All aboard! Clara is a big train fan, so we built a custom train board that brings the Barnes & Noble play track experience home.
Clara loves the large wooden train setup at the bookstore—the kind with a permanent track mounted on a pedestal—so she gets excited the instant we pull into the parking lot. Since she was given a Melissa & Doug wooden train set for her second birthday, John suggested we make a bigger, stable board so she could play at home without frustration. We looked at several DIY train board examples for inspiration, including a tutorial on Aubrey and Lindsey’s blog and a build shared on Moms Daily Adventures.
Our objectives were clear:
- Use the Melissa & Doug pieces we already owned to create a large, engaging track layout.
- Build the board from solid whitewood to avoid off-gassing associated with MDF and to keep the board light and affordable.
- Paint a playful, themed background—beach, forest, ocean—so the board would inspire imaginative stories while Clara plays.
- Use low-VOC paints and a low-VOC sealer, and fasten the track with screws from beneath to avoid strong adhesives or fumes.
Material cost: roughly $28. We bought a 12-foot whitewood plank and had the store cut it into three equal 10″ x 1″ x 47″ boards. John joined the boards with a Kreg Jig (you can use flat braces or metal strips on the back if you prefer), then sanded the surface smooth so there would be no splinters. The seams are nearly invisible once the boards are joined and sanded.
We experimented with many track configurations before settling on one with hills, an elevated section, a bridge, a tunnel, and an incline where the train can roll off the edge—Clara’s favorite trick. Laying the track out beforehand helps plan where to paint and where elevated supports will go.
To design the background, we sketched a simple map of the board on paper: light green for grass, blue for ocean, a sandy stripe between them, and darker green for forest. Then we traced those outlines lightly on the wood to guide painting.
We used three inexpensive, low-VOC sample paints—Japanese Fern, Mirage Lake, and Shamrock from Behr Ultra—to block in the main colors. Before painting the background, take a photo of your final track layout so you can rebuild it after painting. We painted the ocean first, then the grass, then the forest and sand, letting each area dry before continuing to avoid smudges.
We chose not to prime because we liked the natural wood character—knots and grain add charm. If you prefer a fully opaque surface, use a stain-blocking primer first.
Once the paint was dry, we sealed the board with several thin coats of a low-VOC, non-toxic acrylic poly (we used Acrylacq by Safecoat). Apply thin, even layers and allow each coat to dry thoroughly to avoid a gummy finish.
We decided to temporarily fasten the train track to the board for several reasons:
- Clara becomes frustrated trying to assemble tracks herself at this age; a fixed layout reduces tantrums and makes playtime more enjoyable.
- A fixed track still encourages independent, creative play—imagining tunnels, stops, crashes, and destinations—much like the bookstore setup.
- The track can be removed in the future: small screws installed from beneath the board allow easy disassembly if she wants to build her own layouts later.
After allowing the sealer to cure for 48 hours, we laid out the track and attached each piece with screws from the underside. John drilled a pilot hole from the top through to the bottom, then secured each track section by driving counter-sunk screws up into the track from below so no hardware shows on the playing surface. Felt pads were added to protect furniture when the board is set on tables or the floor.
For elevated sections we screwed wooden blocks to the underside the same way, and used small finish nails driven into the track grooves to hold the track to the blocks. The nails are unobtrusive but hold the track securely even when Clara tests the structure with enthusiastic play.
To create the piece of track that appears to run off the corner of the board, John traced the board shape onto the underside of the track, cut and sanded it to match the corner, then reinstalled it and fastened it from below.
We tested the whole assembly upside down to ensure everything stayed secure. It proved sturdy: Clara has kicked the elevated section, rolled trains down the hills, and staged plenty of pile-ups—her favorite move is sending trains down the middle hill into a dramatic crash.
Clara’s delighted with the board. She narrates journeys to the beach, trips through the forest, and adventures over hills. Because the board is flat and slim, it tucks under the sofa for quick storage when not in use—keeping it special and making it feel like a treat when we bring it out.
The end result is a durable, portable, eco-conscious train board that cost about $28 in materials and provides hours of imaginative play. Have you built any kids’ play projects recently? We’d love to hear what you’ve been making, painting, or sanding.
