Thomas the Train Party

Good Wednesday morning!

The Gallery Pic captures my ongoing battle with the chipmunks... I think the chipmunks are winning!

RANDOMNESS #1 - I feel the need to purchase a mum today. A burgundy mum. A big burgundy mum. It's not a "want." It is most definitely a "need." I'm 49 years-old. I know the difference!

RANDOMNESS #2 - How wonderful to watch the reunions of the miners with their loved ones as they are slowly brought out of the mine... one by one. I'm praying all 33 will be safe and reunited with their families by today's end. I cannot imagine what they have been through the past two months. It helps me put things in perspective today, October 13, 2010!

RANDOMNESS #3 - This is a forward I received from my friend, Melaney, LAST YEAR. It's time to share.

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff... including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves a new smiling face for you, and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch.

Happy Fall!

Wednesday Wisdom - The "Fruits of the Spirit" theme continues in Wednesday Wisdom. Today's fruit is "faithfulness."

“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta

“Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

“There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.” Benjamin Franklin (Mikie has one out of three... and if he says otherwise, he is in a whole heap of trouble!)

“No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.” Benjamin Franklin

“Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find.” William Shakespeare

“Faithful friends are gifts from heaven. Whoever finds one has found a treasure.” Anonymous

Thomas the Train Party

My great-nephew, Matthew, is very interested in trains at the moment. Even though his third birthday is several months away, I wanted to share some Thomas the Train Party ideas. I helped a friend many years ago with this party, but I also gathered some new ideas from other websites I found this week.

As the children arrive, give each one a conductor's hat and a sturdy cardboard Boarding Pass. The Boarding Pass will be carried from Station to Station, and the adult at each Station will punch a hole in their Pass when they arrive.

You will need to have an even number of three and four year-olds at this party (if possible). They will go from Station to Station with their "buddy." Each Station will last five minutes. At the end of five minutes, an adult will blow a train whistle. When the children hear the whistle, they will take their cardboard Boarding Pass to a Station they have not yet visited.

NOTE - You will need an adult at each Station to help steer the guests to their next Station.

Station 1 - Have a table with two or three age-appropriate train puzzles for the two "buddies" to put together. They can work as a team or individually.

Station 2 - Frost your own train-shaped cookie. Make the sugar cookies ahead of time. Have different color frosting in small individual cups. (You can buy Milo's sauce cups and lids. The frosting in these cups will be JUST enough frosting for a cookie, and the kids will not be tempted to eat spoonfuls of frosting while they work.) Have M & Ms and other small candies to help decorate.

NOTE - Decorate the cookies in individual shallow aluminum cookie sheets. It keeps the mess contained and the child's name can be written on the cookie sheet and kept separate until snack time. This will ensure they get the cookie they decorated.

Station 3 - Have a comfortable corner with pillows ready for a short, age-appropriate Thomas the Train book reading.

Station 4 - Have a train ride. Fill a wheelbarrow with quilts and pillows. Tape a Thomas the Train paper plate to the front of the wheelbarrow. Take your two passengers on a ride... blowing a wooden train whistle as you go.

NOTE - The kids love this, so at the end of the party offer more rides. Daddy needs to be the Conductor because it can get very tiring. Be sure your Conductor is animated and calls out, "All Aboard!" for each and every ride!

Station 5 - Play the game Steam Puff Toss. You will need three laundry baskets and four to five white pillows (all different sizes). Each child will take a turn standing on a line. The laundry baskets will be arranged in three different positions... one fairly close to the child, one a little farther away to the side and the last one even a little more difficult to reach. The child will toss the pillows (steam puffs from the train) and try to get at least one in each basket while standing on the line.

When all of the groups have gone to ALL five "play" Stations, it is time for EVERYONE to go to Station 6!

Station 6 - It's time for lunch! Have hot dogs (Toot Toot Dogs), hamburgers (Choo Choo Burgers) and chips (Chugga Chugga Chips). For drinks, serve soda for the adults (Train Oil) and serve the children juice boxes (Conductor Power Juice). You can use a cupcake stand and decorate individual cupcakes for each child with a small Thomas the Train toy on top of each one (washed and dried, of course). This toy will be added to their Favor Bag before they leave.

NOTE - Before you eat, take a minute to share a short, short devotion. This devotion is more of a reminder for parents. Say the following:

"Before we eat our lunch, I want to share a verse with you. The Bible says, 'Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' That means because we are your Mommy and Daddy we are going to take you to church, read Bible stories to you, pray with you and teach you as much about Jesus as we can while you live with us. That's our job.

"When a train is moving, how does it know where to go? (If you need to, help the children with answer.) That's right. It stays on the track. If the train stays on the track, it will go to the right place.

"That is exactly why God made your Mommy and Daddy. He wants us to help you stay on the right track so you will go to the right places and do the right things.

Where is a good place for you to go on your track? (Church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, etc.)

"What are some good things for you to do while you stay on your track? (Pray, obey Mommy and Daddy, listen to Bible stories, etc.)

"That's right. Let's take a minute and pray for _______________ and all the boys and girls here today."

Say a short prayer mentioning each child by name and thanking God for something specific about each and every one. (Example - Thank you for Sam and his sweet, sweet smile. Thank you for Billy and the way he always shares. Thank you for Tommy and his energy. He makes everything so much fun. Etc., etc.)

Party Favor Ideas - The children already have a Conductor's hat and a Thomas the Train toy from their cupcake. You can also give them a train whistle, bandanna, bubbles and train stickers.

NOTE - When it is time for your child to open gifts, have all of the guests sit in a circle on a Steam Puff Pillow. The birthday boy will need to sit in a chair. Remind the children they will receive a prize if they sit still while the birthday boy opens his gifts (a pack of sugarless gum, a piece of candy, etc.).

Call on a child to stand up and give the birthday boy the gift they brought. He/she can stand beside the birthday boy while he opens his gift. This will be a great time to take pictures of the two.

After the gift has been opened, the child returns to his Steam Puff Pillow, and the gift is quickly put in a large bag. The next child will be called to bring his/her gift, etc., etc.

When all the gifts have been open, quickly take the bag to a bedroom and close the door. This will help avoid MANY skirmishes and tears as the children try to play with all the new toys before the birthday boy has a chance to enjoy them.

IMMEDIATELY offer more train rides. The kids will line up for this activity!

Have a wonderful Wednesday. I have some sweet linkage and a fun date or two for Thursday's post.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda