How long to keep trains? and train table other uses?

[HIU8]

We have a train table that came with 100 pieces. We also have tons of thomas trains that fit onto these wooden tracks. We also have geotrax. DS is going to be 6. DD is 3 1/2. She will occasionally play with the trains, but not all the time like DS did (he still does a little). I'm wondering when to get rid of the train stuff (oh, we also have a "real" train set that my father built with my brother and now my father uses it with DS and he bought very expensive replica's of thomas, annie and clarabell. So that will probably never go away as there is a great deal invested in it. Plus, we have the thomas ride on train and tracks.

Meanwhile, how long to keep all the other train stuff. How long do boys and/or girls actually play with these?

[KrisM]

DS1 only plays trains with DS2 now. I'll probably save some for grandkids, but put most away in 3 or so years, when DS2 is 5.5. We use the train table for other things - Quadrilla, Lego, just a table to stand at and play.

[KpbS]

Train tables are good surfaces for dollhouses.

[wimama]

My DS is 4 and I plan on packing his Thomas stuff away in a storage bin, so he can still pull it out and play with it if he wants to. But, his train table has morphed into a Playmobil table and I forsee it used for Legos as well in the future. It helps in keeping track of all those little Playmobil and Lego pieces.

[hellokitty]

My kids are still into trains, but I got rid of the train table last yr. It was a space hog and seriously, you can't even build a good track on such a small space. DS2's preschool teacher has happily been using it as a craft table for over a yr now. As for trains if your oldest has outgrown them, maybe just whittle it down to one set. FWIW, we plan to keep our wooden tracks so our future grandkids can play with them. I like the geotrax, but b/c they have electric components, I don't know how well they will last. My older boys aren't playing with their sets as much, but dS3 is already getting into trains, so they will be in our household for a while. Also, we have the plastic thomas set too and we keep that at mil/fil's house, and the boys love playing it at their house, b/c they don't see it that often, so maybe spread it out to your parents' or in laws if they live within visiting distance. I'd ditch the train table asap, I hate them.

[brittone2]

DS1 will play them with DD. And by the time DD is over them, DS2 will be getting into them I think. I guess I'm stuck with our train table for a while longer ;)

My kids use the table to build with blocks, duplo/lego, play with the dollhouse, etc. too but I'm not sure if it is worth keeping just for that.

[lhafer]

We have a train table that came with 100 pieces. We also have tons of thomas trains that fit onto these wooden tracks. We also have geotrax. DS is going to be 6. DD is 3 1/2. She will occasionally play with the trains, but not all the time like DS did (he still does a little). I'm wondering when to get rid of the train stuff (oh, we also have a "real" train set that my father built with my brother and now my father uses it with DS and he bought very expensive replica's of thomas, annie and clarabell. So that will probably never go away as there is a great deal invested in it. Plus, we have the thomas ride on train and tracks.

Meanwhile, how long to keep all the other train stuff. How long do boys and/or girls actually play with these?

I would put away the train stuff and make room for legos, playmobil, cars and doll houses! Train tables are great for stuff other than trains.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Just thought of this thread today when a 9yo friend of ds1 came over and played with our Geotrax. Now, Geotrax (especially our massive set) has quite the WOW factor and other sets might not get any attention.

Beth

[reneed]

I just moved the GeoTrax set from room to room and box to box tonight - urgh - it is HUGE. The thomas stuff fits into a rolling big, but the geo stuff kills me - and of course it's the most fun!

[hillview]

We use it for snap circuits and games. Not trains so often any more.
/hillary