Connectors to Connect Wooden and Plastic Train Tracks
8 Best Wooden Train Sets and Rail Sets for 2022 | Complete Guide
Train sets are one of the top-selling toys for the Holidays and you are going to love my best wooden train sets. Unfortunately, most train sets in the big box stores are made of all plastics with batteries and lots of plastic track pieces. Typically, these sets do not have universal fitting tracks. This means that you cannot connect one track from another brand or set. This is limiting to your child and what they can do. Most plastic trains are made cheaply and break not long after the holiday making them destined for the landfill. That is why you will love my 8 Best Wooden Train Sets!
"Choosing to buy heirloom-quality wooden trains that are sustainably made is better for your child and for the environment."
Creating your own unique wooden train set from buildable elements such as unique track pieces and destination points will give your child years of play. Most wooden train sets have a universal connection with each track piece making them connectable between brands. The neat thing about wooden trains is that elements such as bridges, tunnels, garages, and airports can be added over time keeping your child interested and engaged. Investing in an heirloom-quality wooden train set vs. the cheaply made non-sustainable wooden ones is also important as there is a difference in quality. For example, cheaply made train sets on Amazon have track pieces that splinter, crack, are not sanded smooth, and have paint that chips on the trains and components.
"Most often, cheaply made wooden trains are made with formaldehyde glues and low-quality plastics containing chemicals."
Choosing to buy sustainable wooden train sets from sustainable companies such as Maple Landmark, PlanToys, Tender Leaf toys, Le Toy Van is best. You will see a difference in the quality with my best wooden train sets. In my opinion, the highest quality best wooden train set with the most expansive parts is USA-made Maple Landmark's Trains. They are at the best of my 8 Best Wooden Train Sets list and are my favorite train system hands down. Their trains are 100% wood without plastics and, their track is the most amazing quality that is heavyweight and beautifully handcrafted. PlanToys is number two as they have solid-built, heavy-weight sustainably made trains that are plastic-free. Their real rubber two-sided rail and roadway mats connect to their wooden roadway sets as well as their parking garage. PlanToys makes their trains in Thailand in one of the most eco-friendly factories in the world.
Christina's Tips on Holiday Shopping for Toys:
What is the question that most parents and grandparents ask when the holidays are just around the corner? What should I buy my child/grandchild that they will actually play with and learn from? Are there better alternatives than shopping at the local big box store for plastic toys that require batteries? How do I find toys that bring value to my child instead of just settling for something to give. Plastic toys with every button and gadget tend to entertain kids for one holiday morning, but do they stand the test of time for years of play?
"After the holiday is over, how many plastic toys with all the "bells and whistles" are still played with a year later?"
I dive more into this in my post on "3 Questions to Ask When Buying Toys." Wouldn't you rather choose quality toys over quantity? Most kids are overwhelmed by the number of gifts given. I like to offer the solution of giving them fewer but better-quality items that are more durable and promote open-ended play. Yes, sustainable toys can cost a bit more money, but wouldn't you rather your child have a few cherished items than a playroom full of plastic that actually costs more. You will see a difference in your child's play behavior when you choose "kid-powered" toys over battery-powered toys.
Listed below is a list of my 8 best wooden train sets that are sustainable and wood-based. Some brands have some plastic components such as BRIO, Hape, and Thomas & Friends, and HABA. One negative with those is that BRIO, Hape, and Thomas & Friends are made in China. BRIO produces in their own factory but Hape and Thomas & Friends (Mattel) outsources production which is not sustainable. These 4 companies listed are not as sustainable as the PlanToys, Tender Leaf, Le Toy Van, and Maple Landmark. However, they are a better option than an all-plastic train set or a cheaply made wooden one. My best wooden train sets will stand the test of time, and be lovely gifts that your child/grandchild will enjoy. The trains listed below are great for families to interact and spend time together during the holidays:
1. Maple Landmark – NameTrain Classic Car Set
Made in the USA of locally sourced wood, this heirloom-quality train set is plastic-free and of superb quality. Made for children ages 3+ years, they make the best quality tracks, trains, and bridges. They have unique letter trains to make your child's name and city/country-themed vehicles for small world play. Maple Landmark also has a line of historic bridges from different cities around the world. Today, there is no other wooden train set made of this kind of quality, putting Maple Landmark at the top. Purchasing alone the track pieces will upgrade your current train set due to the engraved style in the track and the quality weight and finish of the wood used. To learn more about Maple Landmark and its recycling and conservation practices, check out their website HERE.
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2. PlanToys – Classic Train
- They are passionate about child safety. They pay close attention to the safety standards of their production process. All of their materials are non-toxic and environmentally friendly so parents can let their children play without worry.
- They help children develop. Every parent wants to see their child successfully grow and develop. They believe that creative and educational play can help them do this! By playing with their educational toys, children learn and evolve in a variety of ways.
- They care about the environment. They believe that a quality environment will give rise to quality individuals. At PlanToys, they use organic vegetable-based pigments and water-based colors that are chemical-free, E-Zero glue that doesn't contain formaldehyde, and they maximize resource utilization by using leftover sawdust to create a new sustainable material called PlanWood™.
- Tracks are made of real rubber and expandable sets are available.
PlanToys-Train set has modern minimalist styling and is made with organic vegetable pigments. Real rubber two-sided reversible track with rail and roadway with additional tracks available.
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- Enhance your pretend-play transportation system with the Road System set!
- Complete with 27 tracks, 1 bridge, 1 car, 1 light, and 4 bushes (34 pieces in total),
- Children have everything they need to bring their pretend city to life.
- For ages 3yrs+ and above.
"I love how all these are made from sustainable rubberwood and coated with a non-toxic finish, all colors are made from vegetable dye."
Choo, choo! The Classic Train is the ultimate addition to any rail set or transportation play scenario. Using the magnets, children can connect the trains for a more dynamic experience. A combination of solid wood and PlanWood give this set a unique feel, so kids can improve their sensory and fine motor skills. Compatible with PlanToys' Road & Rail set and parking garage that doubles as a train station.
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3. BRIO World Deluxe Railway Set
This Swedish-designed train set and a favorite in Europe. They sell 3 different train set styles including a classic train set line featuring only wood and no plastics. Their most popular modern BRIO World train line is wooden with ABS high-quality plastic components with real working parts. BRIO is the perfect train set for older kids looking for small world play with real working components and functioning parts. It really is more than a train set as the people, realistic components make for a perfect small world play system.
BRIO is an expansive wooden train set on the market. They sell most of their components separately so that you can customize your train set including their airport, mine, metro station, parking garage and house, and much more. It is for ages 3+ and is fun for kids up to age 10. When most other train sets are outgrown by age 6, BRIO continues to offer play value to the older child. BRIO also makes a safe line for toddlers called My First BRIO for ages 18 mo and beyond. To learn more about the Brio story, check out their website HERE.
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4. Hape Kids Wooden Railway Mighty Mountain Mine Set
The world's largest wooden toy manufacturer, Hape, makes an affordable railway system similar to BRIO. The collection includes more realistic functional small-world components such as an award-winning grand train station. Hape has the only award-winning train mountain in which the track is built in the wooden structure. Unique to Hape railway is their emergency responder's train set that includes a police and fire play set incorporated with a train.
Hape also is using plant-based plastics in some of their wooden railway sets to be more eco-friendly. Hape's toddler line called My first railway is for ages 18 mo plus. It has unique colored wood tracks plus musical elements to create a musical plus train experience in one. Hape's basic city train set is a nice starter set. It is affordable and has an additional track pack for purchase. Hape's railway system is a classic with a modern style. To learn more about Hape's message on Environmental Responsibility, see their website HERE.
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5. Tender Leaf – Wild Pines Train Set
Tender Leaf train set- Tender Leaf makes an all wooden sustainable and eco-friendly train set. Made in Indonesia with sustainable rubberwood and water-based paints, this starter train set has a unique forest theme. The wild pines train set has three add-on accessory sets with unique stacking train tunnels with wilderness styles. As an heirloom-quality train set, it's stunning to view as each part is painted in more natural tones. The lumberjack theme has real working parts and logs with a crane. Unique to this train set are forest animals, trees to replant, and logs to load onto the train. It is near the top of my top 5 wooden train sets. To learn more about the Tender leaf story, check their website HERE.
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6. Le Toy Van Royal Express
Shop Le Toy Van!
Le Toy Van has been proudly making imaginative wooden toys designed in London since 1955. Including local kids in their toy designing process and working with trusted suppliers for over 25 years, supporting them in ethical work practices. All Le Toy Van multi-awarding winning toys are ethically made from sustainable, tactile rubberwood and are uniquely designed and hand-finished.
7. Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway Toy Train
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Fisher-Price produces wooden sets and components for a complete railway system based on the Thomas characters. Thomas sets and components are wooded with solid construction. The plastic is durable. One disadvantage to the Thomas wooden trains is their unique connection shape with track pieces. Thomas train track doesn't connect with other universal wooden track pieces that most brands make. This means your Thomas tracks need their adapter pieces to connect to another brand of tracks. Thomas's signature components are Tidmouth sheds, Cranky at the dock, and Knapford station.
Thomas also has several large train sets based on the island theme and snowy Mountain. This wooden railway produces an extensive line of character engines to complement any set of tracks. Although I love the Thomas and Friends Train line, their parent company, Mattel, misses the mark for sustainability. They announced in January of 2020 a goal of transitioning its toys and packaging to 100 percent recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic by 2030. Unfortunately, this is unacceptable in my opinion as a 10-year plan is more in line with minimum requirements.
8. HABA Kullerby City Stroll Track
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HABA Kullerbu is an expandable track system with additional tracks and points of interest available to add on. Kullerbu is made in Germany and with additional kits can become a wooden ball run as well. Kullerbu is entertaining and stimulating for children young and old making this the ultimate toy for families with wide age ranges. The possibilities for expansion are endless, all fostering creative play, imagination and encouraging children to build, experiment and problem solve.
Final Thoughts:
Finally, the 8 best wooden train sets are classic and the cornerstone of any children's toy collection. There are so many good options and many are expandable beyond their own toy company. The ability to pick and choose your favorite pieces creates a unique train collection. When selecting wooden train sets based on quality and their sustainability as a company, I would definitely recommend Maple Landmark and PlanToys first. Heirloom wooden trains can last for generations and in terms of quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability, they most definitely stand above the rest. You will not find a better sustainable 8 best wooden train lists out there. Happy Holidays and happy play!
Connectors to Connect Wooden and Plastic Train Tracks
Source: https://thebabypenguin.com/top-wooden-train-sets/
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