One of my favorite toys of 2018 thus far is one that’s perfect largely because of just how simple it is. The Simplay3 Carry & Go Track Table is a one-piece, 2-in-1 play space for cars, trucks and trains. The first side is an off-road race course that’s filled with hills, valleys, curves, ramps and straightaways. Flip it over and you have a train table with built-in universal tracks, a figure-8 layout and a lake and quarry in the middle. With its lightweight plastic construction and molded-in handle, kids can easily carry this themselves, and because it’s only 4″ tall, the design is truly space-saving – easily stored underneath a bed or in a closet. I caught this on-display at the 115th North American International Toy Fair in NYC back in February, after which we received one for review in The Toy Testing Facility at Rock Father HQ. Check out the video below to see this in-action!
The universal nature of this set makes it perfect for all of your kid’s vehicles. Whether you have Hot Wheels or Matchbox Cars, monster trucks, wooden trains, diecast trains or just about anything else, the Carry & Go Track table is a backdrop for adventure. In the video above, little Finley shows off several different pieces of her collection, with Hot Wheels Monster Jam monster trucks, Star Wars Hot Wheels All-Terrain Character Cars, Shopkins Cutie Cars, Thomas the Tank Engine, Chuggington, Dinosaur Train and Blaze and The Monster Machines characters all cross-pollinating for some quality imaginative play.
Made in the USA at Simplay3’s headquarters in Streetsboro, Ohio, there’s no assembly required – just a few colorful decals that a grownup will have to adhere. Another interesting point to note is that Simplay3 often includes information about the design and development of their toys right on their website. In this case, the goal was to create something easily stored without sacrificing play value – but easily portable for on-the-go families. One of the drawbacks that often deters families from purchasing a train or track table is the size, and this takes care of that.
And the off-road design of the race course? That was inspired by the designer’s own love of motocross. The end result is a table with lanes designed to accommodate most wooden trains and small-scale vehicles.
The Simplay3 Carry & Go Track Table is available now direct through the manufacturer or through Amazon (affiliate) with an MSRP of just $39.99.
