Train gifts for toddlers?

the_why_bird

My almost 2 year old daughter and her almost 3 year old (male) cousin are being treated to a Santa Train ride by their grandparents.

I'd like to send a little gift bag each for them to play with during the long drive to get there and while waiting for the train, any suggestions?

They need to be smallish, non-messy and ideally have several different things to keep them amused. Budget £30 for both.

I thought some stickers, some colouring pages with trains and some crayons, a little wooden train each.

Does anyone know of any good picture books about either trains or Father Christmas? Preferably something with just a few words on each page, but still telling a story.

Thanks!

augustsmummy

What a lovely idea.
Have you considered a personalised train set? Like These :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-Wooden-Alphabet-Name-Train-Letters-Personalised-Names-as-Children-Gift-/400593851202?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&var=&hash=item5d45411342
They look very nice on display - my daughter has one, though we bought it at a Christmas market.
Homebargains have some good Christmas activity books for about 69p each - which always go down well with my 2 on Christmas eve.
My local Poundshop had a Thomas the tank engine seasonal book in store, which was a hard back book with activities and stories in - all train related.
Poundworld also had Christmas books in.
If you want to print your own colouring sheets http://www.thomasandfriends.com/en-ca/activities/index.html?login=n has lots of free printable colouring sheets with trains on.
HTH

Chris25

there are also printable Polar Express tickets online - might be able to play around with one and put in the name of the railway your children are taking a trip on?

zanuda

Buy them Thomas-and-friends trains from "take-n-play" range. It's iron-cast and last for ages. It used to be called "Take-n-play" and our ToysRUs still have the end stock on 1/2 price (not all of the engines). Anyway, check out what their favourite episodes/engines and buy engines accordingly. They might already have some -check it out. Eventually it's possible to byu some tracks and buildings for this range, but my kids didn't play much with that. They prefer the wooden one. Another thing - wooden thomas. It's not that nice but the engines compatible with other wooden tracks, so check it out what they already have. And for kids it doesn't matter that there are no Santa over there.

Buy the way there are several winter episodes with Thomas cartoon series and I think, they might have it in small books as well. Definitely on DVD.

the_why_bird

Thank you for these great ideas.

I went to poundland today and got some little wind-up trains that run round a little track, as well as light-up santa bouncy balls. I got some really nice quality train themed sticker books from amazon for £3 each with free postage too.

I will definitely check if there are any of those thomas toys in our local toys r us.

cef66

If there is a CD player in the car how about a disc with some of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories, or the Underground Ernie series from Cbeebies, for them to listen to for some of the journey.