Maybe a Geotrax battery operated kit with some accessories. It's all plastic, and made for a 2.5 year old.
Wes
coalcracker wrote:Guys, this is for a one year old. I would stay away from anything electric like Lionel unless you plan on constant close adult supervision. One year olds like to touch (and break). An electric train would be off the tracks more than on. That childs parents may NOT enjoy this. I would opt for a wooden Thomas or Brio set. Some battery operated kid friendly engines from these makers are also sold along with tons of accessories. That way the child can really play with the trains.
You have a very good point. A one year old would get more play value out of a wooden or plastic push train. But one year olds still put things in their mouths. Lead paint...
My kids were one year olds when I got them their first Lionels. The trains were only used when I was there to supervise the kids. They learned how to run the trains responsibly, how to set them on the track, etc. They are now 4 years old and are train fanatics. They can and do run the trains responsibly (for the most part) and treat them with respect. Good things are learned at a young age!
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I have a two year old grandson and wanted to get him his first train this Christmas. I decided on a wooden push train (one he can play with without help) instead of an electric set (which is for dad and grandpa) I got my first train the year I was born (1947), a Lionel 671 turbine set. Guess who it was really for? Before I was was 4 yrs old the turbine was joined by a 2332 GG-1 and a ATSF 2343. They all are still around and running under this year's Christmas tree!
After much thought and several recalls of Chinese-made Thomas items, I opted for a USA made wooden push train made by a St. Louis company, Wooden Toy Trains. Check out their web-site http://www.woodentrain.com/ They are not as cheap as the Chinese made imports, but the quality is exceptional and NO LEAD PAINT. Let's did what our parents did way back when... buy American toys that are safe.
trigtrax wrote: If it was for your own child I'd say get him an electric train. But if this is for a charity and you don't know who'll be handling it than another train toy recommended for that age would be right.As for myself I just ordered my 7 month old Grandson the Williams Virginan FM outfit on the back cover of the new CTT.. Gotta start his collection ya know
If it was for your own child I'd say get him an electric train. But if this is for a charity and you don't know who'll be handling it than another train toy recommended for that age would be right.
As for myself I just ordered my 7 month old Grandson the Williams Virginan FM outfit on the back cover of the new CTT.. Gotta start his collection ya know
What a great set dad will have lots of fun showing him how it runs I love mine.
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As an experienced young father with a daughter of 8 and a son of 2, I would strongly recommend something durable. My son was afraid of trains running on layouts upto about 1,5 years of age, since then he helps me to play trains. Nevertheless, he likes removing box car doors and hopper latches. So, I gave him some cars of his own, that he pretty much "distroyed". Hence, I would give a one year old something durable like the wooden pull along trains mentioned above, unless you are absolutely sure they are not in the disassembling mind-set, then a Thomas train set would be great, but I presume they will only really start to play with that from 2-3 years of age.
I hope this helps a bit,
Eggo
1?
I was riling the family cat at one.
Starting them young are we?
Consider the wooden trains. Make sure that they are too big to fit in baby's mouth because they will throw, chew, stomp, roll over etc.
I would recommend the Little Lionel train sets. There is 3 varietys to the sets that I have seen so far, the first is just the train, no track, the second is the train with an oval of track, and the final is a deluxe set with the train, track, and a theme set such as a farm.
Sometimes you can find them at places like Big Lots and Benny's, and Toys R Us.
I have seen the price range from $10 to $30, based on the set type.
The train typically comes in 3 types: steam, diesel passenger, frieght diesel., and typically have a loco, a frieght car or tender, and caboose.
My son turned one a few weeks ago, he has been playing with these almost from day one.
Side story: my son was in the infant care ward for his first day, I went to visit him, and noticed that other babies had balloons and stuffed animals with them, I brought him a Little Lionel Southern Steam set. I set the train next to his crib, and pushed the sound button. He really became attached to that sound.
Back to the main article: The loco makes sound (a push button on top of the loco is used to actuate this) and moves foward (slide lever). It is powered by 2 "AA" batteries.
For the money, I would highly recommend the Little Lionel series. (Also known as Lionel Junior)
Well, that is my 2 cents worth.
So many scales, so many trains, so little time.....
At 7 months--my first Christmas--I got a Marx set. I still have it; it still runs. It took a licking but keeps on ticking.
I like the idea of a wooden train for those moments without supervision but an electric train to get him started right with.
the die-cast thomas characters can take a beating without the paint chipping and the magnetic couplers are easy for a 1yr old to figure out. Plus with their bright colors you can use them to teach colors. My son loves playing with them, and now that he is 2, he stands on a chair at the layout and runs his Lionel Thomas set. It's a heartwarming thing to see. He looks across the layout and calls out which train (by color) he wants me to pull out of the yard to let him run. Any of the two motored Williams wired in series are great for kids, on 031 they go fast enough to thrill, but just barely slow enough to stay on the rails.
sir james I wrote:Anything Thomas, a one year old will relate to Thomas..
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We have a bunch of these still in stock (Union Pacific donated 20!)
The age is 2+, but that looks the closest for a 1-year-old that I can find.
Hello Joe!
I do not think you could go wrong with any of the Lionel Starter Sets. My Nephew has one from 10 years ago & it still runs fine for him. Brianel- It sounds like you found a Cure for Sleep Disorders. Watch a Train on a Layout! Better than counting Sheep I guess. Especially, if there are no Sheep around to count. Take Care.
Well the story in my family has it that I wasn't even a full week old when my dad got me some kind of Scout Lionel train set. My mom always said he just couldn't wait the 4 weeks until CHRISTmas. I'm certain at that point in my life, I wouldn't have complained if the caboose was at the front end of the train. But obviously a seed was planted and here I am today....
Now whenever I see a little kid of toddler age out at the store or anyplace, I look and say to myself "gee, I was aready a bona-fide train nut even at that age." My folks always said I was nuts about trains from the get go.
A wooden train would be great for a child to play with alone, but good luck finding one at this point not made in China. The couple of American companies still making them have been doing a better-than-brisk business since the re-calls were announced a few months ago.
BUT if there's some parental assistance here, why not start with the best? I think any Lionel set would be a great start. Thomas, PRR Flyer... any one of them.
And as a final thought, when I was a teen I would rock my then baby sister to sleep infront of my train layout. Used to work pretty good, so there's a tip at bedtime for a little one. Now as an adult, when my sister looks at my trains running, she doesn't understand how they make her sleepy. But I do.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
My boys were 1 year old old when I bought them a Lionel Thomas set. They loved it. Still do. Easily found and relatively inexpensive.
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
I run a charity called Trains for Kids ( www.freewebs.com/trainsforkds ) and I have a request for a train for a 1-year-old. I don't know what would work. Please reply as soon as possible. Since the holidays are so close, we need a gift you could find in a store, not one that must be special ordered.
Thank you
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