Toys: Monorail, Trains, etc.

[sconnell]

What toys have you bought that were a little expensive?
Would you recommend it?
What toys do you kick yourself for not buying?

I'm thinking about getting my kids something like a train or the monorail set for Christmas. Let me know how these worked for you. If you bought something else, let me know about it!
TIA!

 

[glass slipper girl]

We bought the monorail set for our oldest and honestly, it is more for show than for play. We also bought a die cast monorail (small one that is about $10 or so). We got one of those for both boys. They both broke within 10 minutes of opening the package. We went back to the store and were told it is not a toy, it is a collectors piece not intended for play. We suggested that maybe they ought to put that on the box or at the very least not stock it with the toys. They seemed to think we should have been aware it was not a toy.

I do know people who let their kids play with the monorail set but our kids are big train fans and are used to the Thomas and Brio wooden train sets that are very durable so they were not incredibly gentle with the monorail set.

I really wish they would come out with a good durable play quality monorail set or train set.

 

[sconnell]

Oh I would SO buy it if they came out with something similar to the Thomas or Brio ones. My DH and you convienced me that our kids aren't ready for either the train or the monorail.

Any other suggestions? How about that Castle playset? I have a DD4.

 

[JBARN105]

Dont' know about something for your DD - my DS (5 - soon to be 6) had the Thomas set (still does) we are thinking of getting the monorail set/train set this year when we go. It won't be used for a toy, we want to put it around our Christmas tree....hope you find something for her!!

 

[virginiamama]

Yep, we've got a broken monorail diecast "toy" too. My poor fellas - they still play with the three parts! It was the plastic connections between the sections that broke. My boys loved riding the busses, trains, and monorail. We bought theme park busses in diecast, maybe 7 inches long, a couple of small train engines maybe 4 inches long. We also like the "ride specific" toys, like the Test Track car, Buzz Lightyear in a Spaceranger Spin car, Pooh ride, etc. They sometimes talk about the rides when they play with them. They take them here and there and they know that they are special and that we can't replace them until our next trip, so they take good care of them. I think their favorites are the busses. They can play with them and clean them up in a hurry instead of going through a major set up of a track, etc.
My DSs also have the whole wooden train table setup, and I would definitely buy stuff if they would make it compatible to the Brio/Thomas stuff. At a toy store recently I saw a three piece train that looked like a wooden version of the monorail, but it had black wheels on each piece. It might have even been Brio, I can't remember for sure, but it was $19.99. I want to say it was called a "high speed" train but I will have to google to check it. I have to go back and get it when DSs are not with us!

ETA Ooops - I googled it and apparently it is a Brio High Speed Train 2-piece set with sound.

 

[prestonsmomma]

Broken monorail diecast here too. We are buying the monorail set to go around our Christmas tree on this trip though.

 

[LAL77]

There is a very elaborate castle toy with loads of accessories and figures that I was in love with at DW last year. When we got home I regretted not getting it (because of the huge box) so I called and ordered it. It's lovely to look at but it is extremely flimsy! My girls are extremely gentle (we've never ripped a page in a book!) and this thing broke the first time they played with it. First the stairs, then Cindy's carriage and the list goes on and on. Every time they play with it, they are bringing me a piece here and there that has broken. It's a wonderful toy if you want to display it because it's quite nice to look at!

 

[liamsaunt]

I have the Disney train set. I bought it to go around the Christmas tree and to impress my niece and nephew I had to buy extra track to make the track big enough to go around the tree, and I think the train itself was around $60. It is a nice set and the kids enjoy watching it, but it is NOISY! I guess I did not realize it since I was looking at it in the Emporium, which of course is very noisy. It makes a loud chugging sound as it goes around the track and whistles frequently. Also, it has a feature that makes steam come out of the engine, and the steam smells funny to me. Overall, I kind of wish I had gotten the monorail instead.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Broken monorail diecast here too. We are buying the monorail set to go around our Christmas tree on this trip though.

Ditto, definitely a collector's item, not a toy for playing.

 

[Colinsmom]

another broken monorail diecast here - the box did say okay for ages 3+!

 

[HooKooDooKu]

another broken monorail diecast here - the box did say okay for ages 3+!

That just has to do with warning you that there are small parts (or at least small parts that can break off) that could choke an infant.