Gift Giving Guide

Thomas & Friends make great gifts

The Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway System, books and videos make ideal gifts for boys and girls ages 2 to 5. More than just toys, these products offer opportunities for children to develop physical, social and cognitive skills while they play. (You can read more about Thomas & Friends here.)

The award-winning Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway products are made with the finest quality materials and workmanship. They will outlast years of hard play and love. Many families keep their Wooden Railway as an heirloom to be passed down to the next generation of Thomas fans. In addition, all Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway products are guaranteed for life!

Gift Suggestions for Beginning Engineers

Many customers choose to start out with a set. We carry sets in a wide price range to fit your budget. The Bridge & Crane Figure 8 Set is a very popular way to introduce a child to the world of Thomas. We suggest adding a video such as Best of Thomas to introduce the children to the characters' personalities. Add a few of Thomas' true-blue friends (such as Percy, James, Henry, Gordon, Edward or Toby) and your child will be off and running on a new adventure!

We also recommend Suretrack, a product that clips together the wooden track pieces. This is perfect for the youngest Thomas fans who may get frustrated when the track comes apart. Suretrack is also wonderful for engineers who have little brothers or sisters who like to break their layouts apart.

Gift Suggestions for Experienced Engineers

As children's play develops, they will be ready to build more advanced track layouts. We recommend expansion sets (like the Up and Away Expansion Set) or our deluxe sets (such as the Roundhouse Set) for more layout possibilities. Bridges, tunnels, and destinations will also help expand your child's railway world. You may want to add some flexible track pieces such as to help your child complete intricate layouts.

As play becomes more complex, a play table can help keep the trains off the floor and preserve the layouts your child has worked so hard on. The Island of Sodor Wooden Playtable and Island Adventure Playboard create the perfect height and width to give children access to their layout.

Now is also the time to add more characters to your child's collection. Because each character has a distinct personality, each adds a new dimension to your child's play. Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter and Duck are all popular choices.

Gifts for the very youngest engineers

Looking for a gift for the very young engineer in your life? Check out the Beginner's Edition Push-Along Thomas, perfectly sized for toddler-sized hands and beginning motor skills.