OT - Wooden train suggestions.

[lilybrooke14]

DD2 informed me this weekend that she wants Santa to bring her "A Choo Choo train Mommy. Not dollys!" (Very much with a "Why on earth would I want dollys you Plebian" tone.)

Crazy kid.

So, I've been looking at wooden trains and train tables. Does anyone have any suggestions? The Imaginarium brand is a lot cheaper than the actual Thomas the Tank Engine brand, but does it hold up very well? We don't have the room to get her an acutal train table, although I think she'd love it. But I think as she gets older she'll like being able to move the tracks around anyway.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I was really looking forward to getting her the dollys. We were going to get her the American Girl Bitty Twins, before her little announcement. Maybe next year.

 

[mjkacmom]

We had the brio system - still do, actually - and it held up very well. We had the table, but since 1/2 the fun is building the track, and it's very hard for kids to build on a small table, we got rid of it. Ds10 and his buddies will still build tracks if I bring out the bin!

 

[tnd]

The Thomas stuff is expensive, but it holds up really nicely. The Brio brand is also really nice, we have some of that too. We have a few pieces of Imaginarium and it's okay, but it doesn't connect easily to the Thomas and Brio stuff. Also, we don't have a train table, we set it up all over the floor. DH and DS3 spend a lot of bonding time building layouts and driving trains.

For Thomas stuff, I look for sales throughout the year. I get a lot from www.allaboardtoys.com, you can usually get at least 25% off, and sometimes 40% off. I also look at Target for clearance, I've gotten whole sets for 30-50% off there.

If she is not into Thomas, but just trains, I saw a big set at Target a few months ago that looked pretty nice. You can also buy cheaper tracks and Thomas trains if she is into Thomas, just make sure the track is compatible. Sometimes you can buy Thomas DVDs with a train included in the package, we got a lot of our trains that way.

 

[npmommie]

we have the wooden trains and track from thomas and also from here
http://www.woodentrain.com/

the link is for Whittle........i discovered them back when the thomas had the recall.
the quality is really nice, they just don't have as many characters as the thomas series.

we got the train table at target, it is a good size and sturdy, but in reality it is now downstairs in the basement because the kids like setting up huge elaborate tracks that are too big for the table!
my dd is the one i started buying it for she loved it........now my ds is loving it.

oh here is a place to order the thomas stuff online , they have great prices, and if there is something you want that is not on the website, call them, they are super nice and will get you anything.
http://www.charlesro.com/welcome_to_charles_ro.htm
click on online store and you will see the link for wooden thomas railway.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We started with the Thomas figure 8 conductor set, and we added a few pieces and several trains. DD9 has never been into dolls - Santa brought her a Thomas train set when she was 2 and she loved it. I liked that she would act out the stories from the books and DVDs. My in-laws have a Brio train - it has held up through four grandkids (not played with everyday, but over several years).

I hated packing the train up into the attic, but the girls have moved onto other things. DD5 is such a girly girl that it never much appealed to her.

If you have an AC Moore near you, they have B1G1 on Thomas today and tomorrow!

 

[luvmy3]

We have the Thomas wooden tracks. They are extemely durable and they are guaranteed for life. They are pricey but I used to get alot of pieces and tracks from Michaels or ACMoore using their 40% and 50% off coupons. I can't comment on the quality and durability of other tracks.
They were always a favorite with my 2 dses and got years of play. They don't play with them anymore so they are packed away for any future grandchildren.

 

[All American]

My daughter is a tomboy and loves her train. I agree that the Brio and Thomas ones are best. My mom has had held on to my little brother's set for over 20 years. However, that was not in our budget, so I picked up some at Ikea. I don't know if there's one near you, but for 12 bucks it's held up well.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I agree that the table isn't necessary. My son loved to set up elaborate track designs all over the living room. For a 2 year old, I would get a Thomas starter set. You can find a package with a few trains, some track and a few other accessories. If she really likes it, you can add trains, track and other characters. After years of b-day and Christmas, my son ended up with a whole set. He's now 13 and is building a real 4 x 8 foot model railroad layout.

 

[An_Island_Girl]

We have the Imaginarim set for our DD4 that came with the table, tracks, trains, and tons of accessories. I think we paid around $120 for the whole shebang at Toys R us last year for Christmas. A great deal for a well constructed set that has held up wonderfully so far.

Now that she is "growing up" she uses the table for all sorts of pretend play... but not the trains so much.

We do not watch TV in our house during the day, so she has not been exposed to the Thomas characters other than from friends. I suppose if the shows were important to her, then maybe I would have considered the thomas set... but we were just as happy with the Imaginarium one.

 

[Schmeck]

My first DD was not a girly-girl at age two either, she even asked Santa for "a dump truck and a digger", LOL! She loved her Brio set, and we still have it in a container in the basement. She always liked to set it up on the kitchen floor, or anywhere else people would like to walk

The Bitty Twins are hard to dress, so I'm thinking they might be a better gift for her when she turns 3?

 

[JamesMom]

I got my DS when he was 3 a Thomas set. I saved up all the Michaels coupons (40-50% off) during the pre-Christmas season and bought the set bit by bit. Saved a bunch of money. He is now 6 and his little brother now 3 plays with it. Holds us really well - a few paint chips on the engines and a couple of missing pieces that's all. Plan to hand the set down to my just born nephew who is 6 weeks old when he is 3 and my sons have long moved onto something. Never had bought a train table but actually worked out because the boys have built tracks that have spanned rooms in our house and aren't limited to the small table.

 

[PADISFAM]

We have the Imaginarim set for our DD4 that came with the table, tracks, trains, and tons of accessories. I think we paid around $120 for the whole shebang at Toys R us last year for Christmas. A great deal for a well constructed set that has held up wonderfully so far.


just as happy with the Imaginarium one.

ITA........... we have the Imaginarim set as well, Santa brought it for DS6 when he was 2, it has held up very well & DS4 & DS6 still play with it almost on a daily basis.

The Thomas Trains don't fit on the Imaginarim tracks, but we still bought a few anyway, the boys like both the Thomas trains & the Imaginarim ones.

ETA: we have TONS of Geotracks as well, so that might be an option as well........Geotracks are WAY cool

 

[summerrluvv]

We have the Imaginarim set for our DD4 that came with the table, tracks, trains, and tons of accessories. I think we paid around $120 for the whole shebang at Toys R us last year for Christmas. A great deal for a well constructed set that has held up wonderfully so far.

Now that she is "growing up" she uses the table for all sorts of pretend play... but not the trains so much.

We do not watch TV in our house during the day, so she has not been exposed to the Thomas characters other than from friends. I suppose if the shows were important to her, then maybe I would have considered the thomas set... but we were just as happy with the Imaginarium one.

We have the same set and it's great. My son builds his lego sets on the table also. The price is VERY reasonable. I think we got ours for less than $100 around xmas time.

 

[rt2dz]

I've only glanced over the replies so I may be repeating. I agree that Thomas or Brio are the way to go. Imaginarium trains are OK, but the track is awful imho.

Just a note on the Thomas (maybe Brio too)--it has a lifetime guarantee. So if your parents puppy chews up James, send them the yucky chewed up James and they'll send you a brand new one. Or if everyone gives you their kids old Thomas trains and they are beat up, send them back and they'll send you brand new ones. Kids colored on the track? Get beautiful new track.

You can also now get wooden Thomas trains at Target and Michael's (with a 40% off coupon). Thomas sets are a good deal on eBay, but individual trains tend to be not a good bargain. I always liked buying the movies with trains at Sam's, Wal-Mart, and Target.

We have a train table, custom made (plans at Hobby Lobby), that has been wonderful. Much of the time the kids have set up the trains on the floor, but they do it on the table too (sturdier). The train table is also used for Lego’s, race cars, board games, a place to color, etc. It's been one of our best pieces of kid furniture ever. We have two big drawers underneath that I'm sure will hold something besides trains, buildings and track when my kiddos outgrow the trains.

 

[Perditamarie]

This looks like a hekkuva deal:

http://toysrus.shoplocal.com/toysru...pretailerid=-99881&siteid=543&storeID=2561343

 

[StitchFanZ]

My DD and DS played with both the brio and thomas sets for several years before I packed them away. They are still in great shape and are one of the few toys I keep around for young visitors and such.
The train phase started a fun christmas tradition at this age. We also set up an electric train that would go around the christmas tree. Every year, the kids go with Dad to the train store and get more track or a new car. My DD14, who was never into dolls, now spends many hours setting up the christmas train every year. It has grown to circle the tree and two couches with parking under the end tables.

 

[disneymarie]

DD2 informed me this weekend that she wants Santa to bring her "A Choo Choo train Mommy. Not dollys!" (Very much with a "Why on earth would I want dollys you Plebian" tone.)

Crazy kid.

So, I've been looking at wooden trains and train tables. Does anyone have any suggestions? The Imaginarium brand is a lot cheaper than the actual Thomas the Tank Engine brand, but does it hold up very well? We don't have the room to get her an acutal train table, although I think she'd love it. But I think as she gets older she'll like being able to move the tracks around anyway.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I was really looking forward to getting her the dollys. We were going to get her the American Girl Bitty Twins, before her little announcement. Maybe next year.

Have you gotten out catalogs to check out exactly what kind of train. It may not be a push type, but as my grandson want a ride on. We found a great on/off track for him and he loves the ride. He also has ons of Thomas, the round house, Sir top em Hat, and also I bought the one set last year that you can add-on, forgot the name.

But, the FAV is the ride on.
dianne

 

[JackJack08]

We have the Imaginarim set for our DD4 that came with the table, tracks, trains, and tons of accessories. I think we paid around $120 for the whole shebang at Toys R us last year for Christmas. A great deal for a well constructed set that has held up wonderfully so far.

Now that she is "growing up" she uses the table for all sorts of pretend play... but not the trains so much.

We do not watch TV in our house during the day, so she has not been exposed to the Thomas characters other than from friends. I suppose if the shows were important to her, then maybe I would have considered the thomas set... but we were just as happy with the Imaginarium one.

DS5 had to have the Thomas table. We spent over $600...and he never played with it. I wish I would have gotten a less expensive brand. The Thomas is nice and holds up well but.......I could have saved $450.

 

[shelby101301]

I agree about skipping the table - it limits them too much. DS loves to spread the track all over the floor and never uses the table.

I have to say, I've never had trouble with the imaginarium track, but we really don't have a lot of it, mostly brio an Thomas stuff so maybe I am missing something.

Anyway, I don't think the Thomas stuff is as good as the brio honestly. I do second using the 40% coupons at the craft stores...It's a great deal!

 

[npmommie]

Someone mentioned the lifetime guarantee for Thomas...........it looks like they changed it to 90 days in 2005.
darn, I was going to send back a few trains that are in rough shape!
http://www.learningcurve.com/wps/portal/customercare/warranty?locale=en_US