Thomas trains-too many options!

[gravyandspuds]

2 year old DS after Thomas trains for Christmas it seems-I am a total novice with these,there seem to be three main options,track master,take n play and wooden.
I had read that wooden ones can go on the ikea tracks,which appeals to me as we have a small set of these from DD (4) but as they don't go by themselves I am concerned they won't be played with as much when he's much older as the other options might. (Going by what seems popular with older cousins/DDs friends). Anyone any experience of these that could advise?I am watching a few things on ebay but just not sure which type to choose!(I presume they all have different track sizes so once I've started with one type will be sort of stuck with it if that makes sense)

[GritStrength]

I would go with the wooden track. You can get trains that area battery operated, both Thomas ones and other brands.

[sweetkitty]

We have take and play with the die cast engines, we thought DS would use the wooden tracks as weapons, plastic would be easier. I think the Take and Play is easier to get hold off more places sell it and it's cheaper. We've just got DS trackmaster for his xmas and he's 4 1/2 think he would have wrecked it by now, his favourite game is train crashes!

[PotteringAlong]

My DS uses the take and play trains on the wooden track! He doesn't seem to mind that they don't fit exactly.

[forago]

I have 3 boys 10, 7, 4 and we have the take n play metal trains, track and playets, also the wooden track mixed in with some Brio. The whole lot of it has been played with for hours and hours and hours. When the 4 year old gets it out now the 7y old and sometimes 10y old join in. We have family days at the weekend doing track layouts. All thouroughky recommended. The 4y old plays with the take n play trains every day.

If you only want one system I'd say the take n play has the edge, but as others have said, all mine have been happy to use both types of train on both types of track.

[pinkandsparklytoo]

The wooden ones would allow for you to expand to get none Thomas wooden trains as he gets older. My eldest son is 7 and the wooden track is still his most played with toy. We never bought the Thomas trains for it though, our Thomas trains are the diecast tour. We have some of the Trackmaster stuff but DS doesn't particularly like it as you can't push the trains.

[PotteringAlong]

Forago - my 3 year old plays with them every day too! I know more about Thomas the tank than I ever thought possible!

[Fifibluebell]

My DS (3) loves Thomas take n play. He has used it every day without fail for over a year. Last year for Xmas I got a bundle of about 30 trains for £30 where as in the shops they are £5.99 each or something ridiculous!! They have lots of the playsets as well I've bought on eBay misty island, tidmouth sheds, extra track, mountain quarry all in excellent condition highly recommend them!

[StarSpotter]

We have take n play and the wooden ones. The TnP are good for, er, taking away! My DS is obsessed so the Thomas trains holiday with us too. The wooden one is great for expanding, wooden sheds etc. You can make more complicated tracks with wooden than you can with TnP, which is appealing as they get older. The wooden trains go on the TnP track, but not the other way round. As earlier poster said you can get battery-powered trains, including Thomas ones. Sigh. I used to be into handbags.

[forago]

mine put the take n play trains on the wooden track - even though they don't for exactly. And wooden trains on the take n play track which also works.

[ArthurShappey]

My DS has take n play on wooden ikea track. It doesn't fit perfectly but it's never stopped him pushing them around for hours on end. The wooden trains aren't any good in my opinion. DS has one and the paint flakes off, it looked rubbish very quickly.

[ArthurShappey]

Also there is much larger selection of take n play engines - we now have 42!
We need a list on Evernote just to keep track of which ones he has and which ones he wants for when people ask!

[Zucker]

My son (4) has got the take and play and the wooden tracks here. The take and play he tends to play as a stand alone game, he has the pirate island set. It's played with every day, he got it last Christmas.

The wooden tracks he uses for more free form play with rambling tracks across the kitchen and under table and chairs. He loves them both though, so either would be a winner.

The trains are part of our family now. We've lost Charlie in the house somewhere, he's mentioned every so often like a long lost relative. I think he's stuck behind a bookcase

[gravyandspuds]

Thankyou!I think I'll go for take n play then as there is a lot more of it on ebay.

[sweetkitty]

Definitely eBay for take n play, the sets are like new, the trains can have paint chips but to be honest new ones soon get like that, also a lot of the trains aren't available new. I've just bought Max and Monty from eBay oh and Alfie as DS has a book on them.

He's getting Percy at the scrapyard for his Christmas and all the new characters from the new DVD, that's another thing every year a DVD comes out with new trains!!!

[jojo1983]

I agree with the above. My three year old son has the take and play range and plays with them constantly. He also has the cheaper ikea/tesco/elc/brio wooden track that he then uses the die cast trains on. Take and play are great to take to other peoples houses when we go and visit.
I 2nd looking on eBay or your local gumtree or facebook selling pages for the trains and tracks. We now have so many but that is all he has asked for from Santa this year!

[ipswichwitch]

DS1 loves his take n play. My DBro gets him a new set for Christmas and birthdays so he has a decent collection building up. They all connect together, or play just as well as a stand alone set.

[ArthurShappey]

[ArthurShappey]

Ooppps

He's getting Percy at the scrapyard for his Christmas and all the new characters from the new DVD, that's another thing every year a DVD comes out with new trains!!!

There are new engines every year and they make the Xmas list every year. Some are exceptionally hard to get hold of... Rocky for example, so don't assume you can get anyone you want.

[PoppyWearer]

Also agree with your choice of Take N Play.

DC1 had a few of the wooden trains and track, but DC2 far preferred the variety of toys in the Take N Play range and has got lots of play out of them, from 2yo to 3.5yo and counting! And yes, loads of it available on eBay too.

[clara85]

We have hundreds of wooden track and bridges / stations / tunnels etc which is by far the most popular here for our 3 & 4 year olds. The wooden trains had been hard to come by due to manufacturing issues but are now being sold by tesco argos etc much more readily than before although Amazon usually cheapest .

I've found the wooden sets much more flexible and my 2 can build their own track whereas the take n play is more fidily to put together and metal trains hurt more when thrown or stood on than the wooden ones!

All sets seem to hold their value so I find ebay and gumtree they sell almost for the RRP for individual sets I have been trying to get this year :(

Take n Play is also good for the individual sets and the easy to take with you, and Trackmaster is also enjoyed here..... so we have a mix of all 3 but with 3 boys under 5 we will get our moneys worth of it over the years.

Overall I dont think you can go wrong with any of the sets .

[sweetkitty]

DS wants Rocky but he's over £20 second hand on eBay

[PotteringAlong]

Gator is current train of choice in our house

[ArthurShappey]

sweetkitty my ds has wanted rocky for like forever. It's daft. They need to reissue him.

[Fifibluebell]

Is rocky a big deal then?