Trains at North Park

The trains at NorthPark Center in Dallas is a fun thing to do with your kids over the holiday break. The trains are set up in a store front in the mall. All the proceeds go to benefit the Ronald McDonald house.

When you walk through the train display, there are trains on both sides on multiple levels. There is space for strollers and you will find yourself lifting your kids so they can see things up high. There are also displays lower on their level.

The details are pretty great. There are little scenes everywhere you look. My boys were especially interested in anything construction-related.

The train display doesn’t take long. We probably spent about 30 minutes. The food court at NorthPark is expansive and kid-friendly.

NorthPark Center has an unusual attraction for kids. In several locations they have these large planters filled with beautiful flowers. The tile bricks are very slick and children climb up to the top, hang on, then slide down. The planters attract tons of kids and all seem to have a fun time.

More information about the trains at NorthPark can be found here.  The exhibit will be at NorthPark  November 21, 2009 through January 3, 2010.

Irony

So back a year and half ago Munchkin was driving me BANANAS with his inability to entertain himself for even 13 seconds. On someone else’s advice (sorry, can’t remember who you were, but Cruise bless you) I stalked Craigslist for a few weeks looking for the obligatory train table with some track and trains. Most of the entries looked something like this:

Train table with Thomas the Tank Engine trains. Trains include regular Thomas, Birthday Thomas, 2 Percys, Toby, Edward and coal tender, 2 James’ with coal tenders, Emily and coal tender, Molly, Rosey, Sodor Chicken Cars, Sodor dairy cars, Cranky the Crane, the Breakdown Train, Aquarium Cars, Giggling Troublesome Trucks, Musical Caboose, Annie & Clarabelle, Express coaches, Hector, Diesel 10, Hank and coal tender, Might Mack, Tidmouth Sheds roundhouse, Quarry Mine Tunnel…..and on and on and on.

I remember reading all that thinking, “Good GRIEF, people!”

So a listing for the perfect train table appeared one day for $100 and included about 80 miles of track and a handful of trains. I called the woman, told her I would PayPal her the $100 and kiss her on the mouth if she would promise not to sell it to anyone until I got there. She agreed.

We got it home that night and Munchkin went into a train-induced trance that he has yet to come out of it. Best damn $100 I’ve EVER spent, hands down.

Here is where the irony comes in. That night while DH and I were settling in, I announced, “We are NOT going to go crazy and buy every Thomas train available. That is just RIDICULOUS. I mean, NO child needs all those trains. We can get him Thomas and MAYBE Percy for his birthday, but we are NOT getting any more than that. He will be perfectly fine with a couple of trains and he can pretend he has the rest. I mean it’s SOOOO much better for his imagination and will teach him to appreciate what he has and blah blah blah blah.” I think I also said something about national security and the downfall of society, etc. Oh, I wish you could have HEARD the sanctimonious tone with which I proclaimed all of that.

May 27, 2009 – 53 trains and counting.

So much for single-handedly halting the downfall of society.

*****************

I create fun and colorful flashcards for children. When you do that long enough, you begin to see the world as a series of flashcards. Sometimes they are funny. Sometimes they are warm and fuzzy. Sometimes they are mildly innappropriate.   Come see the snark at The Flashcard Zoo Blog.