Train Time

The boys haven't built a train track and played on in for quite some time. They've been busy doing summer activities and playing with the twins' new birthday toys. Last week Jake said he wanted to build a track, but ended up only taking out five track pieces and then getting distracted. Bentley was building his own tracks by three years old. Jake has learned to rely on Bentley to build for him instead of doing it himself. But, then again, Bentley wasn't building them entirely on his own at three. I had to give him quite a bit of help. I haven't done that with Jake. I need to work with Jake.

Yesterday Bentley started building a very elaborate track. He was in our bedroom working all on his own. He decided to use the 8 way turn table piece. He laid track out in all eight directions. He didn't have time to finish the track. We let him keep it up overnight even though that means we have to try to avoid stepping on bridges and tunnels when we do a visit to the bathroom in the middle of the night in the dark. It can be quite tricky.

Today I encouraged Bentley to finish his track so he and Jake could play on it and then we could take it down. I gave him a little bit of guidance in connecting the track lines together, but not much. He wanted to finish it himself. He's a good track designer. For a test we put the battery operated engines on the track to see if they can negotiate it. Percy and Lady did great. A+ on track design!


Maybe this winter we will move the train track downstairs to the TV room so the boys can build a track and keep it up for a week or longer.

P.S. I think Viva spent a couple of minutes checking out the track and then she read books. Trains are not her thing.