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Subject: 
Re: Is 2933 Duplo Freight Train worth buying?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.duplo
Date: 
Wed, 25 Jul 2001 01:52:40 GMT
Viewed: 
2977 times
  
I'd just like to agree pretty much with what Mark said (that brought back
memories!), except that my son came out the other side of these almost
identical reactions with an absolute love of the trains.

I bought our first battery engine set and the push train when my son was 18
months old (and I must confess they were more for me than him!).  He was
absolutely terrified of the engine, but loved to watch me build the layout
and chuff chuff the push train around.  At just before 2 years old he would
occasionally warily leave the safety of the couch, prod things and dismantle
them, but the engine would send him running for safety.

At 2 years he liked to push the train around and would occasionally brave
the engine, which as Mark described would turn on when he didn't want it to
(resulting in either dropping the engine in fright or a derailment which
would bring no end of tears), and he couldn't stop it when he needed it to
(it just kept on moving, more hysterics).

At 3 he was over the fear of the engine but he still didn't quite have the
hang of the on/off and points, stop/start rail etc.  The best game was stick
the polarity switches all over the place while the engine was running and
giggle, especially if the train just went forward and backwards in more or
less the one spot.  He was starting to put track together at this stage, but
much preferred Mummy to do the layouts.

By 4 there was no stopping him, no problems with engine, switches etc, he
would build simple layouts himself (loops, figure 8 etc) , and criticise the
ones I built (no Mum, put that bit there, and that one there and can you
make it go under the bridge there, I know I'll just get you another straight
bit for here).

Somewhere between 4 and 5 years I couldn't get anywhere near the train track
(no Mum, I'm gonna do this), he had quite marvellous ideas of his own and
could put them into action easily, we often have very intricate layouts
clogging the living area, kitchen and hallway.

Now just turned 6 the trains are still a favourite, and don't appear to be
waning in interest in the least.  I'm just hoping he'll let me actively back
in on the design aspect sometime soon :)

So yes, with a one year old, buy the newer freight set and put the engine
and points etc away for a year or two, and buy a push engine and carriages.
Be prepared to spend a lot of time building (and rebuilding over and over
again) layouts for your son to play with for quite a while yet.  It'll be
worth it and you'll both have heaps of fun.

Deidre
drb@tasmail.com



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Is 2933 Duplo Freight Train worth buying?
 
Todd, I don't want to deny you your 2933 - it's great - but until your son is two then go for either DACTA Push Train 9139 or Circus Engine 2931. Supplement this with DACTA Rails 9146 (certainly in the UK this worked out cheaper than buying the (...) (23 years ago, 24-Jul-01, to lugnet.duplo)

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