The Smartest Way to Revamp your Train Set

Looking to add some new life to your well-loved train track? Here's the low-down on BRIO's cool Smart Tech train sets which are designed to add extra play value and help to introduce some early STEM learning for kids.

We were kindly gifted this BRIO World Smart Tech Smart Engine Set with Action Tunnels, Smart Tech Railway Workshop, Smart Tech Washing Station, and Smart Tech Lift and Load Crane by BRIO for purpose of review. All opinions and images are our own and completely genuine. This post contains affiliate links.

Do your kids have toys which well and truly stand the test of time? One of those toys in our household is our train set. We have accumulated a whole host of track types and trains over the years. As a toddler big bro was obsessed with trains. His interest dwindled for a year or so and then all of a sudden after visiting a train museum aged 6, he is full steam ahead again. What I love most is that now baby sis who is 2 years old, is also 'all aboard' the train play. They spend hours building tracks and surrounding cities together, but I was looking for the next step in their train play. I think we may have just found it!

We were kindly sent a selection of BRIO's Smart Tech train sets to test out. These sets are compatible with regular BRIO track but they introduce an additional element to the play. Additional technology in the train allows it to send and receive signals with various tunnels and accessories.

As the train moves around the track, it interacts with the set components. For example, as it passes through the tunnels it will react accordingly (e.g. stop, change direction and make a noise). This might seem fairly basic to you or I, but to a train-loving child it is everything! Baby sis was fascinated that by moving the tunnels she could change the behavior of the train.

The action tunnels can be easily moved around the track. This lends itself so well to giving kids a sense of ownership. For my kids this really motivated them to be hands on, and also it challenged them to problem solve. They had to carefully plan where they placed the tunnels and in what order they placed them.

The Smart Engine Set with Action Tunnels is a great place to start as it helps kids to grasp how the Smart Technology works. There are buttons on the train for moving forward, backwards and making noises. My little one loved that it even came with a passenger too, who could get on and off the train at the station.

We also received three additional accessory sets. These sets all added a new element to the play. The crowd pleaser by far was the Smart Tech Railway Workshop. As the train approaches it slows and the cool workshop noises begin.

There is a little mechanic figure who works on the train. My kids made up so many fun stories about what was wrong with the train and how much it cost each time to be fixed. Let's just say they racked up quite the bill!

They also really enjoyed the Smart Tech Washing Station. Baby sis in particular loved imagining the train being washed after all of its daily adventures.

It was great to see them linking their own train adventures to some of their favorite train books, namely Thomas the Tank Engine. We sometimes even get a book out to re-enact the story. This is such a great way to introduce literacy links and build vocabulary.

Our final addition set was the Smart Tech Lift and Load Crane. This allows kids to add freight to their train before it continues on its journey. My kids were mesmerized by the fact that the train knew how to stop in exactly the right spot.

Getting baby sis to twist the dial to add the freight was a great little workout for her fine motor skills.

As you can see from the pictures, the Smart Tech system really does inject a whole new level of play to a train set. It is worth mentioning that you definitely need some additional track for making larger set ups (there is no additional track used in these pictures). The Smart Tech pieces are the perfect way to expand a pre-existing train track collection. They add creativity, cause and effect learning, fine motor development, and a huge dose of adventure!