Rattles

About Rattles

Before the building starts

Duplo was designed for young children, and this sub-theme reaches back even further, to the months before a child can stack bricks. The line covers rattles, cot toys, rocking horses and toys to push or pull along. None of these sets is about constructing a model in the usual sense; they are sturdy, simple objects for babies to hold, shake and roll. That makes Rattles an unusual corner of the catalogue, but an interesting record of how the Duplo range was presented during the 1980s.

Gift packs and cot toys

The largest set is the Rattle and Activity Gift Set (2074-1) from 1989, with 10 pieces. The Baby Gift Pack (2073-1), from the same year, has 5. Two years earlier, in 1987, came the Touch and Learn Cot Toy (2072-1) with 9 pieces, meant for a baby's cot, and Ring Me Rabbit (2070-1) with 4. Judging by their names, several of these sets were clearly aimed at parents buying for a newborn.

Toys that move

Many of the other sets rock or roll. Rock 'n' Roll Pull-Toy (2053-1) dates from 1980, the first year in the theme, and has 5 pieces. Rocking Horse (2055-1) followed in 1984, Rocking Horse Push-Along (2057-1) in 1986 and Rock 'n' Roller (2040-1) in 1989, each with just 3 pieces.

Collecting early Duplo

Baby toys tend to be well used, so complete examples are harder to find than ordinary brick sets. The parts list on each set page helps you check whether a find has everything it should. Because the part counts are so low, one missing element makes a real difference to completeness.

FAQ

Are Duplo Rattles sets building sets?

Mostly not. They are baby toys such as rattles, cot toys and rocking horses, with only a handful of pieces each.

What is the oldest set among the largest ones?

Rock 'n' Roll Pull-Toy (2053-1) from 1980, with 5 pieces.

How many sets are in the Rattles sub-theme?

23 sets, released between 1980 and 1990.