What is a Duplo Basic Set?

A box, tub or canister of loose Duplo bricks meant for open-ended building rather than one specific model.

Which Basic Set is the largest?

Green Strata (4296-1) from 2004, with 260 pieces.

How far back does the range go?

The oldest Basic Sets in our catalogue are from 1969, which makes this the longest-running part of Duplo.

Basic Set

Sets: 417
Since: 1969
Newest set: 2026

Basic Set is the Duplo sub-theme for boxes and tubs of loose bricks. With 417 sets from 1969 to 2026, it covers the whole history of the large-brick system.

Sets per decade

All decades

31 sets from the 1970s

1970s

About Basic Set

Bricks first, models second

Most Duplo sets are built around a scene: a farm, a train or a fire station. Basic Sets start from the other end. They supply a mix of bricks in several colours, sometimes with windows, wheels, baseplates or a couple of figures, and leave the rest to the child. Idea booklets suggest a few models, but nothing needs to be built in a set order. For many families, one of these tubs is the first box of bricks in the house and the core that later sets are added to.

Canisters, tubs and giant boxes

Green Strata (4296-1) from 2004 is the largest set with 260 pieces. The name XXL 250 Canister appears twice, as 3599-1 from 2005 and 5490-1 from 2006, both with 250 pieces. The XXL Cannister (5516-1) from 2007 has 215, and the XXL Box (5511-1) from 2010 has 201. Three sets share 200 pieces: the Giant Box (5588-1) from 2009, the Giant Tower (10557-1) from 2013 and Creative Birthday Party (10958-1) from 2021.

How the range has changed

The earliest sets here date from 1969 and the latest from 2026. The idea of a box of bricks has stayed the same, but newer releases tend to follow a loose theme, such as a birthday party, and add matching figures or printed pieces. Older sets are closer to plain assortments of bricks and are often sold in mixed lots second-hand.

Working out what you have

Several tubs mixed together soon become hard to sort. Each set's parts list shows its exact contents, and What can I build? tells you which Duplo models your bricks already cover.

FAQ

What is a Duplo Basic Set?: A box, tub or canister of loose Duplo bricks meant for open-ended building rather than one specific model.
Which Basic Set is the largest?: Green Strata (4296-1) from 2004, with 260 pieces.
How far back does the range go?: The oldest Basic Sets in our catalogue are from 1969, which makes this the longest-running part of Duplo.