Activities for a Thomas the Tank Engine Birthday Party
If you are on this site, you clearly are a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, and if you have kids, you probably want them to be too. Here are a few ways you can throw a fun and exciting Thomas the Tank Engine themed sleep over party for their birthday.
1. Boarding Tickets
Before the party you can send invitations themed like a boarding ticket. They can have the train’s departure time (the start of the party) the arrival time (the end) and any other necessary information. For example, because it is a sleep over party you may want guests to bring a pair of Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas
Each ticket can also have a unique number on it, which can be used to assign teams when they arrive. For example, numbers 1-3 can be team Thomas, 4-6 team Gordon, etc.
Periodically through out the party, the Fat Controller (an adult or older sibling) can blow a train whistle to start a raffle. Then they choose one of the ticket numbers randomly from a box. Whoever has the matching ticket can get a prize – for example a gift bag filled with train themed treats.
2. Making Trains
Train modeling is obviously awesome, but model trains for a whole party can rack up quite a bill. As an alternative, before the party search for Thomas and Friends printables online and find ones that show side profiles of the trains. Then print these and cut them out to distribute to each team. Make sure that each team gets the character that they are named after and enough cars for each teammate.
Once each team is set with the cut outs, they can compete in making the best train. They can color in the cut outs using magic markers, crayons, or any other art supplies you prefer. Then, they can join their cars together using paper clips as couplers. The Fat Controller who has been blowing the whistle can judge each team’s creations to decide which is the best. The winning team will get to decide who they compete against first in the Chug o’ War Challenge.
3. Chug o’ War Challenge
This spin on the classic tug o’ war pits two locomotives against each other to see which steam engine can kick out the most horse power. Create a line of train tracks about 3 feet wide - these can be made out of black tape on concrete, or lines sprayed on grass with a train turntable in the middle (this can be as simple as a garbage can lid or round piece of cardboard, or as complicated as you would like).
The two competing teams stand within the train tracks on either side of the turntable and must pull on a rope against each other. The first team to get derailed (step off the tracks) or to touch the turntable loses. Depending on how many teams you have, you can make the chug o’ war a tournament, best out of three, or find a different way to make the activity last as long as you would like.
After all of the rounds, the team that wins can get to choose who will be the first engine in Train Tag.
4. Train Tag
To play Train Tag, first mark out the boundaries of a train yard (playing field) in a park or yard. The size of the yard will depend on how many people are playing, but if you make it too big, the game may take a very long time to end. For 10 people an area of about 30 feet by 30 feet should be good. For 15 people 40 x 40 may be better.
The Engine (or first player) is “it”. Whenever they tag someone, that person joins the “train” and has to hold their hand. Then they must work together to tag another person, who then also joins their train. This keeps going until everyone is part of the train. The winner is the caboose, or the last person to get tagged. This game can go for as many rounds as it takes for everyone to get bored or tired. Each time the caboose is captured, that person’s team wins a point for being the last player.
5. Settling Down
After a day of crafting, tugging, chugging, and running, most of the partygoers should have begun to run out of steam. You can cap off the party with a big Thomas themed birthday cake, giving the first slices to the birthday boy or girl, and then the next ones to the team that won the most games. After the cake, everyone can settle down by playing with model trains and watching Thomas and Friends. Before long, they should be just about ready to get some rest.
Kids have loved Thomas the Tank Engine for over 50 years now, so a Thomas themed party can be a great opportunity for them to learn fun activities that they can pass on for generations. With activities ranging from raffles to chug o’ wars, everyone should have a blast at this kind of birthday party.
