Anna and Olaf have been set adrift on an icy canoe. Help them navigate over the waterfall and past the earth giants.
The box front shows this set as part of river through the enchanted forest. This set is clearly marked with the 4+ logo and the choking hazard warning as this set is intended for a younger, beginning builder. Under the set information is also a warning that the boat does not float. The Disney Frozen II logo is on the bottom the aspen tree and snow overlay, and movie versions of Anna and Elsa are in the lower right corner. This is consistent with the box design for other sets in this series.
The back of the box shows the characters included in the set and the different parts of the build. There is a Perfect Start call out to highlight the simple building techniques used to make building easy for young builders. There is also an inset image of the completed set against the enchanted forest background. This image has the Nordic border used throughout the Frozen II series, and shows Anna playing with the bunny, and Olaf sliding into the river.
The box top shows that Anna, Olaf, and a bunny are included in this set. Anna is used at the 1:1 part illustration in another Nordic bordered inset. The Perfect Start logo is here in French and Spanish, as well manufacturing information.
The bottom of the box (not shown) has the LEGO Life logo and recycling information.
The end of the box has the name of the set in French and Spanish. It also has same image from the front of the box in a Nordic bordered inset. The other end of the box (not shown) has the choking hazard warning in French and Spanish.
Opening up the box, we get a staple bound instruction book, two bags of parts, and two lavender 8 x 8 modified bricks with 1 x 4 indentations and 1 x 4 plate. These are common starting plates for 4+ (former Junior) sets, but this is their first appearance in lavender. They are also used in set 41166 Elsa's Wagon Adventure.
Inside the first bag of parts, we have the parts to build Anna, a bag of small parts, and some interesting printed parts that we will take a closer look at below.
The 6 x5 plant leaf in bright light orange was new in 2019, and still fairly rare. It's nice to see that it is used throughout the sets in the Frozen II theme.
Let's take a closer look at those printed parts.
One of the things I enjoy about the 4+ sets are the lack of stickers, which means we usually get some great printed parts.
The white 2 x 3 tile with metallic blue snowflake has a beautiful, shimmery print. It's too bad it will be covered up when someone is sitting in the canoe. The the 3 x 4 x 2/3 light bluish grey wedge with earth giant face is an effective way to represent the earth giants in a small set. Both prints are exclusive to this set.
The other printed piece is a beautiful 1 x 6 x 5 panel with dark bluish grey tress, aspen trees, and magenta, orange, and yellow leaves. This makes a quick and easy forest background for the set and is also used in set 41166 Elsa's Wagon Adventure.
In the bag of small parts, the light aqua 1 x 2 with 1 stud modified plate first appeared in that color earlier in 2019 in 41385 Emma's Summer Heart Box and is still a rather rare color for the piece.
The orange 1 x 1 round plant plate with 3 leaves was also a new color in 2019, but appears in several sets. I'm happy to see another one, and just like the larger leaf piece it is nice to see them appearing throughout this series of sets. They help tie all the sets together.
Taking a closer look at Anna, this is the same figure that is used in set 41164 Enchanted Treehouse. I really like Anna's black adventuring dress. The copper details are stunning and this is a really good look for her. The cloak is the soft fabric (not the stiff papery fabric). One side is magenta and the other side is dark purple.
Let's start building.
First we start building the icy canoe. As this is a 4+ set, the build is easy but effective. I like the lantern on the back, and it has room for both Anna to sit and Olaf to stand in the canoe.
Here's a look at the interior of the canoe.
That beautiful snowflake tile is used for Anna's seat, so unfortunately we can't see it when she's sitting in the canoe.
Next we build the left side of the enchanted forest scene. The forest tile makes a pretty background, and the earth giant print is sleeping in the front, with play space in between. There is also a see-saw in front of the earth giant.
Here's everything built from bag 1. Let's move on to bag 2.
Bag two has the pieces for Olaf, a bunny, and more printed parts. It also has another 6 x5 plant leaf in bright light orange.
Exclusive to this set are the two medium azure 5 x 8 x 2/3 curved slopes with stream pattern. It's a fun print that quickly creates the river in our set.
In the bag of small pieces, we get more orange 1 x 1 round plant plate with 3 leaves, and a magenta 4 x 3 plant leaf. These will continue the autumn feel that exists across the Frozen II theme.
Back to building.
We start by building the right side of our scene and attaching it to the scene built in bag 1. The magenta leaf creates some hanging foliage across the river. The printed slopes make an easy way for the canoe to flow across the scene.
Around the right side of the scene are stairs up to the slide. It is set between two large rock pieces. It makes a nice waterfall play feature down to the river.
Around to the left of the scene, it the forest is represented. If you do play with the slide as a waterfall, the canoe is going to have to turn or get beached in the forest.
It probably makes more sense to have Anna floating down the river between the forest and the mountain falls, through the magenta branch. While is is a small scene, there is a lot of options for how the adventure can unfold.
But we aren't done building yet. What about Olaf?
Here he is with his sparkly snowflake prints and mini doll arms. This is the same Olaf doll that is used in set 40361 Olaf's Traveling Sleigh and set 41164 Enchanted Treehouse.
The last piece of this set is a small side build. It wouldn't be a Disney set without a cute animal, so we add a bunny to this bit of terrain.
4+ sets don't have many small pieces, so we don't get much for spare parts.
The end of the instructions have an adventure map advertising the rest of the theme. This is the same image that has appeared in most of the Frozen II instructions.
Here is our finished set with Anna and Olaf floating down the river.
Not much to see when you turn this around; this set definitely has a front and a back.
"Hang on, Olaf!" Whoosh! Over the falls.
The slide is just big enough to send the canoe over the falls. Even if it looks a little awkward, this is too much fun not to try.
Anna and the bunny play on the see-saw underneath the sleeping earth giant. Shhh...don't wake it up.
For a small set, Anna's Canoe Expedition offers a lot in creative play. The larger pieces and simple design are great for young builders just getting started with LEGO or moving away from Duplo. The characters are the same as the sets for older children, and the prints are really nice.
I know some adults avoid the 4+ sets, but I had fun building it and playing around with how the canoe could handle the terrain. The pieces will integrate nicely with the rest of the sets from the Frozen II theme.
Happy Building!
~prrbrix
Disclaimer:
This set was purchased by me, and was NOT provided by The LEGO Group.
Opinions provided here solely mine.
Photographs are mine and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.
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