This great idea comes courtesy of a neighbor of mine. She is a stay at home mom with one school age boy and a darling two-year old girl. This mom, like many parents, is always looking for inventive and free (or at least very inexpensive) family fun. She recently shared with me a great lunchtime activity that she had just recently enjoyed with her two children. It was around 11 a.m. on a Saturday and the kids were getting rather bored with being in the house. Her answer to this childhood midday malaise? She packed up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, juice boxes and some yummy treats then took a short drive to our local train station. Once there, the family was able to enjoy a completely cost-free railway experience. They spent about 45 minutes hanging out in the car bouncing along to a Justin Roberts CD and watching the Amtrak Acela trains whiz by so fast you could barely see anything more than a silver sheen passing in front of your eyes. They also saw several local commuter trains stopping to let passengers off and pick up more folks, carrying them away to a new city.
The three of them were beneficiaries of some great and free entertainment. This activity is so awesome for stay at home parents and their kids because the main attraction is available, usually, at numerous times during the day – thus fitting into anyone’s timetable. Having a picnic lunch in the car (to stay safe) while parked at the local train depot is sure to be a thrill for your little train lover.
If you want to spend a few dollars and up the ante on the fun, you could always buy a couple tickets and have lunch on the train. Imagine the look on your train enthusiasts’ face when you go from lazily lounging around the house to riding a train within minutes!
This idea can be easily transferred to a small regional airport, waterfront port, etc. Any mode of mass transportation is sure to delight a youngster and be very easy on the pocketbook!