 |
I have found that sometimes the age recommendation on toys is not always accurate. This plaything is appropriately labeled for 2 and up, and will probably continue to entertain my son for another 6 months or more. As a side note, the stacking order is quite complex for little minds. Although this does not take away from the fun-factor, it can add to the level of frustration. This mommy had to go on-line to see the stacking sequence so she could teach her son.
The Stacking Train is a well-built puzzle! It has been tossed around, stepped on, and even chewed upon, yet keeps on rolling. There are NO sharp edges on this toy, but we have had a few minor mishaps when my son, who plays rough, has pulled the dowels off the cars. We glued them back with wood glue, and the following day this choo choo is back to rolling around on the floor. Recently, my son lost one of the blue dowels, which links the cars together. I called the customer service number, found on the bottom of the toy, and the company replaced the entire train for nothing. Now that's excellent customer service! Overall, I recommend the Stacking Train as it's engaged my son for hours on end, plus the educational values are significant.
Other Points of Interest:
· No batteries required
· There are NO safety concerns with this plaything, i.e. strangling, smothering, cutting, or swallowing
· Gender neutral plaything
· No assembly
· Lifetime guarantee
Happy Playing,
Mary
2.) Great combination of a train and a puzzle.
Reviewed by: Colorado reader & parent Colorado Springs, CO
Rating:
My almost 2 year old daughter received this for Christmas this year (1 month ago).
She loves to play with it as a train - she lets her stuffed animals ride it and even tries to ride it herself.
As a puzzle, she has mastered the 'take it apart' aspect, and is learning to put it back together. It is a well designed puzzle that will be challenging for younger toddlers - some of the reasons that you'd choose block X over block Y are subtle - but it is still a serviceable train most ways you can put it together, although it might look odd.
It is very durable and safe. My daughter has sat upon it, stood on it, and dropped it on a wooden floor. So far it is still completely intact. Nothing has chipped or come loose.
This is another great Melissa and Doug product that will be enjoyed for many years, provided we can avoid losing the pieces. Toddlers can play with it on a simple level - it is a train - or a more complex level as a puzzle.
He loves this train at 17 months, he plays with it everyday, he takes the blocks off and puts them back on. He also is learning his colors.
Great toy! We have quite a lot of Mellisa and Doug products in our house!
19.) for little train lovers
Reviewed by: Jen Schellings the zoo
Rating:
i bought this a few months ago for my then 19 month old son who loves trains. although he did play a great deal with the box it was shipped in, he loves this stackable train even more! he's not one to sit still for long, but he will to play with this train. i love it because it is real wood & something that will not be easily broken, if at all, like plastic toys. it can be handed down to future siblings or even his own toddlers. the blocks have been tossed across the room & banged together & they are, so far, holding up well to toddler abuse. unlike plastic toys, there were absolutely no fumes of any kind when i opened the packaging. the only downside is at the end of play, there's more to pick up ;) but this helps in teaching my son to help put away his toys by making it fun to put all the blocks back on the train cars. it's also helping him learn colors & shapes. i have since bought other toys from this same company & will buy more in the future. good quality, good price & good fun make this a great buy.
UPDATE...2 years of play & there's only a couple of the pieces have paint chipped from the edges but I expected that. In general the train has held up well to play with the blocks being banged together or tossed. My son still plays with it but not as much as he is beginning to outgrow it. This toy is a keeper, so into storage it goes for a future sibling or maybe even grandchildren...
20.) Colors, shapes, and choo-choo fun
Reviewed by: 1HotMama Northern California
Rating:
My son has had this for about three years (he's 4 years old now). He loves trains. We recently gave it to his little brother (11mo) but he still plays with it.
When this was still his toy , he would point out the colors and shapes, put it together in his own way, and run it around on the floor. Recently one of the pegs that hold the shapes came off, but my husband used some Gorilla Glue to put it back together and it's back in action.
21.) Train Lover's Favorite
Reviewed by: reading mom Portland, Oregon USA
Rating:
My 19 month old has recently started to develop a love for trains. This toy has been a HUGE hit!! The block/train combo is about all he could ask for at this point!
22.) Choooo chooooooo
Reviewed by: maymay Kernersville, NC
Rating:
I bought this for my son for his 2nd birthday because he just loves trains, best gift ever! He didn't want to open the other presents he just kept saying choo chooo! He plays with it everyday! Great toy for the train lover!
23.) Excellent for a 14 month old
Reviewed by: P. Mathur
Rating:
I got this for my 14 month old son after seeing it in a toy store. I've used many other Melissa & Doug toys, so, had no doubts that this would be an educational and fun toy for my son. The train exceeded my high expectations. The toy is both a puzzle and a push toy. The train stacks well, the pieces "fit" together, making it possible for my 14 month old to "solve" the puzzle (though he is far from completing the entire train). The product is well made, has smooth edges, and the color looks solid. It is also an attractive toy, and my son is drawn to it every morning. It's the second thing that comes out of his toy chest every day.
Overall, this toy has the potential to keep my son busy for several months, and that's one thing I really like!
24.) Son loves it.
Reviewed by: risitas29dn Chicago, IL
Rating:
My son loves this toy. We have never had problems with sticking or pealing paint with M&D toys as other reviews have mentioned. He never looses interest and he is a very active boy where few quite toys that require fine motor skills and sustained attention keep his interest very long. Great value for the price.
25.) Surprised
Reviewed by: Booferbooks Huntsville,TX
Rating:
I was really surprised that my twin boys loved this train so much. They still play with it a year later and "drive" it around the room as well as stack the blocks and such. The blocks are really good quality which is good since my twins are under 2 and still like chewing on things.I don't remember what configuration the blocks were supposed to be in originally, but they don't care so either do I. It's a great imagination booster, develops the small motor skills (linking the trains and stacking the blocks on the pegs), and it gives us a chance to say colors shapes, etc. All around a really good toy.
26.) Great educational toy
Reviewed by: Critical Consumer FL
Rating:
The stacking train is great for putting pieces together as well as shape and color recognition. My 20 month granddaughter loves taking it apart and making the sounds of a "choo choo train" as she pushes it along. Who needs batteries when you get to see a child's imagination!
27.) Excellent buy
Reviewed by: Nikhil Hegde Austin, TX
Rating:
This is a really good buy.
Made of light wood, no sharp edges, stackable pieces, simple in every way - the way toys should be. :-)
Good value for money.
My son loves it.
28.) Great for Toddlers
Reviewed by: Allison J. Blaisdell
Rating:
My son has been playing with this toy since 15 months old. I know he will play with for months to come. Fun, educational, durable. Great to pack for trips or playdates. Keeps him busy.
29.) reaches for train again and again
Reviewed by: d. ransom
Rating:
My child loves this wooden train set.
She started playing with this at 21 months
and still loves it at 24 months.
Great job guys!!!
30.) Wooden Stacking Train
Reviewed by: Runnerless Tully, NY
Rating:
I didn't see the toddler play with the toy because they were from out of town and were taking it home all sealed up so no parts were lost.
The parents thought it was a wonderful toy. They have not shared how their little one liked it.
31.) good creative toy
Reviewed by: M. Newell Alexandria, VA USA
Rating: 
When my Mom got my son this toy, it was a little over his head, because he just took it apart and didn't reassemble it. When he was somewhere between 1 and 2, though, he went through a phase where he played with it a lot. Every day he made a different train out of it, and he worked really hard to figure out how to fit the different blocks onto the pegs in different combinations. We never really tried to get it back together "right", and now I don't even remember how. One thing you need to watch out for, though, is that the pegs tend to fall out after a lot of use. I glued them back in a number of times.
32.) Classic and durable
Reviewed by: Leigh Popp Cincinnati, OH
Rating:
I originally got this for my son's nursery, to be used as a decorative item on a shelf. Needless to say, it doesn't get a lot of "shelf time", both of my kids, now 4 and 2, love it!!
33.) A toy with longevity!
Reviewed by: R. Stevens California
Rating:
We got this train for our son when he was 2 and now he's 4 1/2 and he stills plays with it on a regular basis. The only negative thing I can say about it is that after 2 1/2 years of hard playing, a wheel came off, but it can be easily glued back on.
34.) Colorful and not confusing
Reviewed by: Life is a Matinee old chum, Come to the Matinee BroadwayMatinee.com
Rating:
Our daughter received this at her first birthday -- way too soon to play with it unaided, but great family fun. We're train nuts, so it's been a great decoration in her room, on a tall shelf. She occasionally points to it (or asks now for "choo choo") and we play with the pieces. I always make sure it's put together properly before we're done, so she doesn't walk off with the pieces. In any case, they're bright and sturdy.
Granted, it would be more fun if the spacing between the stacking dowels were the same on all three cars, so more pieces could be interchangable. But she's always loved taking off the blocks and putting them back on again, attaching and disconnecting the cars, and rolling it. I'm surprised that some need a diagram, it's not hard to put them in some semblance of order.
35.) Looks Nice
Reviewed by: Courtney California
Rating:
My 14 month old nephew is a little young for this toy, so we are waiting until his birthday next October to open it. It looks very nice and sturdy, but besides that it is hard to comment as I have no personal experience with this toy.
36.) Great educational toy!
Reviewed by: Mommyof smarties NH, USA
Rating:
We gave this to our kids for Christmas, both my 2 and a half year old and my one year old love to play with it. They shapes stack in many ways, great fine motor skills. We also use it for shape and color recognition for my older child.... Love the more classic toys, rather than the junk that is in many stores these days.
37.) Fun for kids. Not for mom
Reviewed by: L. Betts
Rating:
What a cute train. It's adorable when it's put together. The only problem is that it's kind of difficult for all my kids to put it together (ages 3&1). Since we got it it has sat on our floor in pieces. It is never played with as a train, more as just some blocks. I end up putting the thing together anytime my kids want to play with it like a train. Oh well, It is still played with.
38.) Fun to stack but hard to keep together.
Reviewed by: ACN Phoenix, AZ USA
Rating:
The children enjoy putting the pieces together but get frustrated when they try to play with the train by pulling on it because it falls apart again.
39.) Save the picture!
Reviewed by: Jack's Mom Illinois
Rating: 
Well we just got rid of the first set I bought at Big Lots when my son got a second set for his birthday. He seems to more into now than last Christmas and I saved the picture that came with it so that *I* can remember how it goes together. I think it's a little frustrating because the pieces HAVE to go just *SO* to make it fit properly.
40.) Ours fell apart
Reviewed by: tabris02 sunny New England
Rating:
The entire stacking train fell apart within a month of arriving in our household. My children are not rough on toys, but the wheels came off the train with normal use. My mother threw out the packagaing before we ever saw it, so I have no idea how the train is supposed to fit together (we guestimated) but even so, once the wheels were off, my children were not interested. I have a three-year-old who loves puzzles and is very proficient at them, which would seem to make her the ideal recipient of this toy. She didn't enjoy it, however. The concept behind the toy is okay, however, and if the wheels had stayed on, maybe the kids might have warmed up to it eventually.
41.) OK, but..
Reviewed by: Justine USA
Rating:
..When not stacked, the cylindric posts are potentially dangerous, if the child should fall on them. Otherwise, sturdy, non-toxic, great to play with.
42.) not so much fun
Reviewed by: G. Bruyns az
Rating: 
we got this as a christmas present and my 2, 3 and 4 year never really even played with it. I tried I really did because I love anything trains but to no avail then the peices started to come off and in the end it just ended up in a heap with the rest of the blocks.
43.) Better of as decoration
Reviewed by: L. M. Billingsley Baltimore, MD
Rating:
We've had this train for 12 days and already the paint is chipping off like many of our other Melissa & Doug toys. M&D toys are Made in China, supposedly in a responsible factory. However, there have been recalls on M&D toys issued in other countries that have not been issues in the U.S. Due to this I am hesitant to let my son play with this toy as the paint is chipping off and this has been minimally played with in the less than two weeks we've had it. For now it will go on a shelf and serve as decoration.
This is even more disappointing since I had to take my son's other sorting train (Toys R Us Imaginarium brand) away after it broke the day after he received it.
As a substitute I will consider the Plan Toys sorting train, which is made in Thailand using abandoned rubberwood. We have several Plan Toys that have look brand new after a year or more of use.
44.) Just OK
Reviewed by: Tess Philadelphia, USA
Rating:
My daughter is not thrilled about the train. She rarely looks at it. Perhaps, other children would love this toy more. It didn't work that way for us.
45.) I like it, but my son never plays with it.
Reviewed by: hpagliughi California
Rating:
I guess he is spoiled by the ridiculous number of more flashy vehicles (thomas, hot wheels, etc). I, however, enjoy this toy. It is nicely made, has aged well, and looks great sitting uselessly on my sons dresser!
46.) TOXIC TOY
Reviewed by: J. Banbanaste NY, NY
Rating: 
I bought this toy for my little girl last year. I was shocked to find that there had been a recall on it in Canada..they have stricter testing methods than we do in the US.
"this train has been recalled in Canada for containing high levels of barium. Apparently barium can cause (according to Health Canada), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps as well as more severe symptoms."
There was also a recall on their geometric stacker.
The Melissa and Doug representatives were AWFUL!! The said it was an isolated incident and not a big deal!!! It is dishonest and wrong that they never issued a recall here and there was hardly any information on this recall available. DO NOT BUY THESE TOYS!!!
47.) This train was recalled in Canada - barium
Reviewed by: Green mama Illinois, Chicago
Rating:
Thank goodness my sister let me know that this train that we have and loved has been recalled in Canada for containing high levels of barium. Apparently barium can cause (according to Health Canada), " nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps as well as more severe symptoms."
I've never even heard of barium in toys. I had never been concerned about Melissa and Doug toys until my sister told me that they were all made in China. It isn't made clear that they are and a number of good toy sites (and Whole Foods) sell them. However, since then I have noticed the paint chips off of many of the toys, and I am no longer confident that the paint is completely non-toxic and safe.
My daughter has gnawed on this Melissa and Doug toy and many others and it was with sadness yet relief that I have thrown them all out.
48.) Peeling paint
Reviewed by: Robin New York, NY USA
Rating:
My son absolutely loves this train and I did as well until the paint started peeling off of the blocks less than 2 months after getting the train. The train has ended up in my son's mouth and has been wiped clean with a damp cloth once or twice, but I was surprised and disappointed that the paint started peeling off on several pieces. I would have expected a Melissa and Doug toy would have stood up to normal child play and cleaning.
49.) Throw it Away - Recalled in Canada
Reviewed by: JudiAU Los Angeles
Rating:
Like the M&D pounding bench, ,my son enjoyed playing with this and yes, sucking on the pegs. But my daughter won't be because I read that this was recalled in Canada for toxic levels of chemicals. M&D didn't bother to recall it here because the American market is full of suckers who accept lax toy standards. I'll be replacing it with a stacking toy that is NOT MADE IN CHINA and NOT MADE BY M&D.
Activity Centers