Friday, December 20, 2013

4 Accessories That Will Make Your Old Wooden Train Set Seem Like New

By Elizabeth Henry


If you have a wooden train set, you have probably seen how it can provide hours of creative play for your child. Even though most are well loved, you may be thinking of new ways to keep your wooden train set exciting. Whether you are looking for ways to add a little something new to a set that is used daily, or reinvigorate a set that may have lost its luster with your child, accessories could be just what you are looking for.

Here are 4 accessories to make that old wooden train set like new again!

Buildings and Landscaping - There are many different types of buildings available to add to your train set. These range from simple block buildings to more intricate houses. If you are crafty, you can even buy plain wooden blocks or craft store wood pieces and make/paint your own according to your little one's interests -- city, town, farm and countryside etc. To complete your populated area, try adding landscaping with trees, bushes, gardens etc. If you want to stick with the wooden theme of the set, you can purchase or make your own trees. Craft stores may carry small fir trees during the holidays that may be just right for your landscaping or even your own tree farm alongside that choo-choo. Another idea for both buildings and foliage is to use Legos if that is something your kids are into. Change the scenery with the seasons or as often as you like!

People and Animals - What is a town or countryside without animals and people? Many wooden train set brands sell people that either fit into or on the trains or that can decorate the scenery. Some are posable and others are block cut outs. Lego people may also come in handy here if you have some (ditto for Squinkies and all the other little tiny toys you step on and vacuum up on a regular basis). Use toy animals you have around the house to populate a farm or zoo alongside your train. If you want to surprise your engineer, set them up during nap time or after they go to bed so they can wake up and find a flurry of human and animal activity to conduct their train through.

Trains and Cars - If navigating the train around the track is the highlight for your child, consider adding additional vehicles. Magnets are the standard connector for most wooden train set brands, so typically you can switch train cars around pretty easily, even from varying brands with relative ease, although you may find that some hold better than others. Certain brands even offer other vehicles that work on the same wooden tracks as the train so your child can use it more like a roadway for everything from car carriers to semis and fire trucks.

Tracks, Tracks and More Tracks! - Extend your track and change up the layout by adding additional track pieces. Although more of what you already have can be fun to make larger and more intricate routes, more unique pieces like switches and ascending tracks or even bridges and tunnels will greatly expand your engineering options. Many brands also offer various tracks with stops built in. These include everything from signal stations to things as clever as haunted mines!

A little accessorizing goes a long way in the world of wooden trains. Delight your kids by sneaking in some accessories when they are not around so their train world is different the next time they visit it. Change scenery as the season change or when the mood strikes!




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