Hi Mamas
I would like to get my 2 yr old son a train for his birthday in a few weeks. I would like something that he can play with now but also grow with. I am not worried about him putting things in his mouth at this point. I have looked at the Melissa & Doug version, as well as, Thomas the Train. What type of trains do you recommend for this age group? And which brands do you like? Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
We got the Circo 70 piece set at Target now 4 years ago and both of my boys play with it all the time! And it fits Thomas wooden tracks if anyone buys those for you.
Have fun!
My god son was visiting recently (he is about to turn 6) so we got out the Thomas trains. My sons (8 and 12) had a blast playing with them too. It is amazing how much wonderful playtime the trains have gotten. I am keeping them for my grand kids....They really are a great investment.
We have a Thomas the Train set here at our house for our grandchildren to play with when they come. Each of our grandsons ( 4 in Dec and 2 in Jan) also have Thomas at their homes. We have gotten the all wooden train pieces instead of the plastic...they cost a little more but they are much more durable. You can spend as little or as much as you want to...we have not gotten a lot of the really expensive add on pieces...a train station is the only real "add on " that we have gotten. Our almost 2 year old grandson even knows how to put the track together with very little assistance. I say go with Thomas!!! They can be played with either on the floor, or on a train table...and the kids LOVE them!!!
Brio, basic starter set. All three of my kids played with them (a boy and two girls.)
I think the Thomas set is nice too. Look for durability and ease of use, generally wood is better than plastic :)
Hands down the Thomas wooden train sets are the most versatile and have the best longevity.
Something else to look into...I don't know if they still market this...but Leapfrog has/had a battery operated "Phonics" train that was both sturdy and educational. It sounded out letters, and your child could switch around the combinations of train car letter sounds or set it to play music and sing songs. Very cute and the same size as a mid-size Tomy Thomas Set.
My toddlers loved their for a very long time...as much as their Thomas sets.
UPDATE: I found a newer version of the Leapfrog train set. It isn't the same one we had, but its still getting five star reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-Leapfrog-Leaps-Phonics-Rai...
Happy Birthday!! We have Thomas the Train - table, trains and most of the additions (station, bridge, tunnels, etc.). We have 5 kids (oldest is 8) and the wood tracks, table and trains are very durable and have lasted. They like the battery operated trains the best - they can pull other cars around. We also have the Fisher Price Geo Trax Remote Control Timbertown Railway. This is great because our 2 year old can operate the remote control (he needs adult help assemblying the train tracks). Have fun - choo choo!!
My son is 19 months and he loves playing w/ his wooden trains (mostly Thomas).
My daughter is 6 and likes to play w/ them too. :)
We have the Plan Toys train set. I like how it can link with the car/street system, airport, car garage, etc. By far the most frequently used toy by my dd in the house.
Toys R us has the Imaginarium train and table on sale for $99 right now. The Melissa and Doug table and set is on Amazon for $119. Both seem to have great reviews and are good quality. Thomas is the most expensive, but seems to be the most appealing to toddlers/preschoolers.
