Fun with the grandkids

Hands on fun!

Frank. Awesome candid photo!  

There is a lot going for simple layouts on the floor and small kids or grandkids.  That is how trains Santa brought were played with in the 1950s.  My layout was on the floor when my kids were small and many years more.

Charlie

Yeah, a lot of what I've added to the layout recently has been made with an eye toward the grandkids. Voice control through Alexa, the thunder and lightning simulation (which can be called up by voice command), and the array of buttons I've added around the perimeter to trigger accessories, all were designed at least in part to impress the kiddies, and/or give them something to safely do.

One of my great-grandsons recently visited from Florida (we're up in central Maryland) and seemed fascinated with the trains, so I'm working with his granddad (my eldest son) to see if I can help translate some of my surplus and under-utilized stuff on my shelves into a starter set for him down there.

Buck-in -the-Pines,

This is a great topic and one I hope all those that are able can add to and appreciate. When my daughters were young, they would bake brownies and we would deliver around the kitchen table by rail on a hastily assembled line.

Now, I have twin grandsons. Attached are two videos that show how rambunctious they can be but they are always happy to play with trains, whether here, or at home with one I gave them. The first is the "Skinny Pop Train", The second is what unattended young minds do when left to their own devices.

Endless

Those videos made me laugh til I had tears.  It reminded me of when I was a kid and put a dog biscuit trail leading to the tracks where my brother and I would try to hit the dogs…needless to say we were never successful but the dogs had great treats many many times

@endless tracks posted:

Buck-in -the-Pines,

This is a great topic and one I hope all those that are able can add to and appreciate. When my daughters were young, they would bake brownies and we would deliver around the kitchen table by rail on a hastily assembled line.

Now, I have twin grandsons. Attached are two videos that show how rambunctious they can be but they are always happy to play with trains, whether here, or at home with one I gave them. The first is the "Skinny Pop Train", The second is what unattended young minds do when left to their own devices.

Priceless- especially the 2nd one. Nothing is more fun that slapping some track together and letting their imaginations go.

My 2 kids had marginal interest, I'm hoping to convert grand kids one day. Gotta get them married first.....

GREAT VIDEOS and PICTURES...Great Fun

Don

@Steve Tyler posted:

Yeah, a lot of what I've added to the layout recently has been made with an eye toward the grandkids. Voice control through Alexa, the thunder and lightning simulation (which can be called up by voice command), and the array of buttons I've added around the perimeter to trigger accessories, all were designed at least in part to impress the kiddies, and/or give them something to safely do.

One of my great-grandsons recently visited from Florida (we're up in central Maryland) and seemed fascinated with the trains, so I'm working with his granddad (my eldest son) to see if I can help translate some of my surplus and under-utilized stuff on my shelves into a starter set for him down

Steve

I’m also doing things on layouts little by little for the grandkids to interact with. I added a LionChief Halloween train last year. and they love using the remote to make it howl and produce some spooky dialogue. And of course run it full speed then immediately reverse it backwards.    I set that up on a temporary 4 by 8 layout and added Dollar Tree Halloween stuff to it. That’s almost ready to come out again.  

@Buck-in-the-pines posted:

I’m also doing things on layouts little by little for the grandkids to interact with. I added a LionChief Halloween train last year. and they love using the remote to make it howl and produce some spooky dialogue. And of course run it full speed then immediately reverse it backwards.    I set that up on a temporary 4 by 8 layout and added Dollar Tree Halloween stuff to it. That’s almost ready to come out again.

Yeah, for some "hands-on" time, I did a 2D pattern that approximated the size of a simple Plasticville house, then printed it on cardstock for the grandkids to color. I also printed some doors and windows on label stock to use as stickers, then after the grandkids had colored and decorated them, I cut the flat houses out and assembled them with superglue. Voila, an instant village on my "test bed" layout!

The last two pics are of a grouping of figures I added to represent me, my son, and my great-grandson Asher (who had recently come to visit) in front of Asher's contribution, later relocated to the neighborhood MickeyD's (in which you can see the 3D printed benches I added to the bare OEM interior, and cardstock-printed serving counter pic and floor, barely)!

That is totally cool.  Great idea.  I think engaging them to participate in the layout, like coloring or painting is the way to have a lot of fun and keep them interested

My grandson, Ryan, 13, helped me change an e-unit on a 2023. When my granddaughter, Sarah, 11, heard this she insisted that I teach her to solder. Following photos are the result.

Gentlemen thanks for the model train time with your grandkids.  A great way to promote the hobby and more importantly memories your grandchildren will never forget.  My hat is off to each one of you.