It’s been said a hundred times but has to be repeated. There is no such thing a too young. I had a working HO layout when my youngest was 1.5 yrs old (he’s 4 now), and I’m STILL not allowed to go near it without him. We’ve started working on the kid’s (Thomas the Tank Engine themed) layout, too. I do most of the work, but they provide the artistic guidance and inspiration.
Two words of advice, if I may:
Get something operational, fast. Kids don’t like to watch imaginary trains in your head. No matter what you are working on, make sure some part of your layout remains operational, or, at best, is only out of service for a day or two.
HO is NOT too small or too fragile, but proper supervision is essential. Yes, some things will get damaged, but don’t lose your temper and teach them how to be patient and gentle. A short plexiglass shield or raised edge on your table may prevent accidental damage.
Well I think you have to make a choise first, what is your goal with it and do you allow your kids to be hurt. Electricity can hurt them trough the rails. You could however find a train set that is made specially for kids. these might be less accurate and pretty, but so much more saver. (my advice: take these if you have a lot of space, you can even place these outside if im not mistaken) Also LEGO trains are a lot saver, only problem is are small parts wich makes you needed to be there while they play. I don’t think you like one of them choke on a brick. (personal advice: start with LEGO trains on age 6 only). But if you want to play it even saver, wait till the youngest reached age 6 and then start. You could however place everything yourself and cover it with glass so they can play savely aswell (I’ve done this last thing for a family I know very well, a nice table with mountains, cities, trains, etc. and only their parents can get inside the glass “house” to place or remove things. works very good and save. I do advice savety glass! They won’t be able to braik that fast and hurt themselfs!). I hope you have enough information with this.
I really don’t think it’s possible to have kids who are too young to enjoy model railroading. As long as they’re adequately supervised. You are planning to supervise them, right? Because otherwise you need to find them a battery operated toy set for starters.
I don’t think my boys behave any better or worse than the average boy, but even my 4 year old has no trouble managing his own trains on “his” – the kids, really – layout. Admittedly, it’s a cheapo Bachmann Thomas the Tank engine set, and I wouldn’t put a craftsman model kit or something I’d painstakingly scratchbuilt on that layout, but it’s a real HO train, complete with 18V DC current, and I’ve never had any trouble. Although with my layout, the kids know that if they touch something without my permission, the get banished from the basement for 1 minute for every year of their age. On the other hand, they quickly learn that if they ask first and are careful – and you’d be surprised how serious and careful my 4 yr old gets when he’s given permission – they will be allowed to operate the layout, uncouple cars, etc.
I guess it comes down to this: as long as you’re with them, it’s good quality time together, so long as you recognize that the occasional accident will occur and don’t get too bent out of shape when it happens. But save the intense modeling that requires your full attention for after their bedtime. They can get up in the morning and admire your handiwork. Or tell you that you did it wrong! I’ve heard that more than once.[:)]
I just saw this thread, so even though it’s half a year later, I’ll give my two cents and my experience.
I have two little boys, Tyler, who just turned 4 in March, and Corey who is 23 months old. TYler has been exposed to my trains since his first Christmas, when they were running around the tree. At the time he was scared of them, so he would sit curled up in my arms watching them. However, by the next Christmas he would get me to turn them on, then sit mesmerized by them for long periods of time.
Now Tyler has his own trains, 5 cars and a caboose, as a reward for his potty training:
I still run the trains, but I’ll stop them and he’ll change the cars around to how he likes it. I currently have it set up on the living room floor since I’m between contracts, and we play with it every day. Corey likes to watch and will pick up the cars when the train isn’t running. He also will grab me by the hand and lead me over to the wall switch to turn the trains on.
So, in answer to your question about your two sons, no, they are not too young. Just as long as you realize that you need to be there to supervise them and, possibly, run the trains for them. I haven’t looked at all the responses, but I would also suggest going bigger, because the bigger trains are just more fun for little guys. Go with the ‘O’ scale: you won’t regret it.
[#welcome]No they are not to young.I agree with everyone else. I have a two year old and a four year old. They both have their own Thomas engines and rolloing stock. They both love the trains. I get a real kick out of my youngest daughter when she says choo choo daddy. Translates. Dad lets go play with the trains. Good look.
I literally cut my teeth on my Grandfather’s 0-27 layout ( well, actually the edge of the plywood ). It’s very important for the kids to be able to handle the equipment from the get-go. I agree that you should start large & durable ( but small in scope ) then later decide if you want to change scale and/or invest thousands. I never had a problem with my son and the HO that I brought into married life. My nemisis has always been the “mature, practical (& fiscal)” wife that slowly emerged as time went by.
Here’s to your bonding through rails with your kids. I’m now hoping to impress the the grandchildren with “that senile old fool who lives in the basement”.
Yep. I gotta agree with that. Operating a train together is a great way to bond with your kids (or grandkids, for that matter). We even play a modified operations game, so I tell my son that Thomas needs to pick up the cows at Farmer McCowle’s, and he will drive the train over and stop it next to the small freight depot next to the farm, then fill up the Troublesome Trucks with his Preiser cows. Then I tell him where to take the cows, and he’ll drive the train around the loop a few times, stop it at the destination I give him, and take the cows back out. Sure, he often derails something while he’s doing this, but he’s pretty good about rerailing them without my help.
As I’ve said, though, with proper supervision, children can handle HO. Sure, you may have to replace the odd grab-iron or handrail, but I’ve never had anything other than HO in my house (some of the stuff was mine when I was growing up – it stayed with my cousin and his family while I was in the Navy, then came back to me when my oldest child turned 5).
That’s one of the greatest things about the hobby: you can share with anyone.
I was hooked on trains from birth, and I had a massive Thomas collection by age six. Now I’m in HO.
When I was about five, my dad set up a small HO scale layout in the corner of our den. It was one of those cheaper entry level Life-Like sets, but we had lots of fun nonetheless.
You might want to consider Lego trains, as some people have mentioned. I have a fairly sizable collection of these, and they are amazingly addictive! An advantage of these is that you can build it yourself, brick by brick, and it is durable. They do have a tendency to overspeed and tip over, but they’re great fun. Best of all, if your kids have the Lego bug, you can build structures and more train cars from the pieces you already have!
There is a film of me in diapers watching a sante fe going around a christmas tree. Later at age 4 my dad had a large layout. I have been hooked since.
But one word of caution. Just like a pet, don’t expect them to be commited to it all the time. Like most things at a young age, we get excited then back off or forget or find a worm or a cartoon or get distracted a thousand different ways.
never too young but don’t expect commitment just yet. I may be wrong in your case [and hope I am] but that would be the only caveat I can think of.
If you love it though, then if they abandon it it won’t be a problem as I see it.
My dad is 83 and still loves trains. So when i forgot about them as a kid for a while it was not a problem.
I’m a little creeped out, that is almost Identical to how I started!!! But as far as you kids go, I would let your 5 year old actually operate the train(s) and if you have operating accessories, let you 2.5 year old press but for building “A” to make sound “1” you know, to help him learn cause & effect, and for that I would recommend O scale, as many or the trains have sound, it is simpler to wire, and they are very durable. Though O scale isn’t my “Cup-a-tea.” And maybe when they get older, switch to HO scale on the board, but keep the O scale for carpet/Christmas use. Just my [2c]
I think it depends a lot on your kids. My oldest I think would have been fine with it when he was two, but my youngest who is now two is incredibly destructive. He has one large model train that does have one small broken part but overall it is the one toy he is most gentle with. Still, I’m not ready for him to tear up a nice model set, so I’m starting him on the Thomas toys. We’ll get a real model set in a few more years, I think, or let my oldest son (7) start one in the shed where he can keep it out of his little brother’s hands and move it into the house later. (it’s a nice shed that was built to be a work space).
Go for it. I’m getting the bug again too. My boys are 2 and 5. My wife thinks I’m playing with all this train stuff for myself. The boys do love it and will climb up on a bench alongside the table to watch the trains run. We just built a new table 5’x10’ about 42" high. That will make it easier on my back while modeling it.
I have it – actual photographic evidence that a 4-1/2 year old can be a modeler. Here is my youngest staining cast plaster rocks for use on my Take Your Model Train to Work Day diorama (see the “Four Foot Diorama” thread for full details).
And there’s nothing wrong with starting them on Thomas either… here is a picture of a corner of the layout we’re building together.
Now that cold weather (spoken “Train Season”) is here again, maybe we’ll finish it up!
I bought my 5 year old the Deluxe Thomas the Tank setup for under $100 on eBay and placed it right in the middle of my B&M layout. Looks a bit wierd with my 4-4-0 and 2-8-0’s running around, but he loves it and it’s all for the fun!
Kids, and adults tend to drift in and out of hobbies. I have been playing with my choo choos since I was 6 yrs, old. I now have got my 7 yr. old grandson hooked. One thing we did that was fun for him, and safe, was to build a mock up of what he wanted his layout to look like entirely of cardboard. A paper track plan and creating cardboard buildings kept him busy for hours. Then in the spring and summer we went to yard sales and train shows together scrounging for just what we wanted for the real layout! (this also will save you $)
He has started on his buildings now, and with a little assistance learning how to glue neatly makes his own kits. He was so proud of his first $2.00 kit from a train show!
Our son was 2 when he got the train bug! It started with plastic Thomas the Tank Engine and has now graduated up to a huge layout that totals the size of our attic (about 800 sq ft). My cousin bought him his first passenger car and it went from there. He’s 14 now and still loves to sit and watch the “real” trains go by & count the cars.
Every year, for Christmas (if available), he gets the President’s Choice layout - adding to his collection - he has 13 of them now and next year they will produce the “Anniversary Edition.”
We started him off with the oval track (usually set up on the dining room table), wearing a engineer’s hat - we helped him with the setup, showed the proper way to handle the cars (and ensured that he handled them correctly everytime!) and he was the engineer (no one else was allowed at the controls). If his sister goes anywhere near his trains, he goes nuts & she’s 16!!! But it has become a family hobby which is great!! His layout, trains, cars, buildings, etc. is probably worth over $6,000 now and still going strong - this is a hobby that will last a lifetime!!!
Are your kids too young?? Absolutely not!!! However, you need to vigilante when first starting off - they will love to pick them up and push them across the carpet (not good for the stock for sure). Go for it, you won’t be disappointed.
