All Aboard the Choo Choo Train Birthday Party
All Aboard the Choo Choo Train Party! Come on ride the train, ride the train (you have that song stuck in your head now, don’t you)?
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Last year my son Sawyer was obsessed with trains and his train table so, when he turned 3, we had a train party. I Googled train parties in my local area and was lucky enough to find a nearby park that had a miniature train that everyone could ride on. It was perfect!
Once the location was decided my Pinterest search for everything and anything train began. Kat and I used our eCraft (a paper cutting machine like a Cricuit or Silhouette) to make a train banner using scrapbook paper. We kept it simple and fun, layering lots of different scrapbook paper colors and patterns together. We used 4 shapes each in a different pattern and/or color to create the train; a large train shape, a big circle for the number to go on, a small circle for the back wheel, and the number 3. We glued them all together, punched holes in the top and and strung them together with a piece of twine.
For table center pieces we used aluminum cans with the labels peeled off. At A.C. Moore I found wooden sticks with circle, square and train shapes. The circles and squares made the perfect railroad signs with the help of a little paint and I covered the trains in scrapbook paper. I also found some larger wooden train shapes and letters to spell out “Sawyer” at A.C. Moore or you can buy them here. These pieces were thicker and had wheels. We covered them in scrapbook paper also and set them up like a train running down the length of the tables.
For the food table we wanted to add some height so we used cardboard boxes from our many deliveries from Amazon, wrapped them with different wrapping papers and added embellishments. We created two of these, each with three-tiers, one for each end of the food table.
Since we were having the party outdoors at the park we kept the food basic; hot dogs, bbq, pasta salad, fruit, chips and cookies. I added some train-themed touches by cutting the watermelon and cookies into train shapes using a cookie cutter and serving the chips in small brown paper bags that we had printed a picture of a train on or use a rubber stamp. That was our only fail for the day. Since it had rained that morning it was damp out and that made the chips taste stale and the grease soaked from the potato chips through the bags which wasn’t a pleasant sight. The bags were adorable and I would definitely use them again I would just make sure whatever I put in them in non-greasy.
For the party favors I bundled a train engineer hat, bandana and train whistle together with a piece of twine. Before we headed over to ride the train every child grabbed one. They were so cute with their hats and bandanas and we got some great group pictures.
Despite worries about the weather on the day of the party we thought that the park was a very good venue for a large group of young children. The wide open space and playground area gave them an opportunity to burn off energy which makes every parent happy, and the miniature train was a hit. All-in-all a successful party!
Choo-Choo!
this is such a fun theme for a party. You have created a wonderful memory making celebration. xo
I am so happy you joined the fun at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop. Thank you for sharing your sweet blog ♥
looks like such fun! I always have loved trains and wanted to be a hobo when I grew up lol
He had a blast!
Well done! This is so cute & such a fun idea. Pinned!
Thanks Teresa!
Great ideas for a train party. Pinned. Thanks so much for sharing on Merry Monday.
Thanks Erlene!
So cute!! Love the train watermelon and cookie cutouts, and the party favors are fantastic! Pinned
Thanks Amy!
So cute! I love the ideas of chips in bags, such a good idea for food like that so people aren’t digging their hands into a communal bowl. Once I had cookies as party favors and I realized they were leaving grease marks on the cute little bags, so I casually wrapped the cookies in parchment paper, then inserted them into the bags. So in the future you could just line the inside of the bags with parchment paper somehow?
Thanks Justine. Lesson learned, will try the parchment paper next time for sure.
That looks fun! My 2.5 year old is currently obsessed with trains. If he still has a big train obsession in February, then we’ll probably do something similar. 🙂
What a fun party! I especially love the party favors.
Thanks Rachel
Oh my gosh, this looks like it was so much fun! Pinning for sure!
Thanks Jessi.
I love this party! My son just recently has become obsessed with trains. He would have loved to have attending this! Thanks for some great ideas for future parties for him!! Found you on Merry Mondays
I love the party favors! Great pictures, cute idea!
wow, great party, wish I could have snagged one of those favors, those used to be my favorite hats as a child! Thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday!
Hi, Melinda! You have so many great ideas here. I especially love the favors. So cute! I have a house full of 3 train-loving boys, so this will come in handy. Pinned!
Thanks Blair! My son Sawyer 3 years old at the time had a HUGE train obsession. I had extra favors left over and used them for dress up play. He loved it.
What a wonderful post, so glad that I hopped over. Just letting your know that I appreciate you linking up with the Bloggers Brag Pinterest party, and want to let you know that your post has been pinned to the Pinterest group. Hop on over and see what else is there!
Thanks Jennifer!
Very cute. and everything looks simple enough to put together.
Found you on The Wednesday Roundup.
Thanks Audrey, the key is to try to make everything doable without getting overwhelmed when putting together a party.
Such a cute party!! Thanks for sharing on the Thursday Blog Hop!
Such an adorable party!
Thanks Megan!
Such a darling party! I love the favors especially.
Thank you for sharing the cutest train party ever at Project Inspire{d}! I always look forward to your link-ups!
Thanks Steph, it was such a fun party to organize and the kids had so much fun. We always look forward to your party!
I am obsessed with this party! You had every detail perfect!! Thanks so much for sharing at On Display Thursday. I’m glad to have found your blog now! – Bre @ Average But Inspired
This is adorable! Love the ideas! Super cute! Thanks for sharing with us at Your Designs This Time!
Emily & Erin
What a fun party! Pinned. I loved all the little details so much that I’m featuring it at our party tonight. Woo Hoo! We love having you be a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight. http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Lou Lou Girls
Woohoo! We love being featured and partying with you 🙂
This is SO FUN, Melinda!! Such great ideas!
Thanks Kristi!
What a fun party! I love all the little details! Thank you for sharing at our Motivational Monday party! Be sure to stop by again this week to share another post.
Thanks so much for linking up at Teach Me Tuesday last week!! I very much appreciate you!! I hope to see you again this week. Starts tonight at 8pm CST – http://3glol.net/2014/07/14/teach-tuesday-3glol-12/
Such a cute theme and you did great with all the extras!
Have a great week!
Thanks Bobbi! We will be there 🙂
I love those favors! Thanks for sharing – Hello from Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party!
Wow so many details! Great job. Thanks for stopping by the Creative Spark Link Party. Hope you link up again today! http://bit.ly/1t2Ohhl
This is such a fun, cute party. Thank you for linking up to The Creative Exchange! xo, Laura
Thank you for sharing this post at City of Creative Dream’s City of Links on Friday! I appreciate you taking the time to party with me. Hope to see you again this week 🙂
Hi Melinda! I’m currently planning my soon to be 2yr olds party and I LOVE this party! Where did you get your conductor hats, bandanas, and train whistles?
Hi Brooke, we found everything on Amazon.com. I went back and added the links to the post to make it easier for you to find them. Thanks for asking!
I am going to share your page on my website at http://www.magictrainparties.com for other parents that are planning a train themed party! great ideas!
Thanks! That will be great.