LEGO Duplo - Steam Train (10874)
- Large, durable, easy-to-handle pieces
- Action bricks introduce simple coding
- Bluetooth adds digital interaction
Tough & Toddler-Proof
The Steam Train (10874) set from LEGO arrives with a train that is like one solid piece without any loose parts or fragile connections, pairing well with other sets such as the LEGO Duplo - F1 Team Race Cars & Drivers (10445). Inside? A motor, LED light, speaker, a colour sensor, and battery compartment. The roof flips open and makes space for figures. Is it safe? Yes! Kids are sometimes rough with their toys, so the battery compartment is locked with a screw to keep it powered. Moving on to how many builds you can do with it, 3 small builds are possible: A tree with sloped bricks, a tipping coal bucket, and a station with a clock, a seat, and a window. The track consists of 16 loose pieces, forming an oval. They don’t snap together, so expect some shifting.
The train simply moves with a forward or backward push -- no buttons needed. What's interesting is five colour-coded bricks that arrive with the set change how the train behaves. Yellow sounds the whistle, red stops the train, white controls the light, blue makes the train pause for a water refill, and green sends it in reverse. The LEGO Company encourage kids to mix them up and change the track layout. Kids learn by experimenting, and the process keeps them engaged.
More Than Just a Train
The LEGO Duplo Train app connects via Bluetooth and pairs fast. The app gives precise speed control and a digital train driver appears on-screen when used -- he even reacts to what’s happening. Kids can feed him fish, bread, and chocolate, and wake him up with coffee or an alarm clock, offering more interactivity than the LEGO Duplo - 3in1 Space Shuttle Adventure (10422). Mini-games connect with action bricks. Place yellow? A music game starts. White? It switches day and night. Blue? A coal-loading task. Red? A pattern-matching puzzle. Green? A hide-and-seek game with the squirrel. There is a ton of replay value here.
The train doesn’t need the track, by the way -- it keeps rolling even if it derails. The pieces are large with a quick assembly process. Play is also stress-free. In contrast, there are two small issues: The track shifts out of place and the Bluetooth connection drops if you exit the app, meaning it has to be paired again every time.
Steam Train (10874): Price UK
The LEGO Duplo - Steam Train (10874) starts at under £55, making it a mid-range option that would surely make a special gift for parents who would love to encourage their children into STEM fields. If you would like an alternative for it, you could also go with the LEGO Duplo - Interactive Adventure Train (10427).