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Child Development and Lionel
Each child is different. Each grows differently and plays differently. Below you'll find an outline of what to expect at various stages in your child's life, and suggestions about choosing the right Lionel products for different ages.

Important:
Electric toy trains are not intended for unsupervised use under eight years of age.


Birth to Two Years
During the first two years of life, babies learn to focus and concentrate on objects. They have a growing sense of self-confidence, and they start to notice cause and effect ("If I push this, it will move"). Babies love movement, sound, and especially repetition. Lionel trains can be a wonderful source of excitement for them -- as long as the parent is operating the train and the infant is watching from a safe distance. Despite the low track voltage, toddlers should never be allowed to touch any part of a train set or layout, or be left unattended while a train is running. Remember -- the train must always be operated by an adult.

People often tell us that the first toy they can remember is a Lionel train. That's because their parents bought the train when they were very young -- often before they could walk or talk. Some families introduce even their youngest children to the magic of Lionel -- but always with supervision.


Three to Five Years
Children at this stage have an increased attention span and more self-confidence. They focus on goals -- parents should let them start to solve problems.

Although kids are not quite ready to handle electric trains on their own, these are ideal years for them to interact with trains on a supervised basis. Youngsters love making tunnels with their arms and legs and taking things in and out of train cars. Parents should operate the train and set the speed, but the child can sound the bell or whistle and stop and reverse the direction of the train. What fun! And what a learning experience!


Five to Eight Years
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "toys for this age group should promote skill development and creativity." At this stage, children develop skills by responding to challenges. They also need opportunities to choose their own activities, like hobbies and collections, which offer opportunities for organization and order. By age five, your child may be ready to operate the controller and control the speed of the train under parental supervision, but should steer clear of the transformer or wall socket. He or she will love the sense of control, learn more about cause and effect, and progress into more involved stages of creative play.

Eight and Older
Children begin to develop specific skills and life-long interests at this age, particularly hobbies and crafts. These kids are ready to get started with electric trains -- alone or under supervision. Here is where you see their imagination soar. An older child may turn even a small layout into a complex and active imaginary world. The train hobby grows with the child -- he or she "works" on it as an individual activity, then shares it with friends. If properly encouraged, your child's interest in model railroading can become a rich and rewarding lifetime pursuit.

For children at age eight and older, take a look at our most popular Starter Sets in our online store. As their interest and skill level develops, they will be ready for more elaborate layouts and a variety of accessories.