Has anyone glued down their wooden train track?

[NapQueen]

Building it is my favourite part. Destroying it is the toddlers favourite part. The 4 year old just wants to play properly.

If I glue it down on a board I lose the enjoyment of building. But at least it can stay as a use able track rather than the 18mo Godzilla-ing all over it.

Anyone glued theirs down?

[Stinkerbelle37]

Don't do it! Toddler will learn ...

[FeelingSmurfy]

Can you have some glued down and some loose, to be played with at different times

Friend of ours had a table made, Thomas the tank engine all over the legs etc and the the top was green, track glued down and then bits and pieces like engines and trees were stored in a little tub on the table so there was an element of play

I think it reduced how much it was played with by a LOT. It was up in the bedroom where he rarely played and there wasn't much for him to do with it, putting the track together is interactive, problem solving how to make a complete track etc

If you do decide to glue it down, it could no longer be played with in different rooms, taken on holiday, taken to grandmas etc. 90% of playing with trains like that is getting the track ready, so not much time spent just moving the trains

[MilkTwoSugarsThanks]

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Building it is the whole point!

I remember the days of DS talking me through a Thomas episode (which he had invariably made up completely or cobbled several together) and I'd build the track to fit the "script".

I miss my little boy 😢 Someone took him away when I wasn't looking and replaced him with an attitude problem on legs.

(Not really, he's actually a good kid but he does huff, puff and sigh dramatically about homework.)

[AlexandraEiffel]

Noooo! Don't do it!

Can you play on the dining table out of reach of 18 month old? With clever design you can fit a very complex track with lots of features in a small space. It's also a nice height for them then to look at it with different perspective. We also call it a model railway exhibition when on table so 3 year old can demonstrate things which he likes.

[AlexandraEiffel]

Milk that brings a tear to my eye as I can see mine is just starting on his way away from being that little train obsessed boy.

[TiggyD]

No. Unless some of the connecting bits are broken, in which case go for it.

[NapQueen]

I miss my little boy 😢 Someone took him away when I wasn't looking and replaced him with an attitude problem on legs

What a comment! Funny and sombre at the same time.

Glad you've all said a resounding no. I adore building it. I suppose the 18mo will learn in a short time.

[Peasandsweetcorn]

This suggestion depends on the size & layout of your house and I realise would be impossible for many but can the 4yo have it in his bedroom with stairgate on the door so the 18mo couldn't get to it. That was the way we protected DD's train set & play mobil when DS was at a similar phase.

[NapQueen]

They share a bedroom (well, he sleeps in his cot in our room but within a few months they'll both be in the same room with all their toys). They play in the living room mainly so I suppose dd could take the trains and play with them elsewhere in the house.

[Daisyandbabies]

Yep, glued down with hot glue gun, haha! Finding missing train pieces every evening for months wasn't much fun!
The kids have figured out which pieces come off easily though....

[MrsJoeyMaynard]

I think it loses a lot of its play value when it's glued down.

The toddler will learn not to destroy it sooner or later. My 2 are about 2.5 and 4.5 and they both like making their own track layouts now for their trains to drive on. I think that's at least half the fun of it as far as they're concerned.

If we had a glued down set the DC would still want a not glued set that they could construct however they liked.

[Daisyandbabies]

I think it depends if op means a track that you build any which way or a more permanent structure. My son has the train table from mothercare, which comes with a track map on it and a place for the bridges and mountain etc to go. This can only be built one way and a missing piece means the track can't be used properly, basically