Friday, 13 December 2013

Accessorize Your Wooden Train Set: 4 Ways To Make Your So-So Set Into Something Special

By Elizabeth Henry


Basic wooden train sets provide hours of entertainment for kids. Although its simplicity is part of its charm, you may feel like your wooden train set is ready for a face-lift. Whether you are attempting to add to a set that is used every day, or spice up a tired set to recapture interest, accessories will give you the train bling you are looking for.

Try these 4 easy and affordable accessories to give your wooden train set an instant boost!

Inanimate Scenery - Detailed and simple buildings can be purchased to enhance your train-side scenery. Craft store wood blocks and pieces can be purchased on a budget and painted using your inner artist according to your little one's preference -- farm, town etc. Include trees, flowers and other landscaping to polish your look. Check stores around the holidays for tiny fir trees you can use or purchase wooden or plastic plants from hobby or craft stores. Once again, Legos can come in handy here for both structures as well as trees if you have a Lego fanatic on your hands.

Figurines - People and animals give a realistic feel to any train-side landscape. Look for posable figures offered by some wooden train set brands or wooden cut out figures to place among your buildings and other inanimate scenery. Don't overlook all of those Legos, Squinkies, toy animals and other tiny toys that most of us already have lying around. Train scenery is a great place for these people and animals to frolic and avoid being sucked up by the vacuum cleaner!

Train Cars - If driving the train along the wooden track is the main highlight for the child, consider adding some additional train cars. Many brands use magnetic attachments to couple the trains, and are therefore pretty easy to interchange vs. having to stick with the original brand you purchased. Add different colors and types of train cars to spice things up.

Tracks, Tracks and More Tracks! - Extend your track and change up the layout by adding additional track pieces. Although more of what you already have can be fun to make larger and more intricate routes, more unique pieces like switches and ascending tracks or even bridges and tunnels will greatly expand your engineering options. Many brands also offer various tracks with stops built in. These include everything from signal stations to things as clever as haunted mines!

Little touches can make a big difference to the appeal of your wooden train set. Surprise your little engineer, by adding some new accessories while they are asleep or get them to help create accessories with you using Legos, wood and paint, clay or other craft supplies. Change your scenes with the seasons or as often as you like!




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