Toy Trains

For this DIY, we’re making our own Toy Train! This DIY allows learners to work on their gross and fine motor skills while exploring their creativity! Using paper-towel rolls, bottle caps, and a few other supplies, we’ll create a toy train that will bring the spirit of our holiday exhibit, The DoSeum Express: Tiny Trains and Trolleys, into your home!

What You'll Need:

Craft tubes, paper towel tubes, or toilet paper tubes (one per train car you want)
Brads
Nail, hole puncher or thumb tac
Water bottle lids
Tape
Scissors
Paper clips, string, or pipe cleaners
Optional: Markers, crayons, colorful paper to decorate with

Tips & Tricks:

If you don’t have brads, you can just make and tape wheels from paper for your train, or just glue the bottle caps on.
You can use string or paper clips to connect your train cars together.
Cut a tube in half and fold it to look at how you will need to cut it to make a smoke stack.
Craft tubes ordered online will likely be thicker than your toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes from home, so make sure to help your little learner add holes to it if you decide to use them.
Paper towel tubes can be cut in half to make two train cars
Add a string to the front of your train car as well so you can pull it along with you for play time!
Train cars sometimes have different shapes. Consider cutting a tube in half to make a flatbed train car!
Ask your child what they know about trains and what we use trains for, and facilitate applying that knowledge to their craft.