Wooden Farmyard Set

[Lindy]

Can anyone recommend a wooden farm set? We would like to buy one for DS's second birthday but can't see any nice ones - would prefer to view it beforehand rather than buying mail order but appreciate this may not be possible.

Thanks in advnce.

[Lindy]

Thanks very much for all the suggestions.

[Crunchie]

I got the ELC one for Christmas and my kids love it. The wooden animals are sweet and I managed to get tehm all 20% off so they weren't too bad. The hassle is putting it up each time, but my kids like doingthat. They are nearly 4 and nearly 2 and te farm was bought for the baby. She loves the animals as they are in families with a daddy, mummy and baby!!

[Katherine]

I wnet through all this at christmas for DS. There are 2 different things to think about. First is the farm itself. There are several on the market but the biggest problem is most of them have fixed bases which makes them a bit bulky to pack away. In the end DH made a couple of barns. I did spot some lovely old ones on E-bay at one point though.

Then there are the animals. I really wanted to get DS this one , bit pricy but gorgous, all from different trees and beautifully done. I flet it was worth the extra dosh compared to the ELC ones. However in the end I decided that it would probably have more long term value if the animals were realistic so I gave in and got plastic ones, but good quality ones - Bullyland - which even do different breeds etc. Incidentally the plastic ones are quite pricy too - pack of 4 cows costs about £8 - the wooden ones are slightly less than double but have more charm.

DS (4.5) has played with it to the exclusion of everything else ever since Christmas day!

[lou33]

Hi Lindy, ds1 was given one of these for a christmas present by my sister, and his brother who is almost 2 plays with it just as much. The one he has is by a company called Le Toy Van, and I've included a link to the website here . They are sold in toy shops so you can look at in tonline then go and check it out instore. It cost (according to the local toyshop to me £44.95 not including the animals, but apparently they start from about 20p. The website has a list of stcokists too, so hopefully you will find someone local to you. It's a really nice farm set, very easy to use and well made, plus easy to put together! We glued ours onto the board it came with to make it a permanent structure. Hth.

[Rhubarb]

ELC do have a wooden farm, but I wouldn't recommend it. My dh got it for her 2nd birthday and hardly plays with it. You have to assemble it each time you get it out, it's not very sturdy, it's basic and boring! I wouldn't have paid what they are asking for it. There are some nice wooden Noah's Arks around, but I don't know who makes them, they might do farms too. Sorry I can't help more.

[SoupDragon]

Avote for the ELC one. DS2 (nearly 2) got it for Christmas. He loves the chunky wooden animals that you buy separately.

[Bozza]

I know ELC have one. Its specified from age 3 but I had thought about getting it for DS for his 2nd birthday.