Fun Train Party Ideas

Stop by a local appliance or department store, and ask for large, empty boxes. Use several to set up a big cardboard train in your front yard. Paint the boxes various bright colors, and cut out windows or doors. Attach painted cardboard wheels to complete the effect.

In addition to the cardboard train mentioned above, you can also use chalk to draw train tracks on your driveway, and set the cardboard train on top of them, pointing in the direction of the front door. Alternatively, you can use spray paint to create railroad tracks in the grass.

Draw and cut out different kinds of railroad crossing signs from cardboard or poster board. Use a variety of colors and styles, and then hang the signs throughout the party area.

Hang up streamers that match the colors of your party plates, napkins, cutlery, and other party decorations. For more impact, twist two or three strands of streamers together in a spiral, and then hang them along the walls, from railings, and in a cascading row across the doorway(s).

Set up a game of "Pin the Smokestack on the Train" using our Train and Smokestack printouts and a few thumbtacks. The train makes a nice wall decoration in addition to a fun party activity.

To get all of your guests in the right spirit for a train party, try calling them all to activities or to the table by blowing a whistle and/or by shouting, "All aboard!" while wearing a conductor's cap.

Need to block off areas of the house for the party? Create railroad barriers (i.e. the type that keep cars from crossing a track when a train is coming) from cardboard, and a sign that says, "DO NOT CROSS WHEN BARRIERS ARE DOWN."

Visit your local toy store, and purchase several small, inexpensive toy train cars. Place them around the party table, and let each guest have a toy train to take home at the end of the party in place of, or along with, train party favor bags. Don't forget to decorate the main table with a train-themed centerpiece.

Kids' Train Party Treats

Purchase a train-shaped cookie cutter, and use it to cut out train-shaped cookies and sandwiches.

Using a simple sugar cookie recipe, a butter knife and icing, you can create railroad crossing signs by cutting the dough into rectangles and icing on the crossing pattern—no cookie cutter required! Once the cookies have cooled, simply frost them with white icing and add "RAILROAD CROSSING" with black gel frosting.

Make a train-shaped cake using a novelty train cake pan. Or, for a simple sheet cake decoration, use black gel frosting to draw a railroad track around the outer edge of the cake. You can place one—or several—miniature toy trains on the tracks. The children will especially love this cake if there are enough train cars for each child to get one with his or her piece of cake!

You can also turn fruit into train cars by cutting melon into rectangular strips for the body of each car, and then using a melon baller to make wheels to attach to the cars. You can use toothpicks to hold the wheels in place, crossing them to look like wheel axles.

Get more train birthday party ideas from BirthdayinaBox.com.