Ask a child what it takes to make a town, and the list comes quickly: roads, houses, cars, a fire station and somewhere to fill up. A wooden toy town is one of those games that can last for years, because it is never quite finished. Here is our take on how to get off to a good start.
What a town needs
- Roads: The roads tie the town together and give the cars somewhere to drive. They are often the first thing children build.
- Buildings: A house, a garage or a station gives the play a goal. The car has to get home, go out on a job or into the garage.
- Vehicles: One or two cars are enough to start. More often come along by themselves.
- Signs and rules: When signs go up, the play gets rules, and then there is negotiating about who goes first.
Start small, and build on
It is tempting to buy a whole town at once, but it can be better to start with a little. A piece of road and a building is enough for the first afternoon. When the child starts asking for more, it is time for the next set. That way each new set becomes an event, and the child has time to play with what is already there.
In Crateit Town all the sets fit together. Adventure Track Extension gives the track new routes, and Traffic & Road Signs Pack puts up signs along the road. So the town can grow at the pace the play sets.
How much space does a town take?
More than you might think, and that is part of the charm. The town needs room to spread out, and it should be able to stay out for a while. Here are some measurements from the product pages, so you can think the space through:
- Adventure Track Extension covers 80 × 65 cm assembled
- City Park Zone, the car park with three zones, covers 67 × 67 cm
- City Gas Station with a road in and out covers 65 × 95 cm
- Fire Station measures 60 × 28 cm
A rug or a corner of the living room where the town may stay for a few days makes a big difference. When the town has to be taken down every evening, there is less appetite for building it up again.
Let the child draw the map
A good way to start is to let the child draw the town on a piece of paper first. Where should the fire station be? Where does the road go? Where do people live? It gives a plan to build from, and it gets the stories going before the first part has clicked into place. Many children change the map along the way, and that is perfectly fine.
Three games to start with
- First trip: The car has to go from the garage to the petrol station and home again. What happens on the way?
- The alarm goes off: The adult reports a fire somewhere in town, and the child turns out from the fire station.
- Fully parked: Every car has to find a space in the car park before night falls.
Rebuild the town
When the town has been standing for a while, try rebuilding it. Move the fire station to the other side of the road, lay a new route, or let the child decide that today there are roadworks. The parts click together without glue, so the town can be taken apart and put together in a new way. A new layout brings new questions and new stories, and the same town becomes a new game.
Colour the town, and colour it again
All sets in Crateit Town come in uncoloured wood, so the child decides how the town should look. With Crateit markers the colour goes on layer upon layer, so the fire station can change its look when the play does. The colouring becomes part of the building, not something to get out of the way first.
When the dolls' house moves in
A town needs someone to live in it. Crateit Roomies can be combined with Crateit Town, so the dolls' house can stand in the middle of the town, and the family can drive to work, to the fire station or into the car park. That way two kinds of play meet on the same floor.
If you want to know more about the individual sets in the town, read our guide to Crateit Town.
Frequently asked questions
What age is a wooden toy town for?
The sets in Crateit Town are recommended for 5-9 years and can be used from 3 years. Fire Station is assembled with an adult up to 5 years.
Do you need glue or tools?
No. The parts click together without glue or tools, so the town can also be taken apart and built up in a new way.
Do all the sets fit together?
Yes. Buildings, road pieces and vehicles in Crateit Town are designed to fit together across sets.
See the whole town, and choose the first piece your town will be built around.
