How does a wooden train set for toddlers help in development?
Besides being great playmates, wooden toy trains help your little one in several areas of development. Such toys, at their core, encourage babies to exercise their imagination and creativity through pretend play.Pretend play enables children to tap into their social and emotional skills while they lend characters from their surroundings to act out. These interactions together help cultivate a higher self-esteem in toddlers as they communicate and problem solve through play.
Another crucial skill that wooden train track sets aid in developing is sequencing. In our day-to-day lives, we perform innumerable sequences on the go. For example, taking our shoes out of the cabinets, putting them on one foot at a time, and tying the laces to secure them in place.
A wooden train track set helps babies learn the art of the concept, which will lend a hand to them eventually learning numbers and quantity too.
Top Rated Wooden Train Sets in India 2023
With an extraordinary number of options on the market already, it is essential that you find a quality wooden train set for toddlers.
1. Best for Pretend Play: Beech Wood Train Track Set (69 Pieces)
When looking for kids' toys, versatility and compatibility are two of the parents' most important concerns. This wooden train set for toddlers helps them with that.
This 69-piece set includes people, scenery, a train, a police car, a bus, and trees made out of the safest materials for your baby’s convenience and health. The wooden train track set holds its own with an expanse of fun activities and possibilities that ensure that the play doesn’t stop.
Suitable Age: Two years+
Pros & Cons:
- Made with safe beechwood
- Easy-to-handle.
- Open-ended.
- Includes small parts, supervision during play is recommended.
2. Best for Learning Counting: PLUSPOINT Wooden Train Toy Set
We consider the best toys to be the ones that serve more than one purpose. From being your baby’s favourite pull-along toy to a study companion in their toddler years, the wooden toy train does just that.
Introduce your little one to the world of sequences with the dotted side, and transition them to the numbers side when they are ready. This toy presents a fun way to introduce concepts to babies while stimulating their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Specification: 30.48 x 16.51 x 22.86 cm; 3.47 Kilograms
Suitable Age: One year+
Pros & Cons:
- Doubles as a pull-along toy
- Non-toxic
- Supports early STEM concepts
- Builds palmer grasp
3. Best for Promoting Hands-On Play: Melissa & Doug Swivel Bridge Wooden Train Set
Here’s a classic toy into the mix. Said to be the ‘gold standard in childhood play’, the wooden train set for toddlers sets the bar high with this one.
Made from high-quality wood, the tracks are easy to assemble and are an experience on their own. Learning the basics of ascending and descending are just a few of the many concepts your little one can grasp with the set.
Specification: 56.52 x 33.02 x 12.7 cm; 2.5 Kilograms
Suitable Age: Three years+
Pros & Cons:
- Compatible with other wooden tracks
- Built from the highest-quality materials
- A bit on the pricey end
- Includes small parts, supervision during play is recommended
4. Best for Learning the Alphabets: Shamsi Art Wooden Alphabet Letters Train Set
Hop on board! The alphabet train is about to leave the station! Before your little one starts grasping the letters, this wooden toy train helps them work on their pincer and palmer grasp, setting the groundwork for writing ahead.
Your curious baby will love playing with the vivid multi-coloured alphabets, which they can create words out of on the train with your assistance, of course.
Specification: 9.5 x 17.5 x 10.5 cm; 250 Grams
Suitable Age: Two years+
Pros & Cons:
- Easy-to-assemble
- Boosts hand-eye coordination
- Supports language learning
- Includes small parts, supervision during play is recommended
5. Best for Showcasing Number Sequences: Popsugar Wood Wooden Train With Numbers Educational Toy
Along for the journey, with numbers in tow! Open-ended toys like this wooden toy train let toddlers explore each piece and work on building it by themselves.
The introduction of the numbers adds a colourful twist to the play, wherein they not only gain exposure to the various colours, shapes, and textures but also comprehend the basics of number sequencing as they line up the digits on the train.
Specification: 8.7 x 6.5 x 3.5 cm; 420 Grams
Suitable Age: Two years+
Pros & Cons:
- Encourages creative play
- Made with non-toxic, natural wood.
- Boosts pincer grasp and other fine motor skills
- Supports early STEM concepts
6. Best for Magnet Play: Hape Kids Wooden Railway Freight Train Set
Here’s a freight wooden train set to add to your toddler's toy collection. Durable and safe, the train is uniquely designed with magnets as connectors to familiarise your little one with the concept early on.
The set is easy to assemble and crafted with high quality materials. It works like a dream, promoting hand-eye coordination while the little ones engage in pretend play, promoting their cognitive development.
Specification: 23.95 x 3.5 x 4.8 cm; 160 Grams
Suitable Age: Three years+
Pros & Cons:
- Introduces magnets play
- Compatible with tracks in the collection
- The colour contrast helps in visual development
- Includes small magnets, supervision during play is recommended
7. Best for Babies Learning to Walk: Jungle Toy Train Set
Let's return to the classics with this wooden toy train. The colourful toy doubles as a pull-along toy for the little ones. With an easy-to-grab body, the eco-friendly toy is an experience in itself.
It helps the babies build their gross motor skills as they drag the toys along the mountains and valleys of their bright imagination. This fun game of their own exercises their leg muscles while they walk the non-toxic toy.
Such a handmade wooden train set makes an excellent companion for your baby.
Suitable Age: One year+
Pros & Cons:
- Stimulates gross and fine motor skills
- Tested and certified by ASTM international toy standards
- Supports healthy imagination
- Includes small parts, supervision during play is recommended
8. Best for Grasping STEM concepts: CrazyCrafts Wooden Shape and Colour Sorter Toy Train
The bright, colourful, and easy-to-assemble wooden sorter toy encourages your child to explore and comprehend the differences in colours and shapes as they have a blast dragging the toy around the house.
Sorting the wooden train set pieces stimulates your little one’s visual-motor integration skills, essential for gaining a jump start in writing and scribbling. The solid, non-toxic colours are perfect for keeping a toddler fascinated with the toy for a long time.
Specification: 8.5 x 33.5 x 7 cm; 380 Grams
Suitable Age: Three years+
Pros & Cons:
- Aids in cognitive development
- Helps understand visual discrimination
- Supports STEM concepts
- Includes small parts, supervision during play is recommended
Things To Consider While Buying Wooden Train Set For Kids
There are many advantages to buying a wooden train set for kids instead of a plastic one. While one of them is that wooden train sets are much safer than their plastic counterparts, the educational value of a wooden train set is endless.It can teach children about colours, shapes, and sizes, as well as help them learn their numbers, letters, and early STEM concepts. It's a great way to help young kids learn about the world around them and expand their knowledge.
The main things to keep in mind while buying a wooden train set are:
a. Safe and Durable.
Before you buy a toy, it is best to make sure that it is safe for your little one. Since toddlers and infants quite often like to explore with their mouths, it is best to be certain that the products are made from the highest quality materials and are painted with non-toxic colours.
Hence, it is also better to keep away from any toys that are made of plastic that can have a negative impact on your child's health. Durability is also an important factor to take into account when buying a train set.
It is likely that your child will be playing with the set for a long time, building, manipulating, and crashing it time and time again while having fun playing with the toy. Hence, it is best to make sure the product supports your little one's aim to do so.
b. Age-Appropriate Suitability
An essential consideration when buying a train set is whether the product is suitable for your child's age. It is best to avoid buying toys that are above your child's age range, as the small parts pose a huge risk of choking or even suffocation in young toddlers.
A toddler ready to start pre-school will have no use for a teether. A toy that is age-inappropriate will not suit its purpose and will only frustrate your little one. This may further lead to a lack of interest in the skill itself. So, it is optimal to choose a train set according to your child's age group.
c. Learning Potential
In the Montessori method, children are encouraged to learn through work (play). While toys help refine your child's fine motor abilities, open-ended toys such as train sets are a great way to stimulate their cognitive and socio-emotional skills.
Hence, it is best to keep track of your child's developmental milestones when buying a wooden train set.
Invest in toys that give your little one the opportunity to develop imperative skills, as toys selected with such metrics in mind will help your child reap the benefits of the toy for a long time.
In essence,
Wooden train track sets are loved by all. Most of us even remember the ones we used to play with to this day. The toys on the list aim to provide the same experience for your little ones, for their development and the bucket-loads of memories they will make ahead.
Home to an expanse of toys and activity kits catered to your little one's age-appropriate developmental needs, head to your BabyG App today! Till then, Happy Parenting!
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