The Top Christmas Gifts For Train Loving Toddlers That Aren’t Just Toys
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Such a weird topic, isn’t it? However, it will be Christmas soon and we have one of these toddlers so naturally, we just had to write about the top Christmas gifts for train-loving toddlers that aren’t just toys just in case there are other parents out there who are in our exact same position.
Side Note: If you are looking for toy trains, then head on over to our The Best Toy Trains To Give Your Toddler This Christmas.
Another Side Note: Some of the presents here are big items and I strongly recommend you buy them in advance (think, September or October) to make sure there are no mistakes that will make you ask for a replacement or a refund.
Don’t worry, ladies and gents, there’s hope!
In a hurry?
Just because your child is obsessed with trains doesn’t mean you now have to buy train sets every time you celebrate Christmas – or a birthday, even. Although I suppose, you could if you really wanted to.
You don’t even have to go hunting for them in specialised shops as these are all (at the time of writing) available on Amazon.
In our case, we already have 3 train sets so yeah…we’re going for something a little bit different this year.
Want to pick our brains?
Here’s what our train-loving toddler really went a bit crazy for (and which made us the totally cool parents 😉 ).
Train storybooks for toddlers
First up on our list of the top Christmas gifts for train-loving toddlers are train storybooks.
I’m a book lover myself and take every chance I could get to nurture my son’s appreciation of the written word.
Enter train storybooks for toddlers.
There are loads on Amazon so I’m only going to give you the top 8 here and you can choose which one you like.
That said, our son is a huge fan of Thomas and Friends and has got a few magnet books that somehow didn’t make it to Amazon’s top list (definitely a favourite in our house though, so you could check them out if you wanted to).
Train furniture for toddlers
If you’re transitioning from a crib in your room to a toddler’s bed in your child’s own room and he absolutely loves trains, consider setting up a train theme that will absolutely make him want to to stay in his own room.
The list above contains everything you need to showcase your child’s passion.
Train bed and beddings
Obviously, the bed will be the main masterpiece so you could start with that. For some reason, we’ve only managed to find beds with Thomas The Tank Engine on it as opposed to the more generic kind of trains.
It’s okay in our book because our little boy loves him anyway (he’s my favourite, mam!).
But if you don’t, you can certainly make your own.
Alternatively, you can just use the same bed and get train-themed bedsheets – a lot cheaper than buying a new bed frame and takes less time (and effort!) than making your own.
Train sofa bed
What’s a toddler’s train-themed room without a sofa?
Your child will need to rest his weary feet after a day spent working (play is his work, after all) and what’s more inviting to a train-loving toddler than a sofa with Thomas The Tank on it?
Nothing at all!
And the best thing about this is that it’s actually a sofa bed so your toddler will probably marvel at that too.
See if you can get this for less than $48 in the run-up to Christmas. Or you can order it now and tuck it away somewhere your child will not find it so you’ve got his present ready for him.
Train rack
If you’re already drowning in your child’s trains because he’s already got a million of them, you can instead choose to give him a train rack for Christmas – that way, he’ll never have to spend so much time rummaging in his toy chest for the exact piece he wants.
He can just look up and select from what’s on display.
Another benefit?
This would encourage him to tidy up since his toys aren’t really going away – he can still see them.
Win-win, right?
Train-themed storage cube
Or, if you don’t share your child’s passion and you can’t bear the thought of putting soooo many trains up on the wall for all the world to see, then another alternative is to get one of these foldable storage cubes (train-themed. obviously!) and stick his toys in there.
Out of mind, out of sight, as they say.
If you can get your child to toss his trains in there at the end of the day, you’ll never have to think of it again. And he might just do it if you make it fun: “Can you toss the trains in the train? Ready, set, go! Yay! You win!”
Play always works!
Train writing desk
This train writing desk is one of our favourites ever so I don’t understand why it’s only got 20 reviews. Oh wait, I never write a review (okay, never mind, question answered).
It’s quite small so perfect for tucking into a corner of your child’s room and could also encourage your child to do quieter activities, instead of running around the house, screaming his head off like a banshee.
He could sit there and paint loops on paper or even play with one of the magnet books mentioned earlier.
Who could resist sitting on the bench?
And guess what?
It’s even got storage so another win for you!
Just remember to assemble this before Christmas so you can make sure that you have all the parts and they’re working properly.
Trust me, there’s nothing worse than getting your child all excited about his present only to then burst his bubble by telling him that actually, Santa forgot to deliver one of the panels and you, therefore, can’t use it until after Christmas (if you do Santa, that is).
PS. This item goes on sale once in a while. So, if you find it advertised for less than $150, grab that deal!
Train step-stool
We love this personalised step-stool slash chair, don’t you?
It’s made of rubberwood so none of that flimsy and plasticky MDF.
It also comes fully assembled so a lot less work for you.
Finally, your child will see his name spelled out in bold letters, which helps with both reading and her sense of ownership and responsibility.
You can’t go wrong with this pretty but functional train furniture.
Train storage bench
Finally, you can go all out and get this fancy storage bench.
Looks cool, doesn’t it?
Your child will absolutely love it, no doubt about that.
Just remember to order this waaay in advance (like this month would be good) because you want t inspect the item and make sure it didn’t get damaged in transit. According to some of the reviews, that’s certainly possible because of the way it’s packaged.
What I do in these cases is send a message to the seller before placing an order and requesting additional padding.
It doesn’t always work (so no guarantees there) but sometimes it does and that’s certainly better than having to ask for a replacement because the first one didn’t arrive in the condition it was supposed to.
Also, for big items like this (that has mixed reviews regarding the packaging but the item itself is great and which I really truly want), I order waaaay in advance, inspect upon delivery and assemble to make sure it fits together well. Then I wrap it before storing it.
See train writing desk above for the reason why. 😉
Train clothes for toddlers
If you don’t want to go all out on furniture or give train toys, then you can settle for some pretty fun train clothes for toddlers.
Just be warned, clothes are a bit anticlimactic for young children.
They get all excited at the prospect of a surprise and they always think that it’s going to be fun.
Clothes don’t quite cut it in the fun department so you might want to add some light up shoes along with the clothes (now, those cut it quite well).
Train dining set for toddlers
Ah, finally!
Something that doesn’t include Thomas The Tank Engine.
Don’t get me wrong, I love him too but it can get pretty annoying if he’s the only choice you have available.
Anyway, if you get this product, your train-loving toddler might be more excited about mealtimes. A major plus if said toddler also happens to be a picky eater.
Train toothbrush set for toddlers
Finally, you could get your toddler this toothbrush set, which includes a toothbrush, a rinsing cup and a 3D toothbrush cap.
Often, a little bit of imagination goes a long way with kids and if you’re having trouble convincing your child that oral hygiene is important, try recruiting help from their favourite character.
Alternatively, you could go the modern way and get your toddler an electric toothbrush instead.
Train-themed and better for the teeth.
Another win!
To recap
And there you have it: the top Christmas gifts for your train-loving toddlers that aren’t just toys.
Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!
I love the train furniture! That’s so cute! The train rack is very useful. All the little trains can be stored there instead of me tripping over them again and again ;-). The storage cube is a nice alternative, but I think I prefer the rack. It looks nice on the wall (in my boy’s room)
The train writing desk made me chuckle. That one is adorable! It will make writing fun! This one will make such a wonderful gift! They seem to have everything in train themes, T-shirts, even toothbrushes! I guess that makes it impossible to disappoint a little train fan 🙂
Hi Christine, that’s exactly it! We have a few racks on the wall that hold not just trains but tubs of water-based paints as well. They’re quite versatile.
The train-themed furniture looks like it would be the most fun for a toddler. Both the bed and the writing desk are attractive and practical. The child would probably enjoy putting his toys away in the storage chests that have trains on them. The dental care set is also a good idea for a gift, and one that not a lot of people would think of.
Yes, that’s exactly what we were going for. Thanks for popping by. 🙂
Hi
You have a beautiful selection of gifts for train-loving children. I did not know that they made so many different thing with trains on them. It is no surprise that there is so many Thomas the Tank engine related products, which is still popular after many years of service. All of the gifts look stunning and it looks promising for my train-loving nephew, who is heavily into Thomas the Tank engine.
I also hope you have a selection of train sets for little big kids as well.
Thanks
Antonio
Hi Antonio, that’s an excellent idea. We’re going to have to publish a list for the young at heart. 🙂
Hi there,
Wow, an incredible list of trains, I found it really useful!
My nephew is going to be 5 years old at Christmas, so I thought it could a beautiful present for his birthday and Christmas too:) I will choose the train bed; I am sure he will love it! I just would like to know. Is it easy to assemble the pieces?
Also, is there a warranty? If so, what is the limit time?
Thank you for this great post!
Hi, Daniella. Glad we were able to help. I would recommend contacting their customer service regarding warranty as it needs to be a request. You might also want to check the height and weight limits as this is geared towards toddlers so a tall 5-year old may no longer fit. 🙂
I totally get kids who love trains, as I was one of them. I loved taking our yearly trip on a train where you could sleep in the bunk bed and listen to the clickety-clack. I also love my train set and was permanently expanding my rails to get my train to go new routes.
Now of course even the younger child is catered for, and the Thomas the Train bed is delightful. What I wouldn’t have done for a bed like that.
I also love the idea of the train rack. In this way, you can see exactly what train you want without having to dig in a box, and it looks very attractive having all your trains on display like that.
Yes, there are so many options these days. It’s amazing!
Thanks for popping by and sharing your experiences.