As a parent who once played with Wood Trains myself and remember thoroughly loving them, I see many confused on how to buy their child their first wooden train set. Here is a beginner’s guide to Wood Trains and things to look for:
Don’t rush into Buying a big set
Every child is different, and your child may not take to trains. Because of this, it is best to begin with the smallest set available, usually an oval configuration with a couple or trains included. Almost all of the big brand names that make wooden trains like BRIO Train have these type of sets.
Stick with the Name Brands
There are many companies that manufacture wooden trains and train sets, but when purchasing for your kids it is best to buy from a well know reputable company that has a good reputation for producing quality toys. One of these brands is Learning Curve, which manufactures the line of Thomas Wooden Railway and has a very stable history for producing quality wood toys. The Thomas line is based on the Thomas and His Friends hit TV show that allow the characters to come to life in their wooden trains. The other brand that is known for their tremendous quality and standards is BRIO which has been making the BRIO wooden train for over a hundred years. They are a international company that is recognized for their innovation and quality. Other trusted companies that all make quality products but are lesser known are both Imaginarium and Melissa and Doug, with both companies having various wooden train sets.
Look to expansion when your child is ready
When you are looking to expand keep in mind you do not need to limit yourself to one brand, as with the major brands like BRIO and Learning Curve you can interchange the track pieces and trains. You can buy single train track pieces, bridges, buildings and even a storage shed. Your child will tell you with thier cues when it is the right time to expand your wooden train set.
The key is for them to have fun and use their imagination. Your little conductor can be busy for hours with the right wooden train set.