Thomas the Tank Engine Party

Thomas the Tank Engine Party
By shopgirlaudi

Invitations:
Use character invites or make your own using clipart or stickers.

Make invitations to resemble railroad crossing signs. Cut the shape out of colored card stock. Write party details on the back.

Make a train ticket invite. Cut the shape out of cardstock or construction paper.

Wording:
All aboard for (birthday child's name). Meet us at Station (child's last name) on track # (street address). Don't be late. The whistle blows at (party time). Please
RSVP to the station master at (phone number).

Decorations:
Make a banner sign that reads, "WELCOME TO SODOR".

Make a ticket booth out of a large appliance box. Decorate. Have kids turn in their tickets as they arrive. You might give them something in exchange for the ticket such as their conductors hat, bandana, and wooden train whistle.

Use blue, red and yellow for balloons, streamers, tablecovers and partyware.

Or purchase Thomas party supplies from The Party Works.

Make railroad crossing signs out of posterboard and hang on the wall.

Set up toy trains for decoration. Tie a cluster of balloons to a train.

Use white table covers and draw on train tracks with a permanent marker.

Draw train tracks with chalk on your sidewalk leading up to the front door.

For an indoor party, put train tracks on the floor using painter's tape.

You can also use top hats turned upside down to hold snacks.

Hang a train pull string pinata. This activity will do double duty as a decoration.

Enlarge pictures of the trains to put around the party area.

Give each child an engineer's hat (OTC has some nice cotton fabric ones), a wooden train whistle (Dollar Tree) and a red bandana to tie around their neck.

Cake or cupcakes:
Make a sheet cake and top with a cake topper or Thomas the Tank train figures.

Make a train cake.

Use the train cake pan found here on The Party Works or make individual trian cakes using the Trains mini cake pan.

Food and Snacks:
Make sandwiches in the shape of trains using a train shaped cookie cutter. You can also use the cookie cutter to make jello jigglers or Rice Krispy treats in a train shape.

Set food and snacks out in aluminum loaf pans to resemble train cars.

Goodie Bags and Prizes:
a conductors hat
a train whistle or candy whistle pop
toy trains
a Thomas the Tank book or video
Thomas the Tank character favor
mini can of Playdoh with a train shaped cookie cutter

You can put all the favors in the conductors hat or use a big red bandana to wrap all the favors up in then tie closed and attach to a wooden dowel.

Games and Activities:
Sir Topham Says. Played like Simon Says.

Set up a free play area with a large train track and some trains for the kids to play.

Set out some Thomas the Tank coloring pages and some crayons for the kids to color.

Follow the Engine. Played like follow the leader.

Coal Toss. Make "coal" bean bag using black felt. Use fabric glue to hold the two pieces of felt together. Fill with beans or dry rice. Finish sealing with fabric glue. You can also sew these if you wish. Toss the "coal" bags into a box that you can decorate to look like a train car.

Have kids paint little wooden trains you can get in your craft store or craft department of your store. These serve as an activity and a take home favor.

Use banana boxes or any large enough box. Cut the top and bottom off the boxes. Wrap in colored paper or paint. Use a paper plate attached to the front side to make the face. Make holes in the front and back, then pull strings through to make "straps" for the kids to "wear" their trains.