When you’re stuck for an idea for a gift and you want one that really is going to be one for your children to cherish for years, you can’t go too far wrong by choosing one of the more traditional wooden toys that have stood the test of time and have been enjoyed by children for generations. One such toy would be the wooden train set.
When I was a child, my train set was really rather simple. It had about 10 pieces of track, an engine and a few carriages and that was about it. It still lingers in the memory as being one of my favourite toys even though it was pretty basic. I spent hours laying the track, weaving it in and out of pieces of furniture and then imagining lots of different stories, often incorporating my other toys such as farm animals and toy cars.
Wooden train sets have really moved on over the years. Nowadays, although you can buy basic sets such as the My First Railway or the Little Starter Forest Set (both made by legendary train maker Brio), a lot of train sets come with a fantastic array of additions such as cranes, stations, suspension bridges and intricate track layouts that really will delight any child.
Take the Freight Train Set by BigJigs Rail as an example. When we first unpacked this so we could see how it worked, we were truly amazed at the amount of different pieces included within the set. There’s a tunnels, suspension bridges, a triple engine shed, a train turntable, a couple of trains with a variety of different wagons and even people, landmarks and trees, just to make it that bit more realistic. In fact, there are 130 pieces in the set and we guarantee it will keep your little one spellbound for years to come.
Another great feature of the more modern wooden train sets is that fact that you can add to them if the one you already own needs a few more bits and pieces. Most of the major manufacturers (BigJigs, Brio, John Crane) use the same ‘Vario’ system of wooden train track, so if you buy some extra track (eg an expansion set or a diamond crossover) from a different brand to the one you own, it will still fit. The same goes for the wooden trains; they pretty much all run on the same track so you can mix and match. So, if you own a Brio train set and fancy one of BigJigs Rail’s trains (like the Mallard for example), then you can buy it in the knowledge that it’ll run smoothly on the Brio set you’ve already got.
If your child has got to the point where they’re expanding their set, it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s up there in the favourite toy list so another great addition would be a wooden train table to lay the set out on. As well as making the set easier to use as it’s at a perfect height for them, it also allows your kids to have the set up and running all the time, so there’s no need to pack it away at the end of each day’s play.
We sell a wide variety of wooden train sets and accessories on WoodenToyShop.co.uk and we’re sure you’ll find one to suit a child whose imagination and joy for pretend play knows no bounds.
