I am just amazed at how my two boys, ages 5 & 3, can play with their wooden train set for hours. We got it when my oldest was 3 and it has been the best toy we ever purchased. My boys got some new pieces this weekend to add to their track. They have been playing with their train set all day. I just can't get over how they never get bored with it.

By Jodie on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 04:41 pm:

My 2 yr old DS will play with his music blocks all day if he could . He has 2 music cartridges he switches back and forth and he can make virtually hundreds of compositions and he loves it.He has mozart and world music cartridges. I'm even thinking of getting him the classical music cartridge. A bit pricey but well worth it!
Anothet toy is a silly little abc radio toy which has the alphabet , letters and games and he'll play with that one for atleast a good couple hours !I think it's better than watching TV. Atleast he's learning something hands on .

By Trina~moderator on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 05:40 pm:

From age 2-5 my DS played with his Thomas wooden train set for HOURS. We lived on the Island of Sodor! I miss those days.

By Mommyathome on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 05:42 pm:

All 3 of my kids could play with play-dough all day long if I let them. They never want to put it away. They play for at least a couple of hours before I have to clear off the table to get it ready for the next meal.

By Colette on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 06:14 pm:

LEGOS!! All 3 absolutely love to play with legos.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 07:31 pm:

My kids liked play-dough, Brio train stuff, cardboard blocks, Beanie Babies, painting stuff, etc.

Sometimes the cardboard blocks and the beanie babies would get used together. They would make apartment buildings for the beanies. Beanies and cardboard blocks can be whatever they wanted them to be.

Now, they just want to play on the computer! LOL! Yesterday, they actually both went out to play in the snow! Guess my 14yo is still a kid!

By Feona on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 07:29 am:

I love ello construction sets. We have been playing with that alot. It is geared toward girls but I think it is so much better than lego.

Build bee, people, little houses with gates, fairy people, aqua people, jungle sets. jewelery, decorations.

Too much fun for me. My son only will play with a person so anything I enjoy he enjoys (at his level.) He loves play doh but I can't deal with the mess honestly. I have to sweep after playdoh.


We did adorable crayola make your own puppet theater and clay puppets. Painted a clay pot with non toxic acrylic paint.

By Christylee on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:34 am:

Brendan will be three next month and he loves all his Little People toys. He has the farm, the discovery city, the garage,construction site, the zoo, the airport, and for Christmas he got the castle and manger scene. He loves them all, right now his favorite is the castle.

Christy

By Kolbysmom on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 09:07 am:

There are really 3 things that Kolby could do for hours: Play with his basketball goal. He's really good at making baskets and I've literally had to tear him away from it to leave the house.

Books! He will get out a stack of books and look at them for hours. He'll bring me a book and make me ask him what all the pictures are.

Drawing. He LOVES paper and pens. He'll sit forever and "draw". A lot of the time he'll want me to write letters to see if he can copy them.

By Marg on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 10:19 am:

I believe my 3 yo girl would love a Thomas the engine actual train set but I don't want to spend that much money on one.

By Debbie on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 12:32 pm:

Marg, I didn't buy the Thomas train set. We bought the Brio track which was a lot cheaper and has actually held up very well. Then we bought the cute Thomas pieces a little at a time because they are expensive. We have the neat tunnels and the engine wash and things like that. Now, the boys use their birthday, christmas money to buy pieces that they want to add. I agree the Thomas set is very expensive.

By Tonya on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 01:29 pm:

Timmy has this tent thing that I received as a baby shower gift for him it was intended for newborns when they are outside to keep them out of the direct sun if you are out and camping or relaxing in the yard or something but he since he could walk uses it as a fort he plays with that thing now more than he ever did. For hours he will play inside of that tent reading or with his cars or even to just relax on his floor to watch his movies. He has fallen asleep in that thing more times than I can count.

By Marg on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:11 pm:

Debbie, can you get the Brio track anywhere, or did you buy over the internet?

By Marg on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:12 pm:

BTW, her fascination with trains I believe stems from the fact we live extremely close to the train tracks. She looks out the window each time they go by.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:19 pm:

Marg, I have seen the Brio track stuff at hobby shops and better toy stores. I haven't ever seen it at Walmart. Stores like Zany Brainy probably have it. (don't know if you have those or not.)

By Colette on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:45 pm:

You can buy Brio "clones" almost anywhere. I got one at Target.

By Feona on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 07:06 am:

We bought super cheap train set from walmart. They really great. I got like 130 pieces of track for $15. Bridges and train depot too.

By Feona on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 07:07 am:

Ebay sometimes has super cheap train tracks.

By Debbie on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 11:00 am:

Marg, I think I bought my Brio track at Toys R Us. There are so many brands of tracks, all of which are cheaper then the Thomas track. Mine was a set that was about $30.00. It came with lots of track, bridges, a town, trees, and people. We now also have several of the Thomas pieces that we have bought for birthdays, christmas, etc.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 12:11 pm:

I couldn't think of Toys R Us! LOL! The nearest one is 35-40 miles away and my kids are getting too old for it! My younger daughter likes playing with the Brio stuff at her cousin's house! We have a few pieces, but never bought anymore than what she got for presents. Besides, the cousins have the battery-operated engine, too.

By Marg on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 01:06 pm:

Our nearest Zany Brainy is going out of business, it's an hour away. Dh didn't know if just that store was going out or all of them. The next nearest Zany Brainy is about 2 1/2 hours away. I really like them, but none is close, I like their clearances.

I will have to try Walmart, Toys R Us. We live in a very rural area and it leads into woodland. The trains slows down at our house because it has to stop a mile down the track where my dad works to pick up some cars. She loves trains

Thanks everyone

By Kernkate on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 03:01 pm:

My DD who was 3 in Sept. will sit for hours and play with Barbies. She just loves to dress them and brush their hair, Its so cute I was always into Barbies when I was young, and she seems to be taking right after me.

By Newbabysarah on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 05:55 pm:

Since mine is still a baby, she loves her keys! I went out last week and she was so well behaved because I gave her the keys that she got for Christmas and she just loves them. They look and feel like real keys but they are for babies and safe.