Attach wood train to table

[Jenny]

I saw this on pinterest http://www.younghouselove.com/2012/0...e-train-board/
They attached a wood train set to the table. It's great cause it's one less thing to clean up, but wouldn't it take away from the kids creativity?
Good or bad idea?

[5 Little Monkeys]

I have been wanting to buy a train table for awhile now because I hate how much room it takes up on the floor. I've considered making my own, thanks for that link! I would take a coffee table and add sides so that the train tracks stay on the table and they could still build it the way they want.

Honestly though, when I bring out the train tracks they never build it (I typically have children aged 1-3 years) and it "breaks" so often that they get frustrated with it and then don't play. So for me, I would have no problem gluing the train track together haha.

[dshtebazile]

On our train table we have our tracks attached, but we also have a large bin of extra track for the kids to build with. The kids LOVE to build the tracks but I find once they are made they don't use it much, the prefer to play with the trains up on the table. So I suggest having both options.

[FSD]

I made my own train table too and I did glue the track down using my glue gun. I have a young group and it would be just a disaster if the tracks were loose! So for me it's a great idea ~ the kids love it!!

[Samantha33]

Thank you for this link. I do daycare in my downstairs and space is at a premium when it comes big bulky things that you can't get out of the way. My dh said he'd make one and I can just stand it up against the wall when they aren't using it.

[Jenny]

Thanks of the input, the train is expensive so needs to fit all ages. Do you think big kids would be ok with not being able to take it apart?

[Samantha33]

My group is up to 4 years max. so they are o.k. with it. I also will have lots of extra track left over so they could add to it.

[AmandaKDT]

I don't know, my 4 year olds enjoy making their own tracks and they do play with it afterwards - but this is only if there are no younger ones to pull it apart on them. But my group is all about building stuff these days.

[Spixie33]

The train tables at Chapters and Mastermind are glued down and the kids always flock to those.

I glued down the tracks for my own kids.

Like someone else said - the issue with a train table is that it takes up A LOT of room and the kids barely play with it. They seriously love the ones at stores but not so much at home.

I eventually sold my train table. I decided that maybe it would be more space conscious to have a big container of tracks, trains, bridges, tunnels etc and let the kids 'create' if the mood hit. THat barely happens either.

I think the trains are a fun concept but they aren't practical or used as much as you would think. I have to start building the set and then the kids start playing with it but it usually gets knocked over or comes apart and then the kids get frustrated and move on.

I am not sure what to do about the trains. Every once in a while I look into buying another table or think about how to make the trains more usable but I haven't found a good solution yet. The glued tracks didn't get used much and neither do the loose ones.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I sold my couch yesterday that I had in my daycare space. I wanted more floor space for the kids to play. Now I am considering if I want a train table. I have lots of tracks and trains and when I do bring them out they play with them for the first day and that's about it. I think if the tracks were already made they would play with it more often. I can't decide if I want a table or something like what Jenny posted though. My fiance said what about a table that has folding legs that I could slide under the spare bed in my nap room. Does anyone know anywhere I could get a small child's sized table with folding legs? I would want it the size of a coffee table.