droolicious : trains

Glow-in-the-Dark Train Set: Ready for Thomas' Area 51 Adventure

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:30:00 GMT

My eldest two boys outgrew their wooden train sets by age 5, but had this Glow-in-the-Dark Space Train Station been an option, I'm betting we could've gotten a good three years more out of their train table.

Featuring 100 pieces -- including dozens that glow when the lights are out -- the set is compatible with Brio and Thomas & Friends wooden train sets. Its aliens, rockets and UFO mother ship, however, open up play well beyond either of those franchise's terrestrial borders.

$99.99 from Organize.com.

What's Hatching At This Furniture Shop?

JeanneSager — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:26:00 GMT

If being a dad changed Scott Anderson, it was for the good of the environment.

When daughter Georgia came along in 2004, Anderson quit his job at a telecommunications firm to become a stay-at-home dad, aware that soon the family would be moving cross country to settle in the Seattle area. Creating decorations for Georgia's room that Anderson realized would have to be portable, Hatched Egg'rs came cracking out of the egg.

"After working for a number of years in a corporate environment I wanted to create my own business, but I also wanted to be very connected to my kids," Anderson says. "And I thought at the time what better way to connect with your kids than to draw silly pictures for them. At the same point I never wanted to have to explain to my kids (when they are older and start asking questions) why I used a material or a finish that hurt the environment or had the (even if it was small) potential to hurt people. So everything I designed I tried to incorporate sustainable practices (local, non-toxic, low impact, and little packaging)."

Hence Melville chairs, toddler-sized wooden seats that flip over and become chairs again, fulfilling a toddler-style need to make every side of every structure into something useful. A sizeable seat for a toddler, they last up until at least age eight as seats for pulling up to the coffee table for an afternoon of coloring or the conductor's perch on a toddler train.

"They are made from FSC certified wood, finished with non-toxic, environmentally friendly finishes (recommended for people with Chemical Sensitivities), and packaged with recycled, minimal packaging," Anderson explains. "Not only are the chairs environmentally responsible and sustainably built (sourced, manufactured and finished here in the Northwest), but they are really unique with a whole line of customizable images to adorn them with (customers can pick what colors will work best in every picture I produce)."

The same images made for Georgia and little brother Jake now grace not only the chairs but exquisite toyboxes and wall stickers made to crack kids up without cracking the paint job in the nursery.

"When I am creating new characters, I get out pencils and blank paper, for me, my daughter, and my son and we all sit at the kitchen table together and draw," Anderson explains. "During that time my kids tell me stories, act silly and create worlds of their own, and sometimes they look over at what I am drawing and laugh - that is the favorite part of my work."

Our favorite part of his work? All of it - from the green start to the grin on our kids.

Image: Hatched Egg'rs

Star Baby: Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott’s Liam is a Gap Baby

SunnyChanel — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Two year old Liam McDermott, son of ex-90210er Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott pulls off the “just got out of bed” look while out and about with dad. Yeah, we’ve all been there, the days when the kids just refuse to take off their PJs. Here Liam wears a pair of Choo Choo Train Boy PJs by Baby Gap. Those aren’t available anymore but you can pick up a brand new pair from various eBay sellers here or check out all the other cute Baby Gap PJs here.

Photo: Celebrity Baby Scoop

Thomas Puts Em' to Sleep

Cathy Hale — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Does your child love Thomas the Train? Does your child love books? Is it hard for your child to settle down and take a nap? If you answered "yes" to these three questions, I have a treat for you.

We purchased this book, Railway Rhymes, about a year ago and it works miracles. Unlike most paperback Thomas books, this one has a padded cover, thick cardboard pages and edged with silver foil. It's durable, heavy and the perfect size for little hands. The colorful illustrations are wonderful and with over 31 poems to choose from, it's a real crowd-pleaser. If you don't have lots of time, you can skip the long poems and just read the short ones. My 4-year-old will happily sit through the whole book.

I'm not sure if it will work for you, but by the time we get to "The Ballad of Henry," my kiddo is sleep about 75% of the time. Seriously! If I notice heavy eyelids during the day, I flip straight to "The Ballad of Henry." My husband and I refer to this poem as "The Ambien of Henry."

Railway Rhymes is a must-have for any Thomas fan's library and makes a wonderful gift. Buy it at Amazon for $10.

Birthday Keepsake: All Aboard!

Cathy Hale — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Add an extra pinch of cuteness to a special birthday cake or cupcakes with this Pewter Train Candleholder. Crafted of fine pewter, it's perfect for your prince. Makes a wonderful gift. Lead-free. $12 at Chasing Fireflies.

Babble Giveaway: Day Out With Thomas

Meredith Broussard — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:00:00 GMT

What would happen if you told your train-loving tot that he could take a train ride with a real, full-size, honest-to-goodness Thomas the Tank Engine?

Would it blow his mind? Would he dance around and call you the best parent ever? Would there be fireworks?

Probably. And to test our theory, we’re offering a few lucky Babble readers free tickets to the Day Out With Thomas holiday extravaganza held December 5-7 at the historic Strasburg Railway in Strasburg, PA. That’s right: free tickets to ride a real Thomas train.

Day Out With Thomas includes a train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine; storytelling; videos; temporary tattoos of Island of Sodor inhabitants; an Imagination Station; and a visit to the Thomas the Tank Engine toy store. Kids can also get their photos taken with Sir Topham Hatt (a.k.a. the Fat Controller), the Chairman of the Railway on the Island of Sodor.

To enter, email babblecontest@gmail.com with the subject line “Day Out With Thomas,” and tell us who your kid’s favorite Thomas & Friends character is and why. Winners will receive four tickets to the event.

Day Out With Thomas takes place at the Strasburg Railroad, a seriously cool vintage railway in the heart of Amish country that features impeccably restored steam engines and coaches. In addition to riding a Really Useful Engine, you and your kids can ride an historic full-size coal-burning steam train, or drive a miniature Cagney steam train built for an amusement park in the 1920s. Big kids can operate a hand-powered pump car, and small kids can “steer” a hand-cranked 1930s Cranky Car around a track. There’s even a wine and cheese car for grownups.

Day Out With Thomas, December 5 - 7, 2008, Strasburg, PA. Tickets start at $18 for ages 2 and up: buy online at Ticketweb or call 866.468.7630. Thomas is only in Strasburg for a few weekends a year; see the website for other dates and locations around the country.

Bring the Train Station Inside with Plan Toys City Station

Heather Kuldell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:04:00 GMT

Any faithful Droolicious reader may have noticed that we have a crush on Plan Toys. Here’s another piece for your children who are probably playing inside more these days: the City Station. This multi-level playset features a revolving door, check-in areas, a shop stand, a staircase and of course, two figurines to wander around the station. If you have the Rail and Road Systems, you can attach the City Station. As always with Plan Toys, the set is made of chemical-free, recycled rubberwood.

ABC Kids Expo 2008: Plan City Adventure Set From Plan Toys

Chris Ford — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:31:00 GMT

Plan Toys are really awesome. They're all made from recycled rubber wood trees, stained (as opposed to painted) and fun to play with. Every kid I think who was at ABC with their parents probably stopped by the Plan Toys booth at one point and played with their stuff. My favorite is the Plan City Adventure Set.

The Plan City Adventure Set is a play set that you can buy in parts, and the great thing about it is the tracks build out into four different levels. I can really see lots of parents and kids playing with this together. All of the parts are compatible with other Plan Toys products, and they're also compatible with Brio and Thomas the Train toys too. In the Plan City Adventure Set they drive cars and not trains (as you can see from the picture) but it you're a train family you can get trains too.

Plan City, Table $220 and Adventure Set is $190. Check out all of the great stuff at PlanToys.com.

7 Days of Traveling Helps: The Ultimate Game Book

Erin Behan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:01:00 GMT

How much would you pay for peace and quiet in the car or on the plane? $13.57 sound pretty good? That seems a small price to pay for this Klutz travel kit that comes with a book filled with just about every travel activity known to humankind, such as games, lyrics, crafts instructions, and a 100-page activity book with dot-to-dot, crossword puzzles, mazes and more. Accoutrements include colored markers, game pieces, and embroidery floss for friendship bracelets. If you're still skeptical, check out Amazon, where the kit gets pretty amazing reviews--and only costs $13.57.

7 Days of Eco-Friendly Toys: Toys “R” Us Goes Green

Lisa Mulcahy — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:28:00 GMT

Small changes can have a big impact, but when a retail giant decides to go green it creates a ripple effect that has a far reach. Making waves across the country, Toys “R” Us has announced that it’s launching an eco-friendly collection of toys that will promote “Good Green Fun.”

Natural Wooden Toys, Natural Cotton Plush Animals and Organic Cotton Dolls are the first to hit Toys"R"Us shelves just in time for Earth Day, April 22. Crafted from natural materials, these items come in packaging that is made from no less than 70% recycled material. The Natural Wooden Toys are decorated using a unique wood-burning technique, which offers a classic look. The Natural Cotton plush animals and Organic Cotton Dolls are colored using natural or water-based dyes and are made with unprocessed, unbleached and untreated cotton.

More collections are expected later in the year.

Big Deal: All Aboard the LEGO Holiday Train

Mir — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:01:00 GMT

At 965 pieces, this could be that special gift you work on each and every Christmas. (I know it wouldn't take me more than three or four years to put it together, myself.) For a limited time the holiday train is half off at the LEGO Store -- just $44.98.