Accessories include flowers, a car, swing, slide and window along with three adorable characters - two people and a dog.

Little creatives can build anything they can think of  and the bricks can also be combined with other DUPLO sets. If you’re looking for a first DUPLO toy for a child this Christmas, the Deluxe Brick Box is an ideal starter set. Also, when playtime is over, all the bricks can be popped back into the handy storage box until next time.

7. Green Building Base Plate Board

RRP: £12.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 18 months+ | Bricks: Not included | Set number: 10980

Our verdict

All great things need a solid foundation - including LEGO DUPLO. With this building base plate, kids aged 18 months and above can build, play and display their creations any time, anywhere. This 24x24 stud green LEGO base plate is ideal for little builders, and it holds bricks firmly at any angle, opening up a world of imaginative play for young minds. Grassy gardens, exotic jungles, steep mountainsides, or green… Flying machines? The possibilities are endless.

8. Truck & Tracked Excavator Construction Toys

RRP: £17.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2 years+ | Bricks: 20 | Set number: 10931

Our verdict

For young builders who aren’t too familiar with LEGO DUPLO, this is a great set to introduce to them. With 20 bricks - including two DUPLO construction worker figures - little hands will no doubt enjoy playing with the push-along toy truck and excavator that are interactive. Plus, it’s a great choice to help kids develop their fine motor skills as they operate the vehicles to play out construction site stories.

This set is also part of the wider LEGO DUPLO Construction toy range that expand the play possibilities for kids.

9. Buzz Lightyear’s Planetary Mission

RRP: £29.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2+ | Bricks: 37 | Set number: 10962

Our verdict

Your preschooler can aim for the stars with a DUPLO set that is totally out of this world and inspired by popular Disney movie characters. Take your kids’ imaginations into space with this feature-filled, developing spaceship toy set designed for toddlers aged two and above.

This versatile building toy comes with a robot figure that encourages preschoolers to use their creativity and imagination, teaching them about teamwork and the wonders of space along the way.

Fans of the Disney and Pixar Lightyear movie will recognise the iconic space ranger, Buzz, as well as Ivan the computer and Eric the triangular droid who help Buzz to find his spaceship’s missing fuel cell. There’s lots of fun to be had with this one, and it’s an ideal choice if your child is already a fan of the film.

10. Dinosaur Nursery

RRP: £17.99 | Buy now from Smyths

Key specs

Age: 2+ | Bricks: 27| Set number: 10938

What Mumsnet users say

“My daughter is about 22 months but she loves DUPLO and has done for a few months. I have older children, so we already had lots of it in the house!” mistermagpie

Our verdict

Bring hours of imaginative play to young dinosaur fans aged two and above with this LEGO DUPLO Jurassic World Dinosaur Nursery set. With this set, kids can care for and look after three baby dinosaur figures from Jurassic World in their forest habitats.

During playtime, little learners will develop their fine motor skills and emotional intelligence, while they embark on their dino adventure. The set features buildable forest elements, a baby triceratops, a pteranodon and a brachiosaurus, plus Claire Dearing, the leader of the Dinosaur Protection Group from the Jurassic World movies.