My son is 31/2 and loves trains and I thought about getting him a train set for Christmas .Looking for help Tim
My recommendation. Lionel O scale starter set at “Hobby Lobby” if you have one close by. They retail for about $300. Hobby Lobby has a website that they regularly have 40% off coupons, so that would bring the total to about $180.00. For a kid his age they are practically indestuctable. These sets also have sound. When he gets older, then maybe switch scales, but you’ll always have that workhorse available under the christmas tree [:)]
( I used to let my hamsters ride in the boxcars when I was little.) Ok, so maybe I just stopped a few years ago [:D]
Here’s the coupon site http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/weekly.cfm
Target stores also have some Lionel stuff, including a Thomas set. I’d agree with the Lionels for younger children. They are rugged and can take a lot of “playing with.” As you move to the more “modelling” oriented trains, they get much more fragile very quickly.
Another option is one of the wooden sets made by companies like Brio. They are designed specifically for younger kids. Brio sets come with simple pieces of sectional track that can easily be set up, taken down and re-arranged by little hands. A Lionel set will basically require you to do all the assembly, and the train will only run around in a small loop unless you buy additional track. At 3 1/2, I think he’d get a lot more “play value” out of a Brio set.
Or, maybe consider getting both, since the Brios aren’t the big-ticket item that the Lionels are. Set the Lionels up under the tree, and then put them away until next year if he loses interest. Next year, buy some turnouts and a bit more track, and let the “Christmas” layout grow over the years until he’s ready for something permanent.
I agree 100% with this - the brio or wooden train set has a lot more play value due to it’s flexibility. Having no children of our own, we have a Melissa & Doug wooden “brio” style set for guests - our 6 year old nephews love it and play with it all the time.
I think the wooden trains at that age are superior from a creativity and learning standpoint than a powered loop.
I totally agree. Wooden train sets allow youngsters to use and expand their imaginations, as well as increase their dexterity skills.
Tom
I believe Lionel labels it’s electric trains as being for “Age 8 and up”.
I guess it depends on how they’re going to use it. I had an American Flyer trainset when I was 3-4 years of age, but it was only brought out of the closet at Xmas time, and as a tike I was only allowed to play with it when a parent, grandparent or one of my teenage sisters was supervising. I think you could do that now with a good Lionel starter set, but I wouldn’t let a 3 year old play with it by themselves. For unsupervised play I’d go with the wood or maybe one of the battery-powered sets that are out there.
I think if he wanted a wooden train set he would not have asked for your opinions here. Because he did, I can only assume he was looking for some sort of “powered” train set. Thats why I recommended the Lionel starter set.
I had small children and of course I bought both plastic and wooden sets, but you can buy those at Wally world. It didn’t take a train forum for me to figure that one out [:P]
Hello you can do both well kinda. Tomy make a plastic set that you can add to and the locos and cars will work on the wood track. The locos are battery powered but you can turn them off and push them. Most kids are hands on. He/you can make an track and go for it. This is a track we did one night.
My nephew out grew most of this stuff. We got it when she was 2/3 and now she 5. There will be weeks we don’t even look at it and there are weeks we build a new track every night. Good luck and most of all have FUN. Hope this helps Frank