Friday 1 August 2014

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set 10545 Review

We review LEGO sets quite regularly, but this is something very different - a DUPLO review! My 2 youngest boys are at the upper age limit for DUPLO now, as they're 4 1/2 and almost 6, and when DUPLO asked if they could send me the Batcave Adventure set 10545 I wasn't going to say 'no'. They love Batman, and I knew we'd get a lot of play out of this set.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review pack shot


The LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set has 59 large pieces that are suitable for children aged 2 and over.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review rear of pack shot

LEGO DUPLO sets are very much like regular LEGO sets, with some loose special elements, bagged bricks and an instruction booklet in the box. 

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review bags

The build is quite tricky for a child under around 3 1/2, but following instruction in a booklet teaches children valuable skills including counting and following numerical order, and it is the start of reading with number recognition and progression through a book from left to right and beginning to end.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review instruction booklet

The instruction booklet is very much like a little LEGO instruction booklet, but with a slightly bigger format, and because there are no tiny pieces and only limited and very different colours, it's much easier to follow.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batwing and Batman

My 4 year old didn't want to follow instructions, he's not an 'Emmet'. He wanted help fitting the cannon onto the Batwing. It was too hard for him to do himself, but I think it'll get easier to remove and replace when it's not brand new. The Batwing is awesome. Really light and easy to hold, but chunky and covered in studs for attaching all kinds of extras.

My son certainly didn't need help inserting the soft rubbery ammo! The cannon is a really simple and reliable design, and the ammo big enough that it won't get lost or fire too far.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman cannon and ammo

Then he started building. He made a slide, and a tower, and a complicated control seat where Batman could sit and fire the cannon remotely. It was all imagination and creativity, and pride in what he'd built.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman play collage

He made a jail for Catwoman to be a prisoner....

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman play building

 And then he helped me to make a model Batcave like the one shown on the box...

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman play building

It's a great set with two fabulous figures - Catwoman and Batman. Batman has a fabric cape which you can blow so it looks like he's flying really fast, and Catwman has a fixed tail so that she can't sit back against a wall, but it's not really an issue. The masks aren't removeable, as they'd be a bit small and delicate for 2 year olds.

LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman and Catwoman

There is a rope that has a hook on one end, and a winch style wheel. There are printed 'computer screen' bricks, a chair, a barrier and a door, a suitcase for treasure and a turntable for the cannon when it's not on the Batwing vehicle. Two of the most popular items I've found today though are the winch and the slide! Who wouldn't want a winch and a slide in their Batcave?
 
LEGO DUPLO Batcave Adventure set review Batman and Catwoman on balcony
 
It's a great playset, and would make an excellent gift for any youngster who likes Batman. The set costs £39.99, so for me that would make it a main present, but I know if I'd bought it for my 4 year old last birthday I'd definitely get my money's worth.      

I'll be giving away two of these sets over August - check out my competitions and giveaways page for all of my latest giveaways.

33 comments:

  1. My daughter would LOVE this, she has inherited a love of superheros from her big brother and she really enjoys playing with DUPLO (we mainly have animal based sets though) I love how interactive this set is, with the cannon, the winch and the slide!

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    1. It has got some great elements. I definitely don't remember DUPLO being quite so much fun when my older children were little :)

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  2. This is awesome! My son is 6 and he still love playing with his DUPLO.

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    1. I think mine will be using the bricks from the DUPLO as instant 'walls' for a while yet - it has it's uses even when you've moved mainly on to little LEGO :)

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  3. Helen Tobin-Perry2 August 2014 at 11:17

    Fantastic duplo and all lego is the best idea ever x My 5yr old plays with her a for hours xD

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    1. It's brilliant isn't it? It gives children so many valuable skills, and they don't even realise they're learning :)

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  4. I'm entering just because it's Batman.

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    1. Hahahaha.....'Be you, unless you can be Batman' - you didn't half make me laugh posting that as your giveaway entry :D

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  5. Any why was catwoman in jail?

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    1. I've enquired and it was because she had stolen the suitcase of 'gems' apparently. Sadly when I looked the 'gems' turned out to be 2 crushed wheat crunchies :D

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  6. Wowee! Batman AND Lego! I think Hubby would be in his element! x

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    1. Hahaha.....it's ace. It is a great way to let younger children play with what they'll feel is very 'grown up' - and an excuse for grown ups to play Batman! :D

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    1. It's a definite crossover product I think. It bridges that gap between ease of play and wanting to be 'grown up' incredibly well :)

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  8. We love Duplo, Max has the number train and I think it must be the toy he plays with most. Thanks for linking up with #TriedTested

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    1. You're welcome - thank you for hosting! I had the DUPLO train for my older children when they were little - it did get an awful lot of play, and was pristine when they grew out of it and it went to a new home :)

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  9. I want to play with it!! hahah x

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  10. That looks like so much fun!! Never mind the kids! I want it! x

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    1. Hahaha.....I'm pretty certain we only had more children so we had an excuse to buy toys. We were definitely in a toy shop when we decided ;)

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    1. It's great isn't it Kris. I think all children have fondmemories of playing with it as they grow up :)

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  12. I love the look of this and it's great to see how far Duplo has come. Definitely not just for babies!

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    1. Heck no! This is brilliant at bridging that gap and giving smaller children a 'grown up' set :)

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  13. Oh wow this looks amazing! I've never really got much Duplo thinking it wouldn't last very long and we might as well wait for Lego but my three year old would love this, what a great set #triedtested

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    1. I can totally see that. I didn't buy mine any new DUPLO because we had some, and I couldn't see that we'd get enough benefit - this though, they'd play with this for years! :)

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  14. What a great set. I didn't realise DUPLO had the superheroes things. I'm sure my son would love 'helping' his sister make this!

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    1. Hahahaha....yep! It really is one of those that the bigger kids will want to 'help' with :D

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  15. Joshua has not really discovered lego yet ... is it wrong that i totally still love it myself?

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    1. You're asking the wrong person. I think you already know my answer to that :P

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  16. Wonder Woman she's a classic

    Kay panayi

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  17. This set is great! Only thing is the cape where I doubt it would last when a 2-3 year old plays with it.

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    1. It's pretty strong material and doesn't fray, so I think it'd survive. We can only find ours half the time, so it's in more danger of just getting lost! :)

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