Are there bricks sized between LEGO (classic) and DUPLO?

Question

I am wondering whether there is a brick-type construction block toys on the market that would be sized between the LEGO (classic/original) and LEGO DUPLO. More specifically I am looking for a 3/4 ratio of DUPLO size.

The fact is that DUPLO is 8x the volume of the "classic" LEGO bricks. Measured in 2D dimensions, 4x4 classical LEGO "units" are the same width as a single 2x2 DUPLO brick. Also DUPLO has double brick height than classic. I wonder whether there is a brick where a single 2x2 brick would have the size of 3x3 LEGO classic units and also would have 3/4 of DUPLO height.

Answer 1

One Single Stud Lego brick is 9.6mm H by 8mm W (technically 7.8mm). So at the scale you are looking for we're searching for single stud bricks that are 28.8mm H by 24mm W.

After an extensive search among multiple Lego-style building block manufacturers, I can't find any that use the dimensions we're looking for. Here is a list of companies I searched:

Best-Lock, Buggi, Built To Rule, Ciddi Toys, Hubelino, Intelliblox, Kre-O, Loc-Bloc, K'Nex, Mega Bloks, NanoBlock, Playbig Bloxx, Q-Bricks, Super Blox, Tente, Super Blocks, Unico

The Best-Lock Juniors were probably the closest I could find but the proportions are still off and I think 2010 was the last time the sold a Juniors set.

One of the biggest selling points most all of these companies made was that their blocks were compatible with other building systems (ie Legos) so chances are they wouldn't deviate from the standard sizes that Lego produces with their own special sizes.

Answer 2

While I don't know the answer for sure, as I don't know every construction brand out there, I see enough problems with the brick size you mention that I doubt anyone would manufacture it.

Children older than 5 all the way to adults prefer regular LEGO elements because they are big enough to create impressive models, yet small enough to add intricate details. They are also just the right size that most children and adults can easily manipulate with their fingers (compared to, for example, NanoBlok pieces that many adults find frustratingly small).

The larger LEGO DUPLO bricks are specifically sized for young children 1 1/2 to 5 years old. They are carefully sized to make sure young children won't be able to choke on them. The larger pieces also allow young children with less coordination to work with, and gradually improve their skills. Also, DUPLO and LEGO bricks are compatible in more than just they way they can stack on each other. For example, the holes inside DUPLO studs can accommodate certain regular LEGO pieces.

There is a lot of science and research that go into making LEGO elements; they must be age-appropriate in both theme and difficulty, they must be safe for a particular age-range, and they much fit into the LEGO system by being compatible with other pieces. The brick size you are talking about would be too small for young children (and thus not safe), and too big for older kids and adults. If there is no target market, why would anyone make such bricks?

The only scenario I could think of is perhaps an old brand from the 1950s-1970s, when LEGO type construction toys were just starting out and manufacturers were experimenting with different sizes and ratios. Once the leader emerged (LEGO), it made more sense for similar brands to align their products with LEGO, or differentiate themselves with a completely unique system (i.e. K'NEX, Lincoln Logs, etc.). What you are asking for is somewhere in between (still LEGO compatible but not quite), which would make little sense businesswise.

Answer 3

There is the Lego System at 8mm stud width, and there are others at half the size (4mm) called Nanoblocks. Between the two we have Modulex at 5mm. Now 3 studs fit underneath of 2 studs in System, inside, at a ratio of 2:3. Now there is a 10mm size, 2× Modulex should fit to Duplo in the same way, but for helping with maths, only 1×1 size. I asked question about Kids' building blocks on this website, they = between size.