Brio Train Sets Up Their Game

The great thing about a children's wooden train set is that it can start small and be built up over time to become much more substantial system. Wooden train sets also have great play value because of their long-term usage as a child grows.

Brio is the company most closely associated with wooden train sets. Brio train sets have been in production since 1957, although the Brio company was originally founded in Sweden by Ivar Bengtsson during the late 19th Century. Brio trains are still mostly non-motorised which makes them suitable for younger pre-school aged children. Although Brio have introduced a new elements of light and sound to their wooden train set range that require batteries to function.

Brio have made efforts before to re-invent their products by buying licensing agreements like Thomas the Tank Engine, for example. But Brio's biggest transformation yet has been recently where they have given their wooden train set range a complete overhaul and introduced many more interactive train set accessories and elements. Each Brio train set has a theme and offer much play value whilst still maintaining their core traditional style and compatibility with other wooden train sets.

Brio Metro Railway Set

The Brio Metro Railway Set is essentially an underground train set. Built around an oval of train track with a set of points and buffers, the set features one of the new Brio Lights and Sounds Trains. As you push the train along the track so the lights come on and the train makes sounds. The faster the train is moved the more lights and sounds become activate. The set also comes with an underground station and tunnel.

Brio My First Railway Set

Made with toddlers in mind, the Brio My First Railway Set comes with a length of standard wooden rain track and an engine with three carriages. Where this train set for toddlers differs is that it comes with a soft accessory tunnel/building. This means that toddlers can play safely with the train set. The set can still be expanded upon later.

Brio Road and Rail Loading Set

The Brio Road and Rail Loading Set is a new idea for Brio. The company has developed road sections to be plugged in to the system with the use of level crossing pieces. This greatly expands the wooden train set idea taking onto a new level of expandability. The Road and Rail Loading Set comes with a large oval of raised railway track, numerous vehicles; train, lorries and crane as well as sections of road.

These are some brief descriptions of some of the train sets that are now available from Brio. Having fallen out of favour during the 1980's and early 1990's wooden train sets have made something of a comeback in recent times. Their resurgence is probably due to a number of reasons. Firstly an increased interest in sustainable more environmentally friendly toys rather than chemical and resource intensive plastic toys. Secondly, an increased in broadcasted television programmes that are based on train related subject matter; Thomas the Tank Engine, Underground Ernie and Chuggington have all been developed during the 80's, 90's until the present day. And thirdly an increased awareness of the importance of educational toys. Wooden train sets are recognised as such and are particularly suited as role play toys for toddlers and pre-school children.

Brio have continued to innovate and breath new life into the humble wooden train set which has prevailed as a popular children's toy for many decades.