Congrats Carrie! comment #4!!
WIN IT!
I was fortunate enough to be given for review the Sevi Village Train Set from the Canadian distributor Silly Pants (who also carries the Beatrix NY backpacks I recently gave away.)
How much did my children like this train set? Let’s put it this way: I took the kids to the SillyPants office to pick it up. My son wanted to open it immediately. We had to stop to pick my husband up at work on the way home, and I’m pretty sure he would have skipped the pick up if it meant he could open the train sooner. Here are some thoughts:
About it, set up and play
The train set is more than just a track and few engines. It’s a village. The ‘mat’ is a sturdy cardboard that is folded for easy storage and purchasing, but unfolds to be a large play area. The village has the layout for the track (more on this later), water system, roads, airport, drawings of buildings and more. It comes with a train (4 cars) the track and multiple additional pieces like the airplane, helicopter (with moving propeller!), boats, police car and more.
The fact that it has so much included made all of us happy. It meant there’s no feeling like I have to buy more to complete the set or that they were missing something. Having said that though, there are additional pieces, like this firetruck or rocket ship, that would make a perfect stocking stuffer at Christmas.
It is interchangeable with other train sets out there – which means you can add the existing Ikea, Melissa and Doug or Thomas tracks to it to make an even bigger train track leading into the village.
The track itself is outlined on the village mat, like a puzzle. So my son can put it together, with little help (sometimes the corners trick him up!) making it far less frustrating than other sets.
The train set is brightly coloured and the imagination opportunities are endless. The trucks work at the construction site and then cross the tracks into town to go and build a bank (this is something my son has made up!). The airplane flies all over the kitchen in their little hands and perhaps the favourite one, the helicopter, makes my toddler excited and happy to pretend it is flying.
A note about the recommended age: It is meant for children aged 3 and up because of the small magnetic parts on the train and smaller pieces. However, when supervised, I do let my toddler (17 months) play with it. She loves it as much as her brother and likes to drive the pieces around. But, do watch for the small parts.
The set up was easy. The sturdy, thick cardboard mat the village is on folds up for easy storage. This means that the kids can be playing with it all day, but when company is coming or I need the space, it tucks away nicely. Granted, it would be worth having a dedicated table set up for it given how much the kids have been playing with it.
The price, additional thoughts and where to buy
The village train set is just over $80 at most places (in Canada) and considering how all-in-one it is as a village, not just train track, it’s well priced. It would make a perfect give for any child. I know how expensive other sets are so this is a much more reasonable alternative.
I asked my son what he thought about it. He said it was fun (of course) and that he really liked the boats. Those are a nice feature!
I am not exaggerating when I say that they play with it multiple times a day when it’s set up (and usually, I just leave it set up!). I don’t have a lot of toys that I can say that about.
It can be purchased online at Raspberry Kids, or locally in Ottawa at Belly Laughs or Red Chair Kids.
Win It!
Silly Pants has generously offered my readers a chance to win the Sevi Village Train set!
To Enter
- Comment below and tell me what about the train set you or your children would love most based on what you’ve read about it.
- For an extra entry, subscribe to my blog and leave a comment below letting me know (or comment that you already do
- Contest is open to Canadian and US residents.
- Contest closes Wednesday, July 21 at 9 pm EST.
- One winner will be drawn at random
My son would love everything about this train set, but the fact it also has an airplane and helicopter make it even more exciting!
I am now an email subscriber (have been a twitter follower for some time). Thanks for the opportunity!
Both my girls seem to LOVE trains right now. We do have a GeoTraxx set but it’s HUGE so something a little more compact and easy to pack away would be nice
I subscribe 🙂
My DD loves to play with the train set at Chapters every time we go. I’ve always avoided buying her one because they seem to be so big (and costly), but this one looks like it’s the perfect size for our house and it’s a great price for the quality.
My nephew Noa is ALLLLLL about the trains – doesn’t matter if it’s Thomas or not, he looooves trains. He would just be over joyed to have something that is so fabulous!
Oh and I subscribe!
I like that there is a fold up mat, not a huge table that is always out and taking up a lot of space. My DD likes the geotrax set we have, but isn’t able to put the pieces together on her own. I would love to have a wooden set for her as she is able to put it together without any help.
I subscribed to your blog via google 🙂
My son loves his Thomas trains, of course, but is more into construction trucks. Combining two of his favourite activities is genius! We’ve had a train track set up in the living room for two weeks. That’s a record around here!
I also subscribe to your blog with Google Reader.
I love that it’s interchangeable! My son LOVES trains!
shanna.elizabeth@hotmail.com
My son, since he was about 6 months, is obsessed with trains, trucks, cars, boats, construction machines, anything that moves. He would love the whole “village” aspect as he’s very much into playing “cities” these days.
What an awesome giveaway!
And I’ve been a blog subscriber for a while 🙂
Ooh, I love that you are able to let your son and younger sis play. My son is so into trains, and the only train set he ever had turned out to be such a disappointment…a track that was tough to put together and a train that needed an adult to line it up on the track, every time!
So I would love them to be able to play independently with it, and that it comes with lots of pieces to get their imaginations going. I’m sure my 19mo would be right in there, and I’d love to see them play together if I was watching her carefully. With a four year age gap, things they can do together are few and far between, I think this would do well!
Great, great review!!
And I just subscribed! lol. I should have before, but haven’t gotten there yet with any blogs. So you are the first blog I have subscribed to, Little Bit! And so it should be, I’m always kicking myself when I wait too long between visits to your site.
Cheers!
Oh, I love train sets! Not sure which I love more, the creativity involved in the way the boys play with them, or the fact that it’s one of the few activities all three boys, ages 2 through 8, can all enjoy together. And even the youngest seems magnetically drawn to all things train-related. Such a great giveaway!!
You had me at add-on fire truck!
I love that the train is so affordable, yet so cute!!! Looks like a ton of fun for my boys!
Oh, and I subscribe to your blog!!! 🙂
My little one loves creating whole worlds with his toys. This would be a perfect addition for his imagination
supamonkey77 at gmail dot com
subscribed via google reader and email
supamonkey77 at gmail dot com
I love this!! My son would love the crane and truck
And I subscribe!
I love that is will work with the trains we already have! That and the add-on ROCKET!
krista
I subscribe via google reader!
my daughter is obsessed with all things trains and helicopters…she would love it!
Thanks for the shout out on “Where to Buy” this fabulous Train Set! We are so pleased to carry a wide selection of Sevi Toys and are currently working on adding even more items.
The train set is such good value and definitely a toy that will get a lot of use and last. Definitely an heirloom that can be passed from gen to gen!
Have a fresh, healthy & fun day,
Sue
—
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids
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I got a Sevi piece at Red Chair Kids love that store staff are so great and knowledgable in there too.
My son really loves his Trains
You had me at…folds up for storage! This would be perfect for my apartment ‘baby!’, especially as he is mad for trains!
This would make a perfect toy for my son & I to play together
This is an awesome set and would love to have it for baby boy once he is older!
Email subscribe 🙂
I love that it comes with more than just a train. I think they’d get a kick out of the helicopter and cruise ships! Also, I like that it is compatible with other sets.
denimc{at}gmail{dot}com
I already subscribe to your blog 🙂
denimc{at}gmail{dot}com
My son would absolutely love everything about this train set — the fact that it has everything in it and all those extras — truck, etc… makes it all the better.
I subscribe
My son (16 mths) absolutely loves the train set at daycare and I have been thinking of getting him something similar for home. I have heard nothing but good things about the Sevi one…and he LOVES any vehichles he can push around…making the Vrrrrmmm noise as he goes!
Just signed up for your blog too!
My three boys “need: a train set :), and I’m sure they would the airplane and helicopter as well!
My son would love the boats on this train set!! It’s very brightly coloured and has a great design 🙂
I have been wanting to purchase a train set for my 15month old and 3 year old for some time now. They both love trains. I love that it folds for easy storage, but I think I will have to get their daddy to build a table as I am sure they would play with it all day:) I love that it is a complete set and there are no extra purchases necessary to keep them happy:)
My son loves trains, so I think he’d love everything about this set! I love that it’s from a company that’s been around for such a long time and that it comes with all the vehicles too!
Love that it comes with extra vehicles such as helicopter and boats!
Also subscribed to your blog …
My son loves the magnetic connections of the cars. At home, he is forever trying to link up his trucks.
My son would love a train set. He’s been asking for one for months, but I think he would love this one because you can build on it and it has an airplane and helicopter.
I’ve subscribed to your blog too 🙂
My son would love that fact that he could put the tracks together himself. He likes to be independent!
Oh! And I subscribe to your blog too 😉
My boys would love that it has a helicopter and airplane with it!
I’m an rss subscriber
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