Editorial Review

Getting young children interested in toy trains is a wonderful way to teach as well as to have a lot of fun. By playing with train sets, young minds learn how to fit things together, how transportation works, how cities and communities are created, all the while enhancing their imagination through pretend play. This sizable and table kit features a smooth, easy to clean melamine surface on the top with convenient storage compartment underneath. The 83-piece train set sports a wide variety of train cars plus buses, police cars, dump trucks, and other vehicles to operate on the pieces of road, which are included in addition to the track. Filling stations, gates, buildings, bridges, and other modular components add to the magic. Since all the pieces fit together so handily, young train enthusiasts can spend hours designing their own sprawling networks and configurations. We liked how complete this set is and how handily it all stores when playtime is done. Compatible with Thomas the Tank Engine and Brio train sets. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Caleb loves it
My son (3 yo) has had this for about 8 months now and still loves it. Whenever his friends come over to play, they all inevitably end up inside the toy and take other toys in to play with. It is fairly durable and has been fought over and pulled from room to room many times. If your child loves Thomas, this is a good (if fairly large) toy to have.

Kids LOVE it!
I have not had the bad experience as the customers below. My son got it a year ago when he turned 3 and my daughter was 1 and they both love it. So does the kids that come over to play. Now a year later and they still love it, also it's still in great shape. I am now getting it for a friends son. I find that it's easy to fold up, although the kids don't leave it like that very long.

This tent is AWESOME!!!
My husband and I ordered this for my daughter's 2nd birthday. Let's just say she doesn't come out of it much. She Loves It!!! It is so cute and worth every penny. She has gotten so many hours of enjoyment out of it. She likes to take her books and her Thomas trains in there as well. If your child loves Thomas, they will love the tent.

HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED
I bought this for my 14-month old because he likes to crawl under tables, chairs, etc. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it - what a piece of GARBAGE!!! It is made of some paper-like product (like a Bounty paper towel) and it smells horrible. My son had ink all over his fingers after playing in it for just a few minutes. I am definitely returning this item. How annoying that the material of this product is nowhere to be found on the box or in the online description.

confusing
My 2 year old son got this for a gift, he loves it, but it falls over very easliy, and I spent half the time standing it back up, also the directions on how to fold it and put it back in the bag are not very clear, ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great fun, but....
OK, my son loves Thomas. He really, really loves this starter set. STARTER SET! I had tried to avoid the whole Thomas thing because it is kind of a money pit, but my husband said, "it's just a train, he won't need any more than this" - famous last words. Truth is - he loves it, he plays with it, he wants all of it, every accessory, every car - EVERYTHING!!! It is another in the long line of toys that require fifty additional purchases at 30 bucks a pop - but it is durable, fun and has alot of repeat play value - and collectibility. Someday we can sell it all on eBay! :)

A great educational toy
This was bought this for my little boy at 18months and whilst he was fascinated he hadn't yet developed the patience to use it as probably intended. As such the pieces were often pulled apart or he got frustrated when pieces were knocked out of line. However, the train going under/over the bridge proved an enormous attraction.
Now, a year later it is coming into his own and he constantly plays with his 'Choo Choo truck'. He has learned how to move around the track and keep it in one piece, pretend to start and stop, make various noises and generally capture his attention for at least an hour at a time. He is also keen to get me to play with him at the same time.
So:
An excellent educational toy as evidenced by his use over the past year. It has encouraged hand/eye, patience, construction, imagination and sharing his track with others.
It is great fun to play with. There is a great variety of colours, actions, etc. etc. for my son.
Its only minor issue is durability, particularly when used by a very young child. The pieces do last, but become a little battered around the edges. If you have a table then this can be minimised, but if it's set up on the floor it inevitably gets taken apart and pieces go under sofas etc. etc
Nevertheless, I cannot rate this too highly as both a fun toy and an educational means. And, you can buy all the extra bits to make a truly great train set.

A lot of fun.
I brought this toy for my 3 year old daughter after, a little boy I knew liked Thomas. We went to his house and there was Thomas stuff everywhere. Well she fell in love it. And when ever we go to his house all she wants to do is play with his trains. So I got her her own.

W e Love Thomas!!!
My son got this train set for his 2nd birthday.At first I wasnt sure if he was old enough to enjoy it.After we watched a few Thomas videos he totally fell in love with it and all the Thomas characters!!!We play with it everyday and I think it is safe to say that it is his favorite.I wanted him to have a train and this one is great because his grandmother can add to it for specail occasions!!!With all the different engines/vehicles and locations it will be something to collect for years to come!!!!

Great for 18 months to ages 8 or 9!
We bought this set for our son when he was 18 months old. He immediately loved it. Three years later, he has enough track and cars to occupy our entire dining room table. He plays trains every day--no kidding.

The Thomas train collections are durable toys. Their real value, though, is that playing with the toys allows children to act out the great Thomas and Friends children's stories they read and watch.

Purchasing recommendation:
* Choose which type of Thomas trains you will 'standardize' on. There are three kinds: This size of wooden trains from Learning Curve; larger, plastic, battery-operated trains from Tomy; and smaller, die-cast metal trains from Ertl. The wooden trains have the most products and accessories available.

* The clickety-clack (grooved to look like real railroad) track in the Thomas series is great, but it's expensive; ...

* Buy the Thomas and friends engines separately--and wait for sales. The kids care about the characters, so no short-cutting (ie., Brio or generic trains) here.

* Look for trains bundled with VHS videos. You can get a video and a train (on sale) for about what a train costs all by itself. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Expensive, but great quality
I was really torn over whether this table justified it's price; especially since it doesn't include the play top, which you have to buy seperately. Despite the price, I do have to say, I'm very happy with the quality of the product.

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.

Not a sturdy table
My sister in law bought this table for her 2 yr old son for Xmas....it is way overpriced for what it is....i wanted to buy one for our sons but could not see spending that much money on such a cheap table. So my husband ended up buying plans to build your own train table and built our sons their own with built in drawers and (...) and it is way nicer and sturdier than the Thomas one. Yes they can all stand on it...! We painted it in Thomas colors and decorated it and it is the nicest looking table i have ever seen and all the kids love it!!!! you can build one in about 8 hrs or so....worth it!!! this will be handed down to the next generations...

Substitute for the table/frame/
We admired the table for really long time and saw that it's worth spending money but decided to figure out smth cheaper. So we painted our old coffee table almost the same Thomas blue color and attached the board to it. Our 2year son loves it and doesn't really care if it's the same table/frame/or not. We spray painted the table and hope it will work for a long while.

AWESOME TABLE!
Toys r us had a super deal where you buy the table and get the top free. With the price being so high, we feel we got a GREAT deal. My son loves this table. We got for him for his 2nd birthday. It was simple to put together and is so durable. Not like the other cheap pine/particle board tables you see. The graphics are so bright and my son is always pointing to the sides and saying choo choo. Great investment.

Expensive - but worth the money for it's durability
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! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nice picture making for an easier puzzle
My 2 year old daughter has this puzzle and thinks its wonderful.

Unlike many puzzles, with just one character on it, the picture is brilliant having lots of different trains, etc on it. It is easy to fit togehter, with parts of a different character or scene on every piece. She can easily put Thomas, the sheds, Harold, etc together thus eventually making the whole puzzle.

This is by far her favourite puzzle. For one, it's Thomas! And for 2, it's well-made and 'easy' to work out how to put together.

Most Beloved Toy
My son who just turned 4 years old in December received this for Christmas. I'm amazed at the beauty and durability of the pieces. He put it together about three times (with help) the first time we opened it! I never seen him so excited about a toy and to my greater surprise--a puzzle! Each time he placed a new piece in (sometimes with my assistance and sometimes not), he'd ask me to turn around and then ask me to look. When I looked I praised him for his accomplishment and he squealed with excitement. He literally jumped up and down almost after each piece was placed! He told me this was his favorite gift for Christmas and believe me he had quite a few more that were more expensive. I'll be buying more Thomas puzzles from this company in the near future as I'm very impressed.

Easy enough for young kids to solve by themselves
My son and I have been doing puzzles together since he was two, but most of the puzzles that claim to be for kids are too complicated or have pieces that are a little too small for him to work with; so he usually "helps" me by talking with me as I do the puzzle and occasionally placing a piece. He likes this big Thomas puzzle because, at age 4, he can do it all by himself. The pieces are big, which not only makes it easier to grasp and manipulate, but easier to comprehend the shape and the picture pattern as well. Of course, he likes that it is Thomas, and he even likes the "cool" box it comes in.

So this puzzle has a lot of replay value, because whenever we start a puzzle session, he will eventually move to this one to show mommy and me that he can do it all by himself, and that makes him feel good.

Big, bright puzzle
My son has enjoyed this puzzle since he was 3! It features a bright picture of his favorite engines. The pieces are large and easy to handle- perfect for a younger child who loves puzzles. It has been great for spacial learning. My son would put this together, again and again. He is almost 5 now and still plays with this. The pieces have lasted for almost 2 years and still look new! (They are a heavy cardboard.) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cool but I only wanted the construction cars
What I meant by my title is that I already had Rusty and I just wanted the Construction Cars. The cars sway from side to side and they can survive a lot of damage. I was suprised at how durable these were. The sets are a lot of fun because you don't need any additional things to go with it for immediate fun. These toys are really good for a car trip to keep a child busy when they are bored. I would higly recommend getting this set but don't buy Rusty first.

Rusty is good
Rusty is great. i got him as a present for christmas one year he has 3 cars - rusty a dumper and a cement mixer you can use him with cranky or anything with a magnet. he is also in some episodes on a video.

Rusty & Construction Cars!!
The Thomas & Friends wooden railroad gives you Rusty and 2 Construction Cars. This set provides hours of fun for your children because they can use this set to recreate stories about Rusty and his construction fun. Its educational value shows children how man-made things are built and they will probably use this set with thier Lincoln Logs and other construction kits. This is also a very sturdy set, but sometimes the mixer's top will come off and will need a frequent fix-up! Other than that, it's a wonderful set and a great gift idea!

Great addition to Thomas collection
If your child likes thomas the tank, they will love this little set. My son is crazy about it. He makes little construction sites out of his lincoln logs along his track and then delivers the necessary supplies for building with these trains. What fun! ... Read more

Editorial Review

After longs days of travel and adventure, Thomas the Tank Engine and friends need a place to rest. The Roundhouse is built in exactly the same way as it was when part of the British Railway, solidly constructed in wood and decorated with brick decals. Five trains fit inside the wooden train shelter, and the green plastic doors open and close. It connects to any of the Clickity-Clack Tracks from the Thomas Wooden Railway System with a five-way switch track. There are almost as many pieces to this line of train sets (sold separately) as there are books in the Thomas the Tank Engine series--all contained in carrying cases. All of these toys allow children to engage in imaginative, thoughtful play. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Excellent, durable, fun
As an avid Thomas fan, my son (4) loves this roundhouse. For the unenlightened, this is the house where the trains "sleep." It is durable and easy to put together and immediately adds to the complexity and fun of any track combination. It allows my son to engage more easily into pretend play, as he can put differnt trains back to the roundhouse to take a rest while he plays with others. The only minus of this building is its size--it is quite big and cannot be put apart. But again, as all the Learning Curve Thomas series toys, it is durable (wood), fun, easy to put together and a long term favorite.

Fantasic but Pricey!
When I ordered the roundhouse I believed that the red 5-way switch track was also included, especially when it is pictured on the box, but was disappointed to find that it wasn't. As my 4 year old son believes, as I am sure most do, that this is a very necessary piece of the building he will have to wait until his birthday to receive it (...). A little upsetting.
Apart from this one thing the Roundhouse is a fantastic piece to have on any Thomas layout, my son loves it and plays with it for hours.

ROUNDHOUSE FUN!!!!!
This is a fun piece. You can put your trains to sleep behind 5 different doors (the Special Engine Shed only has room for one train). It is fun to open and close the doors. You can play hide and seek!

Great for 18 months and up! But expensive...
The Thomas train and train collections are durable toys. Their real value, though, is that playing with the toys allows children to act out the great Thomas and Friends children's stories they read and watch.

Kids' imaginations can remarkably supply buildings and water towers and cranes, etc., so that they won't even miss what might be lacking from less expensive sets. And families can build some of these items themselves out of old boxes, etc. BUT I HAVE YET TO MEET KIDS THAT LOVE THOMAS THAT DIDN'T WANT A ROUNDHOUSE.

This is the 'official' Thomas roundhouse, but it is very expensive. YOU PROBABLY CAN FIND A GENERIC ROUNDHOUSE FOR A LOT LESS (MAYBE EVEN 2/3 LESS!) WITH A LITTLE LOOKING.

Purchasing recommendation:
* Choose which type of Thomas trains you will 'standardize' on. There are three kinds: This size of wooden trains from Learning Curve; larger, plastic, battery-operated trains from Tomy; and smaller, die-cast metal trains from Ertl. The wooden trains have the most products and accessories available.

* The clickety-clack (grooved to look like real railroad) track in the Thomas series is great, but it's expensive; I recommend buying generic track. ... You can literally save hundreds of dollars by buying these kinds of sets.

* Buy the Thomas and friends engines separately--and wait for sales. The kids care about the characters, so no short-cutting (ie., Brio or generic trains) here.

* Look for trains bundled with VHS videos. You can get a video and a train (on sale) for about the same price as a train alone.

* Only buy the official accessories (buildings, tables, etc.) if you cannot find generic substitutes for less or cannot make them yourself.

Comes as Shown in the Picture
My kids absolutely love playing with this, and we had no issues with missing parts. The biggest issue with it is the cost. Face it, it's a lot of money. However, if your kids are beginning to get into Thomas, then you're better off buying this than buying more and more of the trains. You can easily spend the same buying four or five of the lesser known trains, but I think that your children will have more fun with this.

I also looked at the Roundhouse by Brio. The Learning Curve Roundhose is less expensive and it is very solid. The Brio Roundhouse has doors at the back of the Roundhose whereas this is open. My children don't mind one bit that it is open in the back. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The starting point for this Fisher-Price train-track set for toddlers is a mountaintop chalet surrounded by lush, green pine trees. Tugging a crate of goods, the blue loader-engine train departs the chalet, winds down the track, kept securely on by a yellow guard rail, and whizzes through an underground tunnel. It's a relatively one-dimensional toy, though the layout can be rearranged to connect to other GeoTrax sets. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A toy to grow into!
I bought the set for my 3 year old with other Geotrax sets. I have to put it together for him right now but as he grows he will be able to do it himself. I love how the sets and tracks can be set-up in so many different ways which will continue to bring him fun and challenges as he grows. The tracks go together easily, but could fit together a little better, however it is not much of a problem.

This train set is all about fun and imagination
This train set was a Christmas gift for our three-year-old son, and he totally loves it. It truely has brought out the imagination in him. This train set is the first thing he runs to in the morning and when he comes home from preschool.

Its very durable and enteraining for the young and old. My son loves connecting all the cars together and playing with the remotes. Me and my husband like creating new, exciting tracks for him to try out. The track parts stay together well and are easy for a child to put together. And for the amount of time he spends with it- we have gone through very few batteries compared to his other toys. (Thanks to the automatic shut off.)
And better still, you can add to it. My son's birthday is tomarrow and he is looking forward to picking out yet another train set addition.

I highly reccomend this toy. It's a great toy for kids to play solo with, and also a great way to spend some extra special time with your child.

Great fun for younger kids
I have two boys, 4 1/2 and 2 1/2; we started with the rail set for the littlest guy but they both liked it so much we've added this construction site and the rescue rig as well. All the little vehicles are controlled with simple independent remotes that make neat sounds when mated into the "station" with the rail set (the sounds come from the station, in other words, not the vehicles). These are nice little durable trucks and will hold the attention of little guys very well. The tracks do stay together quite well but I'm thinking of gluing them to a layout board because they do tend to get separated and scattered around after a couple of days of heavy use. The trucks are kinda slow and don't have enough features to keep older kids entertained for very long (no reverse, for example), but they're just right for the 2-6 year olds, I'd say. Buy lots of AAA batteries; each vehicle and each remote requires 3 of them, but they do seem to run quite a long time on a single set of batteries. They have an automatic time-out feature to preserve battery life, which is neat. All in all a very good product I'd recommend highly.

Great toy!
I just gave this set to my son for his 5th birthday. I purchased the main set from a different retailer since this site had not got it in yet. The construction set and the fire station I purchased from toys r us. He loves this toy! His imagination runs wild while playing with this! He stays in his room for hours playing with it. It really works great! He has two of the remote controls. One for the train that comes with the main set and one for the fire truck that you can purchase seperately. He can operate them at the same time so that both vehicles are moving around the track together. They also make fun sounds! There are two other vehicles with remote controls that I plan to eventually purchase to add on. Everything works perfectly. The tracks snap together and STAY together. It is very durable. I have to say I have purchased many sets like this and have only had problems. You will not be disappointed in this product. ... Read more

Editorial Review

While Thomas the Tank Engine and his various friends have been featured quite nicely in a variety of toys, games, stories, videos, books, and pajamas, it's as a train set that Thomas really makes the most sense. And this sprawling ensemble is certain to delight any Thomas fan. Measuring 62 by 90 inches when laid out in full, it features Thomas and several of his pals including Percy, Harold, Annie and Clarabel, Terrence, Trevor, and Cranky, all of whom are motorized. Tunnels, bridges, and houses add to the authenticity of the set as do three engine sheds positioned around a large turntable with directional switch. 26 pieces of road let you arrange the town according to the prescribed plan or design your own unique layout. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wanna keep your kids entertained??
My Goodness!We started with such a small little Geotrax set and look at what we wound up with!!My 3 year old got a small set right before his birthday and played with it quite a bit.Then he got MORE for his birthday...and NOW, it is the first thing he plays with when he wakes up and the last thing he play with when he goes to bed!The airport set is probably his favorite by far!But he and his big sister LOVE to take it apart and make new creations with all the tracks and play with the battery operated train, fly the airplane, load cargo, you name it!They really use their imagination and work together with all this stuff!

The only downside is I had to buy a REALLY big tub to put it all in when we don't want to look at it all!The control center, construction set, airplane set and all take up quite a bit of room and there are times when we want it just "put away" for a while.But that's the only bad thing I can say about it...this stuff is just COOL!

I recommend this for ANY kid, probably ages 2 and up.I bought a set for my 2 year old nephew in March and my sister says he LOVES it.If your kids like planes, trains, and automobiles, this is the toy for him!

Another great addition to our geotrax set-up
This is a fun addition to the system.Set up time is less than 2 minutes.My girls love it.The only problem is the fight that sometimes happens over who gets to fly the plane.

To infinite and beyooooond !!!!
To wait for new Geo Trax series... some months.

To deliver it at home... less than a week.

To assemble it ... half hour.

To see the happiest face from my child, when he saw the plane flying... Priceless...... 10 Stars !!!

Great as an addition to your train or as a stand alone toy.
This is a very fun toy.I would consider it a stretch, however, to say that this is a necessary addition for your train set.I would say that this is a great toy on its' own merit.The airplane is a big hit.It flies in circles with the control of a hand-held lever.As it flies the propellers spin.There are three different sounds (a jet, helicopter, or propeller plain.)There is a luggage carousel that spins around for cargo.As I said, my son plays with this independently from his train set.It can be incorporated.I would not hesitate to purchase this even if I did not own any other pieces from geotrax.

Like it but prefer some of the other addons better!
My son recevied this for Christmas as an addition to his Geotrax system.He loves to play with it and loves the sound effects it has but, I found it to be more of a play alone part of the geotrax system than an integrated piece.Other add ons like tower clock, rescue squad, etc. are combined into the train system while this is not. It connects to it but the train portions pass by it rather than be part of it. Still a great piece but I think that if you have other toys like my son does his little people airport would have worked just as well by setting it up nearby. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Toot-toot! All aboard for lunch with the very functional Thomas the Tanklunch box, which is made of durable plastic and comes in the traditional Thomasblue with a red handle. Inside the generous container are an 11.5-ounce canteenand a Pecoware double-deck sandwich container, which measures 5 by 5 by 3inches. Both are adorned with Thomas scenes. On the front of the lunch box is anifty front panel--decorated with another happy Thomas scene--that clips open.This compartment is big enough to accommodate another sandwich or is the perfecthiding place to tuck away a secret goodie for your child. Press a button on theside of the canteen, and the cover pops up, revealing a straw. No muss, no fuss.The lunch box measures 9 by 7 by 4.5 inches and can hold a lot of food--forchildren or adults! --Diane Tuman ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Most Adorable Lunchbox
This Thomas Train Lunchbox is GREAT! My three year old son was so excited when he saw it for the first time. It is spacious and well constructed. The compartments are large and there are multiple options for use with each piece. The kids (ages 3-5) in his preschool class went crazy when he brought it to school. It is a one of a kind.

Retro cool
I gave this 5 stars for fun, because my son loved it from day one, and would not leave the store without it. He played with it for days while we waited for school to reopen after Christmas.

I rated it 5 stars for educational value, because it made him want to go to school, which is a significant educational achievement indeed.

Unfortunately, I had to mark it down, because the water bottle is already broken at the point where the button to press it open meets the cap. Also, the straw is hard to clean, especially after a young child eats a cheesy snack and nibbles on the straw.
Lastly, the front compartment is very difficult to open, especially for a young child, so you end up not using that section at all.

Other than these, it's tough, it's cute, and it's a retro look that parents remember all too well. Substitute another bottle, and enjoy.

now in its fifth year of use and still going strong!
This is THE lunchbox to get! My six year old son received this as a gift for his first birthday. I didn't think much of it at the time. HA! Little did I know how much we would use this durable and practical lunch box set! I can pack his lunch everyday without one piece of plastic wrap or one plastic baggie! A sandwich fits perfectly in the tray provided and stays fresh and soft until lunch time! Under the sandwich I pack fruit, pretzels or other snacks....again without any plastic wrap or baggy! I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!!

Cute item for your Thomas fan, but...
A friend of mine bought this lunchbox for my son and he loved it as soon as he got it. He's 4 and not in kindergarten yet, so this only gets used from time to time when we go out to lunch, etc. It can also be used to carry along small toys, trains, or whatever. Another reviewer has said hers cracked after it was dropped. I can't really comment too much on that since ours hasn't been dropped (yet). The lunchbox is pretty roomy on the inside and even has a side compartment too! There's a snack box inside with a little tray which basically divides it into two compartments. I usually put a sandwich on top and put other things underneath. The biggest problem with the whole set is the cup that comes with it. It is really cute, but leaks into the lunchbox frequently and is a MAJOR PAIN to clean. There's a little spring loaded straw that pops up when you open the top, and goes back down when you close it. You basically have to disassemble these parts each time you clean it and let them dry, then put the whole thing back together again. I think they could've included a simple thermos or something that would have been much easier to use and clean. My son loves the design of the box, so I would recommend this lunchbox. However, I would leave the cup at home and throw in a juice box or something instead!!

The Thomas Lunch Box
My 3 year old son has this lunchbox and he dropped it and it cracked. It's not very durable. Also, it has a compartment for an ice pack, but didn't come with one. It is very difficult to find an ice pack for the size of the compartment. On a good note, he loves the drinking cup and snack box. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great toy for the money!
This Geotrax add-on is great. At first I thought we would be going through batteries like I owned a battery store but it turns out the batteries last a long time and it has an auto shut down switch if you child walks away from the train. We were considering the wooden trains but for the price this set was a better deal. This set actually made noises and had track switch options. We continue to buy add-ons. Our son loves his train set. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This is a book review for Thomas & The School Trip for MFLP
This is a great MFLP book for Thomas friends old and new. My 3yr.old loves to hear the engines talk while playing the educational games. Thomas and his friends teach shapes, colors, opposittes, matching and problem solving while taking the children on a school trip. After each page is read aloud to your child,(ideally, your child will read along silently) he can explore Thomas's surroundings or choose to play a game. My son loves the games and seems to be appropriately challenged; not frustrated with the content. This is the first book we purchased outside of the MFLP w/ it's initial book. Even so, I think this will prove to be one of the better books.

Great educational toy for youngsters!
I initally bought the regular Leap Pad for my then 5 year old daughter last Christmas. She loves it! But then my 2 year old son started getting into hers, so we decided to get him the My First Leap Pad this past Christmas. He can't get enough of it. He plays with it at least 2-3 times a day, and he has actually learned from the toy. They think they are playing, but they are learning at the same time. I have owned quite a few Leap Frog Products, and every one has been great! I would not hesitate to buy any of Leap's products, they are all good investments in our children's future.

success
I really think the leap frog of thomas the tank engine is really educational. My son loves it and really is learning from it. He has come with new vocabulary everday. Thanks.

Not as authentic as the disney /nick jr theme books
My 2 1/2 year old loves the Pooh bear book for My First Leap Pad, and the Bear in the Big Blue house/Bob the Builder/Dora the Explorer for the regular leappad. Thats because, those include the several theme songs from the actual videos which he really enjoys. And the actual voices of the TV characters. This does not include the catchy Thomas the Tank engine music which is what he, as a toddler, really loves and associates with Thomas! He is usually singing one of the songs as he plays at his train table. The voices too are not Alec Baldwin or Carlin. So, despite featuring familiar characters, since the musical part of this book is on the whole, not very good, he prefers even the Rhyme book. .... the rhyme book for My First Leappad, is much better than the one for the regular Leappad.

a very worthy investment
My two-and-half years old boy loves this! Since we speak Mandarin Chinese at home, he does not learn much English from us. But I was pleasantly surprised that he learned a lot of English words a month after he started playing with this book. I now have all the other books for My First Pad since I am so impressed with its educational value. This is the best return I have gotten from money invested in toys. Now I am concentrating my toy money on Leapfrog stuffs. Thank you LeapFrog! ... Read more

Editorial Review

James the Red Engine is one of the Thomas the Tank Engine series of train cars and is made of real wood. James has a cheery, smiling face on the front of the engine, promising an adventure as soon as the train leaves the station. James the Red Engine pulls his own coal car, so he won't run out of fuel. The cars attach to each other with magnets. This is a toy that encourages imaginative play and requires no batteries. Engine with attached coal car measures 5.75 inches in length. --Margaret Quinn ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Better than Thomas
Although my 3 year old loves Thomas on TV, for some reason he loves the James toy more than the Thomas one. The coal car is a big deal to him. His 18 month old brother loves it too. These toys withstand two boys playing with them better than any other I can find. I bought the tracks & engine at Christmas & they still play with it EVERY day!

Hooray for James
James does a great job pulling the coaches along the track. He can pull pretty much anything at a fast pace. I've had my Jame sfor 9 years and it looks almost new. He's a great engine and you can live the episodes with these trains.

Grandma's Magic Accident
I purchased Thomas the engine without realizing that it was not battery operated. I gave it to my 2 year old grandson for his birthday because I had nothing else to give, and the twinkle in his eyes let me know I had hit upon a winner. The adventures for Thomas and his friends have not ended. I have since purchsed, Skarloey, Ben & Bill, Douglas, Percy, Toby and Bertie. The adventures just don't seem to end for my grandson. He plays with this toy for hours. His vocabulary has increased at the same pace as his adventures. The fact that this is not battery operated is the joy of the toy. I need not turn on the television to keep him occupied, he has Thomas and his many friends and that is good enough for me.

JAMES IS GREAT!!!!!!!!
James is one of my favorite engines he is a big engine and the same length as duke edward and mike and he is in a lot of stories like james goes buzz buzz.

Best Investment I Have Ever Made
My 2 year old son loves his James. He likes him best because of the bright red color. His Thomas the Tank train set is the only toy he plays with period and he plays with it everyday. Other than Thomas Trains, he plays outside. When we have guests, he takes them all to play with his train set. To any first time buyer of Thomas trains you will notice the prices seem high for a toy of this size but you have to remember that these toys are not plastic but are made of solid maple and have a lifetime warranty. People have asked me why I buy these trains when they most of the set is not battery powered. The reason is because it has been my experience that children get pretty bored just watching a train go around a track. With Thomas the Tank Trains your little loved one gets to actually participate by moving the trains. All the trains have different colors, numbers and names which help promote memory skills and recognition while having fun. The Thomas Tank Engine books and DVD's teach lessons and morals on hard work, kindness, accepting responsibility, etc, etc, etc...... As your child ages they can begin to build their own track layouts so the toy grows with them. The makers of this series have also included items in the series that are good for people with a tighter budget. If your child likes the trains but you can't buy a full track set, you can always buy a play mat that has track printed on them or you can get Thomas the Tank engine felt boards and stick-ups. I hope this review helps!!!!!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Gordon is a long, blue express locomotive who supplies water for Thomas and tows a coal tender.

Based on the award-winning PBS television series Shining Time Station by the Rev. W. Awdry, the Thomas the Tank train system is the perfect child's train set. Each wooden vehicle has a different name, character, and face. The magnetic bumpers make linking up easy. Friendly characters will engage your child in hours of imaginary play. Designed to support your child's development, the system encourages the use of new motor and cognitive skills. --Sandy Hirsch ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Gordon sure can pull a lot of coaches at once
When my sister plays express with Gordon and all the coaches she sometimes has a hard time pulling them. Then when I help her I realize how many coaches Gordon can pull. It amazes me how strong gordon really is. Like all Thomas trains the magnet is very durable and it can be used for hours of use.

Express Engines
Gordon is a big express engine who is fast. He is the same size as He is in some story stops like Gordon takes a dip and Henry and the elephant. He has a tender with the number 4 on it.

Perfect
This huge toy is loved by many; you can roll it around, make a train, play games, and lots of other stuff with it.

Also, it is very durable.

This toy is great!

Here Comes the Express!!
Gordon is the large express engine. He's bigger than the other Thomas the Tank Engine toys. His bright blue paint and smiling face make him a joy to play with. My son just recently got Gordon, and he has quickly become one of his favorites. He likes to attach all of his other cars to Gordon and have him pull them. As with other trains in this family, Gordon is strong and durable and will provide hours of fun, interactive play. Pick Gordon up today for your child; they will thank you for it.

Great toys from a wonderful set of stories.
My 2 1/2 year old son loves the Thomas and Friends trains (and all trains in general). He received a starter set for his second birthday, and since then I've added a number of track expansions, cars, buildings, and a couple of storage boxes to his set. He now has so much that we've filled a large Rubbermaid plastic storage box. His train set is easily his favorite toy; his large collection of "Little People" toys from Fisher-Price are now a distant second.

They have been very durable, surviving many accidental falls off the coffee table in our living room, (now officially the "Train Table"), suffering only a few minor dings and some chips in the paint. (I reduced my rating for durability by a star because of the tendency of the paint to chip from a fall, but we have a hardwood floor, however a vinyl floor, and certainly a carpet, may not cause this.) Even with my son's vigorous, energetic play, not one car, or piece of track has broken in almost two years now of frequent play. The only exception to this is our "Wellsworth Station", where the internal mechanism that moves the passenger and sets the stop sign finally failed, although this was due to my son's zealous pounding on the tower of the station which engages the mechanism. The tracks and buildings are solid wood, very durable, and seem like they will last for years. With the exception of this one failure, all of the parts have been exceptionally durable.

These toys have been wonderful for my son, helping his imagination and creativity, his learning to sequence and order things, the properties of objects as he puts pieces of track together, and using numbers in learning the characters and building trains for playing out his ideas. Many of the buildings have a mechanical action feature that indirectly teaches him about mechanics and physics, such as when he plays with the turntable, Cranky the Crane, or the Coal loader.

We have the new 'improved' track with rails on one side and road on the other, allowing us many options in building tracks and roads for play. We cover our table with a large piece of brown felt, and use other small pieces of different shapes and colors to add roads, fields and crops, mountains, lakes, and rivers to our scenarios. This adds a great deal of extra depth and possibilities to our play, and more opportunities for imagination, creativity, and learning. Playing out scenarios from the stories and inventing our own has provided us many, many hours of quality time together as Dad and son. I feel good knowing that I'm buying good quality toys for him that will last and provide a constructive and positive learning environment, rather than the typical lousy and cheap plastic action figures that glorify conflict and violence. I especially like it when we play out scenarios from the stories that have morals about cooperation, friendship, responsibility, and hard work, etc.

I would not recommend these toys for a child less than 2 years of age as they require more developmental ability than even an older infant possesses, but they are perfect for toddlers. The individual toys and buildings themselves have age ratings on them, varying between 2 to 3+ years, making it easy to pick ones appropriate for your child, and allowing the toy to grow and expand as your child does. As my son has developed new skills and abilities, I've been able to increase the complexity of the layouts we build, and in the choices I make in what new items to add to his set. From my experience with my son, even a small Thomas set and a little bit of imagination will go a long way with a child, and provide hours of good wholesome fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Every Fireman needs a Station
I purchased this Thomas Fire Station for my son last Christmas (age 5). He loves all his Thomas the train items and this Fire Station was icing on the cake for my little fireman. He enjoys setting up the track with his Fire Station. As his other engines/trains circle the track a fire surpisingly occurs, than here comes the Fire Engines to put out the fire. This is a must have accessory to add to your set, if you little man loves being a Fireman. At age 6 he is looking forward to Christams and adding more accessories/builings/track/engines to add to his collection. ... Read more