What ages play with a train table?

[ChristusG]

My DD's are 3 and 6. They have recently begun to love trains. I've been thinking about Christmas and possibly getting them a train table. Probably this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3931028 . It comes with everything and I figure we will glue the tracks down or it would just come apart all the time.

 

The thing is, I was wondering if 3 and 6 are getting too old and will they lose interest quickly? They've always loved stopping by Books A Million and Toys R Us and playing with the train table set ups that they have out for kids to use. They thoroughly enjoy that.

 

We actually already have a train table, but it is this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2749013. My girls like the idea of the other kind because of how the tracks are all set up.

 

I don't know. It would be their main gift, shared of course.

[abbeyej]

Ds played with trains in stores from the time he was a toddler 'til about six or seven. He had a train table at home from age 3 on, and it never got a whole lot of use. Not as a *train* table. The table itself got a *ton* of use as a Playmobil and Lego table. We eventually replaced our old one, even! He and the neighbors (ranging from age 10-14) play with it several times a week.

 

So, even though the trains didn't get all *that* much use, I've never regretted purchasing the table.

 

BTW, I did try gluing the tracks down (with clear caulk) at one point. It was certainly helpful for small people, but I'm not sure it was ultimately the best choice. Luckily our original train table was such that it could be disassembled and the table piece flipped over, so we could use the undamaged (after removing the tracks) under side. That's how it ended up being used for so very long...

 

Anyway, I vote yes for a low activity table with sides to keep small toys in. It will be great for years for containing Legos, Playmobil, jigsaw puzzles, and much more. (Bins underneath are very helpful as well.) It also cuts down on small pieces of things being strewn across the house. I vote... careful consideration... on gluing tracks, since you may ultimately ruin the tracks (most of ours survived though) and ruin the table for future alternative uses.

[fairfarmhand]

We have this train set; bought it last Christmas for my ds age 2.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Friends-Wooden-Railway-Figure/dp/B00005BLMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1284580736&sr=8-1

 

All my kids play with it. (even my 12 yo dd)... they are fascinated with the magnetic cars, the water tank and the different ways you could configure the tracks.

 

BTW, I would NOT glue the tracks down. In our model, they don't come apart super easy (ie. in regular play) and half the fun is configuring the tracks differently.

[lailasmum]

I think it would be perfect for that age range. My 2 1/2 yr old is just growing into his train table. Has a habit of knocking it over every few minutes but loves it. Probably keep interest up to about 8yrs judging by the interest level of friends kids who come around.

[MomsintheGarden]

My dc played with trains until well, well past the "usual" age. I just had them take down an elaborate block/train/playmobil setup from the living room. You could not walk in there! My dc I still have at home are 6, 8, 8, 10, and 12.

 

We have a train table, and have never used it for trains. There is simply not enough room for their play on it. It is used for storage (underneath) and for piling up toys (on top) they aren't playing with. That's another story, however - I really must organize their room again. Fortunately the table was a closeout at Costco, and cost me only $30.

 

Those train tables they have at BAM and other stores are a wonderful thing - at the store. I think children would be bored if the layout stays the same all the time.

 

If your dc really love trains, I'd recommend using the $ you would have spent on a train table to buy some more track and cars, fancy bridges, and especially unit blocks. Those nice wooden unit blocks are fabulous for building cities, train stations, supports, etc., for the trains. We never seem to have enough of those.

 

GardenMom

[JudoMom]

Ds played with trains in stores from the time he was a toddler 'til about six or seven. He had a train table at home from age 3 on, and it never got a whole lot of use. Not as a *train* table. The table itself got a *ton* of use as a Playmobil and Lego table. We eventually replaced our old one, even! He and the neighbors (ranging from age 10-14) play with it several times a week.

 

So, even though the trains didn't get all *that* much use, I've never regretted purchasing the table.

 

BTW, I did try gluing the tracks down (with clear caulk) at one point. It was certainly helpful for small people, but I'm not sure it was ultimately the best choice. Luckily our original train table was such that it could be disassembled and the table piece flipped over, so we could use the undamaged (after removing the tracks) under side. That's how it ended up being used for so very long...

 

Anyway, I vote yes for a low activity table with sides to keep small toys in. It will be great for years for containing Legos, Playmobil, jigsaw puzzles, and much more. (Bins underneath are very helpful as well.) It also cuts down on small pieces of things being strewn across the house. I vote... careful consideration... on gluing tracks, since you may ultimately ruin the tracks (most of ours survived though) and ruin the table for future alternative uses.

 

:iagree:

[ShutterBug]

My 8 yo ds still plays with his train table. It's been great for legos, playmobil, puzzles, etc...

 

When we first got it for him it had a train on it but he never really played with it so we took it down.

 

However...to keep the train from falling apart I used that blue putty, tacky stuff for putting things on walls. I tacked down the rails that were on the table and then put it in between each set of rails too. It took awhile but it worked really well and came off easy when we were ready to put the trains away.

[Sherry in OH]

My dc played with trains until well, well past the "usual" age. I just had them take down an elaborate block/train/playmobil setup from the living room. You could not walk in there! My dc I still have at home are 6, 8, 8, 10, and 12.

 

We have a train table, and have never used it for trains. There is simply not enough room for their play on it. It is used for storage (underneath) and for piling up toys (on top) they aren't playing with. That's another story, however - I really must organize their room again. Fortunately the table was a closeout at Costco, and cost me only $30.

 

Those train tables they have at BAM and other stores are a wonderful thing - at the store. I think children would be bored if the layout stays the same all the time.

 

If your dc really love trains, I'd recommend using the $ you would have spent on a train table to buy some more track and cars, fancy bridges, and especially unit blocks. Those nice wooden unit blocks are fabulous for building cities, train stations, supports, etc., for the trains. We never seem to have enough of those.

 

GardenMom

:iagree:

 

My children's elaborate train setups would never fit on a train table. It sprawls through the family room and incorporates lincoln log and/or duplo block train stations, matchbox cars, plastic dinosaurs, and other toys. They pick it all up every week so I can vacuum then set it up in a new pattern.

[Dobela]

:iagree:

 

My children's elaborate train setups would never fit on a train table. It sprawls through the family room and incorporates lincoln log and/or duplo block train stations, matchbox cars, plastic dinosaurs, and other toys. They pick it all up every week so I can vacuum then set it up in a new pattern.

:iagree: My son is 10 and still plays with his trains. He had 2 different tables and never used them. They were too confining for building the long and elaborate tracks he would build (think around the dining room table and down the hall). The tables were also not comfortable to play on. When he was small he couldn't reach the middle. When he was older it was too low. After a while the tables just began to collect clutter and I sold them. With the money I bought a great upright chest of drawers that now holds all of the track and trains. That was my best investment.

[justasque]

I agree with previous posters about the table. There just isn't enough room to do an interesting set-up. For my kids, building the track was half the fun, and a significant part of the learning. Think of the problem-solving skills - wanting to include certain parts of track, wanting most of it to connect up in some way, deciding which way up to use the double-sided pieces, etc. We take play seriously - it's one of the reasons my kids are home - so we didn't mind having a certain amount of "pre-school-ish decor" when the kiddos were little. We reserved a certain area of the room for trains, and like others we picked it all up now and again to vacuum. I agree that using blocks and other toys along with the trains is part of the fun.

 

We do have a train-table-sized coffee table, which we got at Ikea, which is perfect for board games - the boards fit! If you're not sure which way to go, a train-sized but normal-furniture table is a good compromise. You can always put a nice big basket underneath to keep extra parts in.

[elegantlion]

My dh made ds a train table, similar to the Toy'r'us one, when he was four. Ds used it for years, probably until age 8. It was a good investment for us because it was used for more than trains.

 

He didn't always build on the track, the ones that overtook our small living room were fun. But it was easier for me to sit at the table and play with him. We never glued the track to the table, the construction of a new one was half the fun.

 

We were moving and the table didn't make the move otherwise he'd probably still be using it for Legos. He played with the trains until he was about 9, if he had a younger sibling he'd probably still enjoy the trains.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Just popping in to say that my Costco is carrying what looks like a really nice wooden train set with magnetic cars--similar to the IKEA but much nicer and with a lot more pieces. So you might check that out.

 

My kids have never been into trains a whole lot. We have a bunch, but I keep them around because one of my nephews adores them and pulls them out when he comes to visit :D