When choosing a train set for your toddler, there are many to choose from and it can be extremely overwhelming to pick the right one.
Many toddlers enjoy wooden train sets, and parents can have peace of mind because they are durable, long lasting, safe, and are sure to create years of fun for your child. Train sets can promote development of motor skills and communication skills, traits they will use for everyday life.
Below, I have compiled a list of 25 of my favorite train sets for youngsters. These sets are safety tested and are guaranteed to promote your child’s creativity.
1. Brio Deluxe Railway Set Wooden Toy Train Set
This set, made of European beech wood, is high quality and comes with 87 pieces of wooden railway items. This set includes trains and scenery items that have lights and sounds, and are sure to impress any train loving toddler.
This is a great set for a toddler, as it is sure to give them years of fun. Parents will love this too, as it is a great value for what you get. This set has been safety tested thousands of times and meets all safety standards. This set is recommended for children 3 years and older, as there are a few small parts not suitable for infants.
2. Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway Set
This set provides toddlers with an array of up to 130 pieces to create the wooden railway they desire. This set includes bridges, a roundhouse, trees and other figures. This set is high quality, and works well with other wooden railway systems such as Thomas & Friends and Brio. This set includes a freight train with 6 cars, and a passenger train with 4 cars(great if you have more than one child), and an assortment of different track plans to create.
3. Tomy Thomas The Tank Engine Sets
If your child is a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, this is the set for you! Tomy Thomas the Tank Engine sets work on battery power and includes Thomas, who is battery operated, along with a few cars such as the “troublesome trucks”. The track is easily assembled and can be ready to run in minutes. Individual Tomy engines and cars can be purchased separately, as there are endless opportunities for expansion. I enjoyed these types of sets as a youngster and I hope yours will too.
4. Whittle Shorline Railroad
The Whittle Shortline Railroad creates handcrafted and painted wooden trains, that are unlike any other. They are painted in the paint schemes of real life railroads and are some of the best quality wooden trains on the market. the vibrant colors and life-like graphics are sure to make any child’s eyes pop!
These wooden trains are made from premier hardwood, with child safe non-toxic paint. They are also compatible with most other wooden railway systems including Thomas, Brio, and Melissa & Doug, just to name a few. I own many of these trains myself, and am still amazed at the craftsmanship they put into the models.
5. Power Wheels Thomas & Friends, Thomas Train with Track
This is a great option for a ride on train set. Set up in the living room, or pretty much anywhere around the house. This set is powered by a 6 volt battery, and includes 18ft of track that can be assembled in minutes! Once set up, the train can travel at a safe 1 mph, around the circle. The train works off the track as well. This is a great gift for any toddler on the move, and will surely be a hit!
6. Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway Coal Hopper Figure 8 Set
The Thomas & Friends wooden railway is always a hit with young rail enthusiasts. Your toddler can collect all their favorite characters from the hit TV show! The Coal Hopper Figure 8 set is a simple train made with quality materials that are kid safe. Feautres of this set include a bridge and a coal tower that actually loads the coal into the coal car by pressing the top. This is sure to evoke joy and excitement in your toddler, and bring them years of fun, as these are extremely durable and “kid proof”.
7. Deluxe City Train Tracks Wooden Railway Track for Toddlers by May & Z
This 130 piece set is full of action, as it has many unique features. This set includes various bridges, a turntable, multiple swithces, a station, and a train shed. This set is compatible with most other wooden railway systems, and is made with quality materials.
This is a unique set as it has a city theme complete with tall buildings, cars, and street signs, a rural scene with farm animals and trees, and a suburban theme with houses and other buildings. This is a unique set that is sure to evoke curiosity in your toddler, and help them develop many important skills.
8. 100 Piece Obrbrium Toys Triple-Loop Wooden Train Set by Orbrium
This set includes skillfully crafted wooden trains, track, and cars. This set is a great inexpensive set that in my opinion, gives the buyer value, as there are many pieces included and it is made out of solid wood, and is compatible with other wooden railway sets. This set includes a suburban theme with buildings, cars, trees, and a railroad crossing with gated arms. It also comes with a bridge and a 3 way switch track. This is an amazing value for the amount of pieces included with the train set.
9. Wooka Wooden Train Set
This is a unique set that includes many city scenes, additionally the set comes with police cars and a taxi. It includes a railroad crossing and a bridge. This set is made from Beech wood and is beautifully crafted. Additionally, toddlers will enjoy the police helicopter that they can land on the helipad atop the police station. The red cargo terminal allows toddlers to drop off and load up goods in the open top gondola cars that are included. This set is sure to please any toddler and parent alike, as the set is relatively inexpensive for the amount of items included.
10. SainSmart Jr. Wooden Train Set
Made of Australian Birch wood, this set is simple yet fun at the same time. This set is a great value for the money, and includes a locomotive and 3 cars, buildings, trees, street signs, and animals. This set is compatible with all similar wooden railway systems, and can be easily expanded. This set is paint with water based paint, to ensure that it is safe for small children, as it meets all safety standards.
11. KidKraft Top Mountain Train Set
This unique train set includes a scenic mountain passage with a waterfall, making this a variety of fun! This set includes multiple switch tracks, making for many directions for little ones to design the track as they please.
This 61 piece set includes both rural and suburban scenes, and includes an airport, helipad, houses, street signs, trees and more! a great advantage of this set is that it can be easily stored, as it comes with a convenient carrying bag that it made with quality materials. This bag is also great for storage the train set can be easily put away.
12. Hape Kids Wooden Railway Mighty Mountain Mine Set
This set is especially unique as it has different levels to climb. This set is sure to fascinate as your little one pushes the train to the top, while traversing through waterfalls and mines. Load up the train using the magnetic crane that sits atop the mountain. This will inspire creativity in your child and give them the opportunity to develop vital critical thinking and motor skills. This train set received awards for its creativity and design including being named the Toy of the Year by the Australian Toy Association.
13. Fisher Price Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway, King of the Railway Set
Join Thomas in this magical train set through the prince’s castle! Based upon the new movie “King of the Railway”, it is now possible for your child to recreate the movie using their own imagination. This set comes with Thomas and Millie, an armored horse, Ulfstead Castle, Sliding Hill, Stephen’s Shed, and a car that transports cargo. This set includes a generous amount of track, including elevated tracks to reach the top of the castle. This set is easily compatible with other wooden railway systems, and offers much room for expansion, with my add-ons available.
14. Conductor Carl 100 Piece Train Track Town Starter Set
This set is a true value for the money. It includes 100 pieces for a low price over under $40, this is a bargain for anyone looking for a large train set for their child. This set includes various locomotives and train cars made with from quality lotus and beech wood construction that is extremely durable. Included in the bundle are 34 track pieces, 12 cars, 15 people and signs, and 39 trees and houses. It is compatible with other wooden railway systems, and is easily expandable.
15. Hape Kids Wooden Railway Working on The Railroad Set
This wooden train set has an industrial feel to it. Load up your train with the magnetic crane at the top of the hill and work the coal mines. Included in this set are various track pieces and supports, a tunnel, crane, coal and various trees and signs.
Inspire your child to use their imagination as they take charge of their very own railway, controlling freight and switching trains to different tracks. There are many add-ons for this set, including battery operated locomotives and various rolling stock pieces. This is sure to be a hit with any young train enthusiast.
16. Orbrium Toys 52 Piece Deluxe Wooden Train Set
This set is jam-packed with activities. Young engineers can pick up passengers from the station or haul freight around the layout. This layout includes various building and scenery items including tunnels, an arch bridge, and many twists and turns.
Conveniently, this tunnel can be flipped over and turned into a storage compartment for the trains, tracks, and scenery items. This set includes 52 pieces and is a great value that is sure to engage your child for many hours of fun and excitement.
17. Hape Railway Crane & Cargo Train Set
Let your child’s creativity blossom with this fun-filled train set. Made from sturdy wood, this set is durable and safe for kids of all ages.
Load up the gondola cars with containers with the crane, and head to your destination. The crane is easy to operate as the knob on the top raises and lowers the magnet, allowing children to load the car with ease.
This set is easily expandable with other Hape Railway sets and other wooden railway manufacturers, it is also a great value for the quality of the products and the amount of pieces included with the layout.
18. KidKraft Bucket Top Construction Train Set, 61 Piece
Packaged in a unique bucket with a unique lid, that is actually part of the layout, this train set is sure to inspire creativity in your child, encouraging them to create different track plans and develop critical thinking strategies.
The theme of this layout is industrial and construction and has an array of industries to check out including the loading area that includes a operational crane and a construction site with a bulldozer.
This set also includes various trees and signage, as well as buildings and other figures.
19. Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Percy & The Little Goat Set
Inspire your child’s creativity with this high altitude train set. Join Percy and climb the mountain with various cargo in tow. Not only will your child strengthen their critical thinking and motor skills, but they will also strengthen their reading ability as well, as this set comes with the book “Percy and the Little Goat”, that can be read with a parent.
This set includes Percy, Harold the helicopter, a steep mountain grade, and a grain loader, along with various pieces of track that can be configured many different ways. This is sure to spark the imagine of any child, and provide hours of enjoyment.
20. Kidzzy Toys 27 Pieces Wooden Train Set, Toy Set with Farm Yard, Double Sided Tracks
This 27 piece set is a great value and is sure to create joy for any child. This set allows your child to be creative and develop critical thinking skills. There are many different layout configurations to choose from, which gives your child the ability to be creative.
This set is produced using high quality wood that is durable and safe for children. Included in this pack are various trains, farm animals, and a windmill. This is a great set filled with action, and is a great gift for any toddler.
21. Play 22 Wooden Train Set-52 Pieces
This giant train set gives children endless possibilities for layout ideas. This set includes many switches, curves and straight pieces of many sizes. This set comes with a wooden locomotive and passenger car to push around the layout.
This set is compatible with most other wooden railway systems, expanding the amount of additions that are possible. This set is great for helping young children learn shapes and sizes.
This set is safe for children as it is made with quality materials and has been safety tested.
22. Fisher Price Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway, Merrick and The Rock Crusher
Join Thomas and his friend Luke while they work the quarry and transport rock around the island of Sodor. Stop in front of the rock crusher and load your train up with rocks from the quarry.
This set can be configured in a figure eight or any way your child chooses. There are many moving parts in this set, including Merrick, the crane, and the rock crusher. These are easily operated and will help children learn to be creative and develop life-long skill sets. The set comes in at a special price of $86.00 on Amazon.
23. Lego Duplo Cargo Train Set
This train set by Lego allows children to be creative and use their imagination when building a layout. Included with this pack are various figures and structures.
Included is a crane that can load cargo into the train as it passes underneath, and is able to be easily raised and lowered. Also, there is a restaurant, boat with figures, and various sea and land animals. The engine on the train is battery operated and should be used with supervision with small children.
24. Brio My First Railway Beginner Wooden Train Set
This train set is great for young engineers who are just starting out with wooden trains. This layout offers a simple oval, with a locomotive and a freight car.
This set is safety tested and is built using high quality wood products and non-toxic paint. This set is easily compatible with other similar wooden railway systems, which gives endless opportunities for expansion.
25. KidKraft Ride Around Train Set and Table
This is a great set for kids who enjoy complex layouts. This creativity evoking set includes a train table and many pieces of track, trains, vehicles, scenery, and figures.
The table is made out of sturdy wood and include under the table bins to easy stow away track and trains neatly. The pieces included with the set include vivid details, as well as the table which is painted green to resemble grass.
If you have multiple children who love trains, this is the set for you.
