Best Wooden Train Sets for Toddlers

Toddlers and trains sets go together like peanut butter and jelly—it’s as simple as that. The sound of the engine, the wagons gliding effortlessly along the tracks, the train conductor sounding the horn—it’s a very exciting world for a kid!

There’s no better way to bring that world to life at home than with a train set. Wooden train sets are a tried-and-true toy with tons of benefits for kids:

  • They help develop fine motor skills, as your toddler will have to set up all of the pieces and accessories
  • They help with cognitive development, by fostering creativity and imagination, as your child will be able to act out tons of different scenarios and stories
  •  They teach them how to solve problems, since they have to figure out how to get the trains moving on the tracks
  • They help them understand how things work, as they master skills through repetitive play

We’ve compiled a list of the 11 of the best wooden train sets for toddlers, focusing primarily on quality and compatibility. (If, however, you’re more interested in train set tables for preschoolers, you should definitely check out this article).

Our selection includes everything from simple, classic figure 8 sets to deluxe packages that come with everything from mountains and bridges to waterfalls.

Our favorite wooden train sets for kids include:

  • 100-Piece ​Triple-Loop Wooden Train Set by Orbrium Toys
  • 80-Piece Wooden Train Set, by Kids Destiny
  • Ride Around Train Set and Table, by KidKraft
  • Thomas the Train Wooden Figure 8 Set, by Fisher-Price
  • Waterfall Mountain Train Set and Table
  • Deluxe Wooden Railway Set, by Melissa & Doug
  • Farm Train Set, by KidKraft
  • 100-Piece Wooden Train Set, by Conductor Carl
  • Wooden Figure-8 Train Set, by Melissa & Doug
  • 50-Piece Wooden Train Set, by Kids Destiny
  • Brio Classic Figure 8 Set

Read on for more details on our top picks!

100 Piece Triple-Loop Wooden Train Set

​Want more bang for your buck? The Orbrium Toys Triple-Loop Wooden Train Set is a 100 piece train set that costs less than $50. This colorful and vibrant set will amaze children of all ages with its beautifully-decorated engine, coaches, bridge, buildings, city vehicles, and more! The fit of the train tracks allows you to add them to many other  brand train sets, such as Thomas, Imaginarium and Chuggington (just to name a few). Your child will have a total blast assembling his or her own unique train stations!

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  •  It’s made from sturdy beechwood (which is more durable than cheap plastic)
  • This train sets meets or exceeds CPSC’s testing and certification requirements and is CPSIA compliant
  • It is easy to assemble in many different configurations, and pieces can be added on to create original tracks

What we don’t love:

  • The bridges tend to fall apart if not assembled or used properly
  • It doesn’t come with many straight track pieces, so they would have to purchase separately if needed
  • Some buyers have reported tracks splitting or breaking apart

Click here for more info and current pricing.


Deluxe 80-Piece Wooden Train Set

Looking for a perfect starter train kit for your kids? The Deluxe 80-piece Wooden Train Set is ideal for kids who are ready to start their train set collection. It comes with a four-car train, along with many other train and imaginary play accessories. With so many different train track combinations to try and other cool toys to play with, your child’s imagination will run wild!

Wooden train set for toddlers

What we love:

  • It’s made from durable beechwood
  • It’s fully compatible with Thomas and Brio train sets
  • It’s built to last for many generations, and tracks can be organized to create new configurations
  • It comes with 80 pieces, which includes many colorful accessories to help children create their own imaginary worlds
  • It’s the perfect starter kit for children just getting into trains

What we don’t love:

  • It’s not compatible with a large selection of other train types
  • It does not come with a colorful mat as displayed in the picture

Click here for more info and current pricing.


KidKraft Ride Around Train Set and Table

Need an engaging play area for your child? The Kidcraft Ride Around Train Set and Table is what you’re looking for. With 3D-like environments incorporated into train tracks (think lakes, bridges, pastures, and an airport runway), this will take your child’s playtime to a whole new level. There are so many different types of vehicles and accessories to play with that your little one will be stoked to set up the play table every single time.

Train table set for a toddler

What we love:

  • 100 pieces are included in this kit, with many fun, colorful accessories
  • The table’s smooth T-molded edges keep children safe, and is durable enough for small children to play on
  • It’s easy to assemble and start playing with right away, and large enough so that more than two children can play together once it’s set up
  • It comes with storage bins for all the parts

What we don’t love:

  • It’s not compatible with many other train models
  • The track can fall apart and break easily, which might frustrate young kids

Click here for more info and current pricing.


Fisher-Price Thomas the Train Wooden Railway Figure 8 Set

​This Fisher-Price train set is an awesome starter gift for children who have taken an interest in trains. The track is easy to assemble, the set includes a bridge and coal hopper, and Thomas the Train means fun is guaranteed. For your little Thomas enthusiast, this is a fantastic first purchase that will let him or her try the transit out with committing to a larger, more expensive set.

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  • It’s a cinch to set up right out of the box, so you can get playing right away
  • It’s compatible with many other kinds of tracks and trains, so adding and mixing in new parts is very simple
  • It includes Thomas the Train, a cargo car and removable coal storage

What we don’t love:

  • It may not have as many accessories as other sets within the same price range
  • You can’t change the train track design unless you purchase more pieces
  • It doesn’t come with many accessories or storage for pieces

Click here for more info and current pricing.


KidKraft Waterfall Mountain Train Set and Table

​This ridiculously cool train set and table is the perfect addition to any child’s playroom. With colorful landscapes and a multitude of accessories, prepare for your child to become obsessed with this toy. Parents will also love it, as it has plastic bins that slide under the table for fast and easy clean up. Smooth molded edges provide a safe surface to play on, and the edge keeps all the trains, toys and accessories in place.

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  • It comes with three durable red bins that slide easily under the table for storage
  • The table is sturdy and large, so multiple children can play together at once
  • It has a silk-screened, bright, cheerful waterfall and mountain playboard with reverse flip side (for more adventures and uses)

What we don’t love:

  • It’s not compatible with every train model, so sometimes trains might not work on this set if they’re designed for another brand
  • If not assembled properly, the table can warp and bend and may not last as long

Click here for more info and current pricing.


Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Railway Set

​This wooden railway set is just perfect for toddlers! It has a very solid framework (re: it’s durable as heck) and the multiple accessories ensure hours of entertainment. Build your train tracks and let your freight train go on journeys like never before! And like everything from Melissa & Doug, the quality is made to last for many years to come.

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  • It comes with over 100 pieces and accessories, including a 6-piece freight train, a 4-piece passenger train, a 3-piece flatbed truck, and many more brightly colored pieces that will delight any child
  • The pieces snap in place easily, and can be set up in a flash and played with out of the box
  • It’s compatible with all popular models, so adding and mixing in tracks and trains is a easy

What we don’t love:

  • Some of the tracks may not fit together properly if you are trying to add in new pieces or create your own track
  • The bridge may fall apart over time, especially if kids are especially rough on the pieces
  • It doesn’t come with a train table or storage; they must be purchased separately

Click here for more info and current pricing.


KidKraft Train Farm Set

With a long-winding track, this train farm set is both affordable and fun. It comes with 75 pieces (including a barn, farmers, and some animals too!). You can build the farm and tracks any way you want—the pieces are just that versatile. Your toddler is going to have a blast with all the different accessories that come in the kit.

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  • This set includes bright, colorful farm pieces that are sure to spark a child’s imagination and creativity
  • The molded, drive-through mountain and long winding track set the scene for plenty of train adventures for your little ones
  • It’s compatible with Brio and Thomas tracks and trains

What we don’t love:

  • It may not be compatible with all train models
  • Some previous buyers say that the track pieces and bridges can fall apart easily
  • The bridge is not tall enough, even for the trains included in the set, so the trains have to go around that part of the track

Click here for more info and current pricing.


Conductor Carl Wooden Train Set

This amazing train set comes with 100 pieces. It includes an engine car and other fun accessories like people, signs and houses, and your child’s imagination will run wild as as they get to choose how they would like to build their railway. This is, in short, non-stop fun for your kid. This is one of our favorite wooden train sets for toddlers, as it’s a great first purchase to give him or her a taste of the world of trains and, at the same time, it’s certain to please any toddler who considers him/herself to be a seasoned toy train enthusiast.

Wooden train sets for toddlers

What we love:

  • It includes one Conductor Carl engine car, 34 pieces of track, 12 vehicles, 15 people and signs and 39 trees and houses
  • The train set comes with sturdy, wooden track with single piece construction
  • It’s compatible with all Thomas and Brio tracks

What we don’t love:

  • It sometimes has uneven gaps in between some of the rails, so trains might not sit or glide evenly on all tracks
  • Not all of the pieces stay attached, which may be frustrating to young children
  • It doesn’t include a play mat, storage or a train table

Click here for more info and current pricing.


Melissa & Doug Classic Figure 8 Train

This Melissa & Doug train set is the perfect first train set for your toddler, or it can be purchased as an additional set to complement your current Melissa & Doug train collection. The pieces are safe, durable and made to the highest quality standards. Each piece is hand-painted and connects easily with others (even for small hands.) With this 22-piece introductory set, your child will quickly become enamored of trains!

Wooden train set for a toddler

What we love:

  • It’s easy to set up and start playing with straight out of the box
  • It’s super great quality, in line with Melissa & Doug standards, so you know this set will last
  • It’s safe for kids of all ages
  • It’s compatible with many train models
  • It comes with an engine and coal car

What we don’t love:

  • It doesn’t have as many pieces as other train sets, and does not come with storage or a playmat
  • It has a very simple design, which might be too simple for some kids


Kids Destiny Wooden Train Set

Made by Kids Destiny, this beautiful set includes 50 pieces crafted from sturdy beechwood. It’s great for children of all ages and is sure to last for many years to come, given it’s top-notch quality. The accessories also help add a personal touch to each and every railway.

Wooden train set for a toddler

Wooden Train Sets for Toddlers

What we love:

  • ​It’s very easy to put together
  • It’s fully compatible with Thomas, Brio and other major track brands
  • This is one quality wooden train set!
  • It’s a very colorful toy set

What we don’t love:

  • Some previous buyers say that the pieces don’t fit together perfectly


Brio Classic Figure 8 Train Set

This train set is… how should we put this… the bomb! It comes with a cool bridge with a crossing track, a station and also a train engine! Let your child be the conductor, and choo choo his or her way around this bright, fun little world. It is a perfect starter kit that is easy to assemble, even for the youngest train set fans.

Wooden train set for a toddler

Wooden Train Sets for Toddlers

What we love:

  • It’s the perfect set for small children because it’s an easy track to put together, made with durable wooden pieces
  • It’s compatible with Thomas tracks and trains
  • Brio makes trains that are sturdy and built to last a lifetime

What we don’t love:

  • This toy is relatively pricey considering the number of pieces included in the kit
  • It may not be compatible with every train set out there.


We certainly hope you found something on our list of the best wooden train sets for toddlers. Let us know how we did by shooting us an email through the contact page or my commenting below. If you have a favorite train set that you think we should include, let us know. We’d love to hear from you!