My twins were were obsessed with all things trains when they were toddlers. They built tracks and choo chooed the length of the house. They donned little engine hats and tooted whistles.

We also read Freight Train by Donald Crews about a million times. This classic is the perfect blend of simplicity and detail that is soaked up by the reader and it fit well with their interest in all things trains.

This inspired the foam train.

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How to Make DIY Foam Train

Do you know about the magic of foam is that, when wet, it will stick to your bathtub.

We have used this to our advantage in several ways, but most recently to create a tub train for counting.

Materials

*Foam

*Scissors

*Sharpie

How to Make a Counting Train

1. Draw a rough train shape onto the foam. I free handed this and honestly it does not have to be perfect. Just the general shape.

2. Cut out the train engine and train cars.

3. Write numbers and dots for counting directly onto the foam with a sharpie.

Or the Name Train Alternative

1. Cut train shapes out of your foam. I did this free hand while looking at a Thomas train for inspiration. Don’t worry about this being perfect. The general shape is great.

2. Write the letters of your child’s name on the cars. I put the first letter of each of their names on an engine and then the letters of their names on cars alternating orange and white.

TIP: If you are doing this activity with one child, considering adding a few extra letters or your name to make it a little more difficult.

Activity

Bring them out at bath time.

Put the foam train engines on the wall of your tub and the other cars in the bath water.

Encourage your preschooler count the trains or identify letters, build their names, and put them in order.

My kids took them down and practiced putting them back in order. Then they drove the trains around the tub.

Clean Up

Leave your trains on the wall of the tub or let them dry on a towel and pack them away for another day.

A-Z Play at Home Ideas

This post is part of the A-Z Play at Home series of awesome, easy play ideas hosted by Nadia on Teach Me Mommy. Here are some more ideas for the letter T.

• Tin Towers Bowling Game from Teach Me Mommy

And some holiday themed T ideas…

• Tealight Halloween Decorations from The Gingerbread House
• 5 Best Children’s Books about Being Thanksful from My Storytime Corner
• Christmas Tree Story Time + 3 Tree Invitations from My Storytime Corner

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