If your DC play with brio (and/or other brands), how old are they?

[Jackblackcat]

My DS(4) is Brio obsessed, and I wont lie, I am too! I'm thinking of investing in a few expansion packs in 2021 but even the cheaper brands are quote pricey. We will definitely get our money's worth out of it, but I'm wondering what age he will grow out of it? I'm hoping for never but aware that is unrealistic!

If your DC still like their wooden railways ), how old are they? Or how old were they when they lost interest?

Still very popular here, but DS is only 5 so not much older than yours. We were lucky enough to be given a whole load by my SIL when her son stopped playing with it, he would have been about 9, so not sure if that helps?

My girls stopped at 7 and 5 1/2ish. It was lovely whilst it lasted!

My DC have had brio since my youngest was around 3. It was a hand me down set. They have a new pack for every birthday or Christmas. They are now 9 and 6. Both still love it

Still played with here regularly at age 7, often as part of much bigger games. Most of it was mine as a child, including some houses made by my grandfather, so when I recently bought some extra bits I was half thinking it might end up with a third generation down the line too.

6yo plays occasionally and 9yo will join in too but wouldn't initiate playing with it anymore.

I look after children aged 7,5 and 3. The 7 year old doesn't ask for the trains out but if the younger two are playing he will join in and have a great time.

My 21 year old suggested only yesterday getting the Brio out from under the bed in the spare room!

I've just bought my 2 yr old compatible sets from Aldi and IKEA. TK Maxx often have Brio in so worth keeping an eye out if you want new, or on FB marketplace etc if you don't mind used x

DS(6) lost interest literally overnight when he was 5, having played with it for hours every single day since he was 2.

He just came home one day and instead of getting out the tracks he took out Lego instead and never looked at the tracks again

My son is 10. He is train obsessed and a mini engineer. We've built up stacks and stacks of Brio over the years and he loves building extremely complex rail systems with it. He wants to be a transport planner. I'll never sell the Brio. It's so long lasting and hope one day I'll have grandchildren who will enjoy it. Best 'toy' ever (we've also had Tomica and other systems but nothing has been as good)

Also worth adding that you can get fantastic Brio second hand as it's so hard wearing. I've acquired friends hand me downs over the years and it's all perfect.

Same as PP. 6 year old gets it out and 9 year old joins in. But its always incorporated into another game (building a Jurassic world complex or something with soldiers).

It was Ds1's favourite toy from age 1 to 6ish and we will never get rid of it. Even age 9 he occasionally asks for more bits when he sees it in the shops but we refuse as we have loads.

Aw these are all putting a smile on my fave! My mum stil has ours from when me and my brothers were little, and all the grandkids have that of when they're round there. Much of ours is second hand too. Love the stories of older siblings not initiating play but joining in with younger ones and still loving it!

Nearly 6 year old loves her wooden railway and road. A road bridge and battery operated train were on her Christmas list and she was delighted with the extra road the bridge came with. I like BigJigs range.

6 and 9 year olds I nanny for love playing with our railway set too.

9 yo ds still occasionally gets it out but nowhere near as often as when he was 5 or younger.

5 year old DD absolutely loves it.

Most other wooden tracks are compatible.

I’ve found the expansion packs really good value as they increase what you can build massively.

Nearly 6 year old is mostly grown out of it but will still use it in other ways (like making a track around a safari park) definitely worth checking local second hand sellers as people often get rid as it takes up lots of space when you get a lot!

My 2 year old loves it, he got an expansion pack for Christmas + a windmill tunnel thing. My 9 year old will also play with it when its out

DS was hugely into trains/Thomas/Brio from his second birthday when he got a small track, until he was about 4.5 when he got really into Octonauts/sea creatures. He did still get it out occasionally and now he’s 6.5 it comes out once a month or so....sadly his little sister isn’t as interested in it I have very fond memories of him playing with it, it was a huge part of his life for 2.5 years or so

My 8.5 year old had a friend to play last month who just turned 9 and they spent the entire 2 hours solidly creating a brio railway. They did nothing else!

8 year old still plays with it from time to time

My boys are 10 and 7, it still comes out occasionally. We have a very big box full of all kinds of brands, most of them fit well enough with each other.

On YouTube there's a channel called Izzy's Train Time which is a mum and dad and their young son building the most amazing tracks round their house. If you can get past the annoying accents it's quite mesmerising.

Actual Brio is very durable and safe for younger siblings. I would buy second hand brio above new “compatible” brands. Some of the “compatible” brands are better than others, some don’t connect even with themself..

My Dd12 and ds15 love playing with ours when we used to have little ones over pre COVID. It would stay out for days until I got fed up with hoovering round it! They'd build Lego stuff to add on once the u nder 3s had gone home

Mine stopped being interested about two years ago at 5 and 7.