The Best Wooden Train Sets of 2023 – a Complete Guide
Wooden trains have become something of a staple for many, many children learning about the world. And there’s a reason for that – they’re fun, and not to mention developmentally beneficial for your toddler or small child.
In this guide, we are going to take a look at some of the many benefits of wooden trains for children, and dive into what some of our favorites are.
Benefits of Wooden Trains for Children
Wooden trains can be massively beneficial for children. Here are a few reasons why:
Wooden Trains Help Them Develop Their Own Interests
Many children will discover wooden trains on their own. This could just be their first unique interest that wasn’t shown to them by mom and dad. Developing their own interests is important in helping them develop into their own unique selves.
Wooden Trains Grant a sense of control
Especially true for toddlers – the world can often be a scary place. Building one’s own world of trains can be incredibly soothing, and grant that sense of control toddlers and little ones crave but in a constructive manor.
Wooden Trains Can Be a Conduit into Learning
What may start as an obsession with wooden tracks and plastic toys could very much grow into something else. Use that love for trains to explore the world around you, and the rich history of the railroad in the US, and abroad.
Wooden Trains can Teach New Skills
Lastly, getting into trains is a great way for children to learn new skills. These include:
Fine motor skills as they handle the intracacies of trains, engines, and tracks.
Language skills as they learn what different pieces are, and even aspects of the trains themselves.
Problem solving skills as they figure out the best way to navigate a track, and build ever more impressive worlds.
The Best Wooden Train Sets to Buy in 2023
Now that we’ve covered our bases on why you should encourage your child in their interest in wooden trains, let’s look at some of the best sets to buy right now. Now, we are relatively new to the world of trains oursevles, so youc an expect this list to change and evolve overtime as we try new sets. But we’ve compiled this list from extensive research and hands on play.
One of the best things about wooden train sets is that they are almost always based on the same track system that was developed years ago, meaning most of them are compatible.
That being said, you will find that different train brands definitely work better than some. So we are trying to keep it to the brands we’ve seen have the best performance for play.
Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Tidmouth Sheds Starter Train Set
Thomas and Friends have had a shaky few years. After discontinuing their famous wooden train set in favor of a propriatary plastic system that innevitably failed, Thomas and Friends is back with a new Wooden Railway line that promises to get back to its roots and deliver countless hours of fun to children everywhere.
One of the best things about the new Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway is that it is compatible with the original wooden train design system, meaning you can easily incorporate it into your legacy wooden trains, and even other trains like those from Brio.
We’re really excited about this relatively new range of train sets, and would recommend you take a look at the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Tidmouth Sheds Starter Train Set, available on eBay.
Brio My First Railway Beginner Pack is Ideal for Toddlers
If you are looking for a train set specifically for Toddlers, Brio has a few great options. We’d recommend starting with the My First Railway Beginner Pack. It’s billed as being “frustration free” for toddlers (although is there really such a thing?) meaning it’s fairly easy to use for beginners, and relatively safe (although that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still supervise your toddler’s play).
If you and your little one are new to the wonderful world of wooden trains, you can’t go wrong starting here.
The Wooden Alphabet Train from Maple Landmark
We first came across the Wooden Alphabet Train during a trip to one of the best train trip destinations in Northern California. Perhaps surprisingly for us, toddlers love these sets. Why? They may not be as cool as the best Brio trains out there, but they have something just as exciting as a cool engine to little ones: letters.
These sets probably aren’t your best bet for an enduring train set, but can be a great way for little ones to get hands on experience with learning letters and words. Shop for the letters you need for your alphabet train on eBay.
The Best Overall Train Set is Brio Deluxe Railway Set 33052
While there is a little something for everyone on this list, it wouldn’t be complete without mentioning one of Brio’s incredible, deluxe wooden train sets. This set is ideal for the hardened child train enthusiast. Indeed, any of Brio’s deluxe sets should fit this need, but we especially like this one because of its focus on trains, tunnels, and bridges – all things kids love!
