Because this was such an expensive item I did my homework before purchasing the table. I looked at some cheaper tables to begin with but found that they couldn't come close to the Thomas table by Learning Curve. This table is made of solid wood and took me about 5 minutes to put together. I was able to get the playmat for free with the table through a promotion Toys R Us was having at the time of purchase. Another thing that sold me on the Thomas table was that this is the same table they have at Barrnes and Noble and you can imagine how many children play on that day after day. We have the table set up in our son's playroom since it is such a large piece. Unlike many other toys we have purchased in the past, this is one that we will save for years to come. They are expensive, but they are also made well and come with a lifetime guarantee. If you have a problem with one of their products you simply send it to them with a letter and within about 1-2 business weeks they will send you a brand new item. If you are looking to buy a train table I would highly recommend this one. Though it is more expensive, it is worth it in the long run. Why spend $80-$100 on a table that is only going to last a year or so when you can spend a little more and save it forever? One other hint...Michael's Arts and Crafts and A.C. Moore Craft Stores also carry a decent amount of the wooden Thomas toys. Look in your local paper for their 40% off coupons. They apply to Thomas and Friends which makes it a lot more affordable. :)
When the table arrived the box was dinged, but thankfully the contents inside were well packed with styrofoam and cardboard protecting each piece.
The wood is high quality with easy to connect fastners.Very stable.The train images on the side of the table and on the legs are great.They weren't stickers, but actually some kind of high quality painted image that has a very durable finish on it.Some of the train images even have a full plastic face piece for Thomas and each of his friends.
The table is well designed for a toddler's height and the allows them to reach to the center.
Needless to say my 2 year old son loves it!He wakes up in the morning, says choo choo and runs out to go play at the table.
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This is nice for the Thomas the train set but it is way to expensive for the quality.My son is 4 and I have had to repair the bar across the middle.It was very close to breaking.It is not made for little boys to stand or jump on, which they will do when you are not watching!Read Best Reviews of Thomas And Friends Wooden Railway - IslAnd of Sodor Wooden Playtable Here
I umm and aahh about spending this sort of money on a train table for my children but after doing my homework I decided this is the one I would buy.Other train tables I have seen in stores are often wonky and seem quite unstable and this is after they've been played on in the stores.So after seeing poorer quality tables for similar prices I decided to save up for the Thomas branded one (also bought the one-sided play table board to go with it).
Yes, it's expensive, but as with all any "brand", it's the name you are paying for.If you want a Thomas collection of trains and accessories you are going to have to pay.I'm just starting our collection and am buying the "Thomas" trains and buildings, but found a compatible generic track for less than half the price.I was lucky enough to get this table at almost half price at a after Christmas sale.It's worth waiting for sales and price comparing.
Having said all that we have found the table to be excellent.It's at the right height for all our children (4, 3 and 1 year old) and me when I'm sitting on the floor playing with them.There is also plenty of room underneath to have some good sized storage containers for all your pieces of train track and other accessories.
The table frame is packed very well to protect the 3D train faces that are on two sides of the table.It's beautifully painted and when it's put together is extremely strong (although I wouldn't recommend standing on it).
Now that we have this table I no longer have to nag the kids about getting their train tracks off the lounge room floor, they can leave their "town" up for days until they want to change it.We also have a great table for their other car/train sets, or Little People towns or Duplo Creations.
It's up to you to spend to decide if you want to spend this sort of money but I see this as something I won't ever have to replace and it's something my son can keep for his children.Toys like this will last!
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The Thomas train sets are great modern versions of the classic indestructible wooden train sets.Simple enough to avoid the toddler age frustrations of getting the cars to run on the track yet complex enough to engage a wide range of ages (up to and including Grandpas).All the stories help with the imagination part....the books & videos provide an endless source of adventures that can be acted out, although most kids are perfectly capable of inventing their own episodes.
Here is my advice, if you are trying to work your way through the maze of start-up options:
First of all, you can spend a fortune on a huge set....even if you can afford it, I would start with something small and give the child the joy of receiving a chain of small but intriguing presents over a long period of time.It fosters the joy of giving/receiving and helps teach them to come back again and again to the same toy...watching it grow, asking for specific items from the stories they hear, etc.Several reviewers suggest painting an old coffee table and this is a great idea.
I suggest the Figure 8 set (the most popular one) or if you want to spend a little bit more, the Conductors Figure 8 set.Both are complex enough to be interesting, but simple enough to give lots of room for growth.Almost immediately I would add a new present of one of the inexpensive engines (you can ask the child which story they like best and get that engine for them....or buy the engine to go with the video or book in the same gift)....these would be Percy The Small Engine, Bill The Yellow Engine, Treavor, (or a bit more $ for:) The Lady Engine, James The Red Engine, Gordon The Express Engine (he's one of the best stories, I think), or Henry The Green Engine.
Now for the good stuff!Give it a month or so, and then reward the child with something really cool like the Barrel Loader or Rusty the Construction 3 Car Set.
I honestly can't see the point in the huge multi hundred dollar system sets.If you want to impress the neighbors or something, go for it, but I'm telling you.....most kids will enjoy a large number of small thoughtful gifts, not a "keep-up-with-the-Jones" effort on your part.
Good behavior can be rewarded with a pick-your-own trip to the store (there are sometimes when a real time shopping trip can't be beat)
By the way, the Thomas stories are based on real restored engines that run in England on the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress line near Winchester (you can read about them an even plan a trip to ride on the real Thomas trains by checking outwatercressline.co.uk).They are a day trip from the London rail stations, although I recommend using a B&B in the Winchester area and staying overnight if you decide to go.Winchester was the center of the old Saxon kingdom of Wessex of King Alfred as well as a major early medieval site (the Cathedral has the tombs of many of the Saxon Kings as well as Jayne Austen and Izaac Walton and it was where Richard the Lionhearted was crowned.)
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