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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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?
 

 
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.