So when he was 2 years old I made him a little city, the size of a large coffee table, using all the stuff from model railroads. Grass, roads, houses, people. I drilled holes and pushed led lights through the bottom and into the insides of the buildings. I even put little monkeys in the trees and playing on the roofs of the buildings. The only thing it didn't have was railroads or trains.
Most toys, kids play with them for a while and stop and move on to something else.
He played on that little city non stop for at least 4 years if not 5. Every morning he got up and sat down next to it and started pushing his cars around it and parking them and lining them up and making vehicle noises.
I have to admit I had a huge amount of fun choosing all the parts and designing and making that little model city.
He's older now so the table lies in a corner much loved and worn and now unused but here it is: