Thomas the Tank Engine Birthday Party Theme

Do you have a pre-schooler who is OBSESSED with trains, planes and automobiles? My two boys have more Hot Wheels Cars and Thomas the Tank Trains than most toy shops! There is a miniature railway near our house that is only $3 for a ride on a Sunday afternoon. Each week it becomes prime real estate for dozens of fun children’s parties. So here are some toot-errific ideas on how to host your own train themed party.

Invitations for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

If you’re planning a ride on a miniature railway as part of your train party make up some pretend tickets to include with your invitation. Personalise the ticket by writing each child’s name on them and allow your party child to decorate the tickets before sending them. For a list of miniature railways in Australia, click here

Decorations for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

If you’re hosting your party in a park, balloons hung around your party area will let guests know where to find you as well as add to the party feel. Creating a personalised train station sign to hang is inexpensive and fun to make. Draw a large rectangle on a big piece of cardboard, inside write the birthday child’s name in big capital letters and decorate with train stickers, coloured paint or a photo of your child.

Snacks for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

A perfect treat for a train party is to make little chocolate train carriages: buy a packet of snack sized milky ways, pack of smarties and some tiny teddy biscuits. The unwrapped milky way will become your carriage, so using a little bit of icing stick two smarties onto each of the long sides of the milky way at each end to look like wheels. Cut off the tiny teddies legs and stick him with icing to the top of the milky way (he is the driver). Viola! You have just made bite size, super cute mini trains 🙂

Games for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

Musical trains is an easy adaptation of the well-known party game musical chairs. Instead of putting the chairs in a circle back to back, line the chairs up in the middle of the room like train carriages. You play as normal and when you remove a chair, take it from the back.

What would a train party be without a whistle? Use a whistle instead of music to play games like pass the parcel and freeze.

Birthday Cake for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

For my eldest sons 2^nd birthday I made the Woman’s Weekly train cake (you know the one on the front of the birthday cake book your mum has from 1980?) It looked great and wasn’t too difficult to make. Friends have since told me the cheat’s way to make a train cake is to buy flavoured scrolls from Coles, ice them and stick chocolate biscuits on for wheels. Most cake shops also stock Thomas the Tank cake toppers if you’re wanting simple and easy. Another option is a Cake 2 The Rescue Thomas Cake (pictured).

Party Favours for a Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

Party favours are a way to say thank you to your guests for coming, and a train party definitely needs a whistle in each party bag as well as a party blow out. Pretty much anything that makes noise is going to be a hit with the kids (the other parents will thank you later!)