Lego Duplo
| File:Boy with duplo blocks.jpg | |
| Other names | Lego Preschool Explore |
|---|---|
| Sub‑themes | Farm Airport Traffic Zoo Town Police & Fire Construction Trains Bob the Builder Thomas & Friends |
| Availability | 1969–Present |
| Total sets | 100+ |
| Official website | |
Duplo (trademarked as DUPLO) is a product range of the construction toy Lego, designed for children aged 1½ to 6 years old. Duplo bricks are twice the length, height and width of traditional Lego bricks (eight times the size in volume), and are easier to handle - as well as being far harder to swallow - by younger children. Despite their size, they are still compatible with traditional Lego bricks. Initially launched in 1969, the Duplo range has gone on to include sets with figures, cars, houses and trains. The most common of all Duplo bricks is the 2x2 brick.
History
The Duplo brand, and the first Duplo bricks appeared in 1969.[1] The bricks were available in four colors: red, yellow, blue, and white.
The following year, two more sets were added with blue and red wheel plates. In the product catalog for 1971, the sets were targeted at children from 1 to 2 years, but still sold mixed with Lego bricks, normally designed for ages 3 to 12. In 1972, the Duplo brick with 2 rows of 2 studs was introduced.
In 1975 Duplo became its own product brand, with five sets made up exclusively of Duplo bricks. New additions included a round-topped 2 by 2 stud brick and a small 4-wheel wagon with two rows of 6 studs. With these new Duplo sets, Lego was targeting children 1½ years old with the idea that when the children reached 3, the Duplo bricks could be used together with regular Lego bricks.
In 1977 the Duplo name was dropped in favor of Lego Preschool. Small figures the size of 2 by 2 knobs were introduced as well. They included a cylindrical head and a tapered body without any limbs (similar in design to Fisher-Price's Little People). Another new brick was a half arch. The new sets included figures, doors, and 2 by 6 knob wagons that could act as a car or train.
The name Duplo was brought back in 1979, along with a new reworked logo. The brick sets often came inside a plush version of the rabbit that zipped closed.
In 1983, other Duplo figures appeared, often called Duplo people. These figures have a moveable head, arms, and legs and look like large Lego minifigures, but the Duplo people cannot be taken apart for safer handling by small children. Also in 1983, set number 2700 was introduced with a model of a steam engine with two train cars.
In 1986, a Duplo doll house with sliding doors was introduced. This included a Duplo people mother, father, and smaller child.
In 1992, Duplo Toolo was introduced. These used internal screws to stay together.
1993 brought a grey rail train system with a stop and start track. Later, two more train systems arrived. In 2005, Lego started selling Duplo trains trains themed as Thomas the Tank Engine.
The name Duplo was dropped again in favor of Explore in 2002. In the 2004 spring catalog there was a reminder that Duplo was now called Explore, but that fall the well known Duplo name was back yet again with a new rabbit logo designed to match the new elephant logo for the Lego Quatro range.[2]
Lego currently makes Duplo sets licensed with Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends characters. Duplo sets now include farm, zoo, town, castle, and pirate lines. A doll house and princess castle are available as of 2008. Duplo sets also have cars, trucks, and buildings already built which cannot be disassembled because of safety reasons; also, some DUPLO sets do not include building manuals because they come built from the factory. DUPLO sets are much smaller than LEGO City bricks and the Police Headquarters is larger than the Police Station from Lego DUPLO
Duplo is manufactured in Nyíregyháza, Hungary.[3]
References
- ^ Lego Timeline, retrieved 22 December 2009
- ^ Lipkowitz, Daniel (2009). The Lego Book. Dorling Kindersley. p. 118. ISBN 9781405341691.
- ^ http://index.hu/kultur/eletmod/2010/05/09/lego/
External links
- A reference on LEGO DUPLO People
- A reference to LEGO DUPLO Promotional Bricks
- A blog and news about LEGO DUPLO
