San Diego Model Railroad Museum and 20+ Terrific Train Ideas for Kids
Tucked into the lower level of the Casa de Balboa Building on the Prado in Balboa Park is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Don’t let the basement entrance fool you, at 27,000 sq. ft., it is the largest such indoor model train exhibit in North America, and one of the largest in the world.
Trains have been an interest in our house for a long time. My son fell in love with Thomas the Tank engine when he was about two and from there he dove into all things trains. By 3 he could tell you not just the name and type of every engine on the island of Sodor, but also everything from how a diesel engine worked to how fast a bullet train could fly down it’s rails. Whether you have a Thomas the Tank engine fan or a grandparent with a lifelong love of model trains or someone somewhere in between, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has something for everyone.
Also Read: In Depth Look at Balboa Park for Families
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
If you have a train fan in your family, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is not to be missed. It is wonderful for all ages – from toddlers all the way through grandparents. All train enthusiasts are welcome.
Basic Information:
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
1649 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
Check the website for current hours and pricing. Right now (Summer 2021) they are only open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11am – 4pm. Note: there is a military discount and the SD Model Railroad Museum is included if you have the Balboa Explorer Pass.
If you’re visiting the Railroad Museum as part of a vacation, make sure to check out the Go City pass. This is one of the included museums. You can save up to 50% on a ton of museums and attractions using GoCity. Learn more here.
Website: https://www.sdmrm.org/
Tips for Visiting with Kids
- Come early. Like all things, it is less crowded the earlier you go. There was a small line when we arrived shortly before opening but once inside, even on a summer day, it didn’t feel overly crowded.
- If you have kids over about 7 years old, I highly recommend the scavenger hunt. You can pick it up just inside the entrance, after you’ve paid. There is a little stand in front of the end of the first exhibit when printed scavenger hunts. It helped my kids slow down and really look at all the incredibly detailed miniature worlds.
- Bathrooms are located outside the entrance, down the hall from the Model Railroad Museum. I had my kids try before we entered.
- If you’re there with smaller kids who don’t have the attention span to check out every single inch of the museum, make sure you don’t miss the outside area with the tram and the toy train room. Both are at the back of the museum.
- In the toy train room Thomas runs around the bottom of one of the exhibits. He’s the perfect height for tots and there’s a button you can take turns pushing to make him go.
- The whole museum is very kid friendly with interactive elements and steps for kids to get up higher for a better view.
Trains of all sizes. Fantastic details in the scenes around them. Interactive elements. Enthusiastic employees and volunteers. It is a really fun place to visit.
Terrific Train Ideas for Kids Who Love Trains
When my son was a preschooler he could not get enough of trains. We read all the train books. We rode all the nearby trains. He toddled around in his Thomas the Tank Engine boots and train engineer hat everywhere we went. If you have a kid in this phase, then a visit to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is perfect, but what about when you get home? Here are some of our favorite ways to extend train play and learning after a fun field trip like visiting SDMRM.
Ideas from San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- The San Diego Model Railroad Museum has a special page on their website for kids. It has storytime videos you can watch, coloring pages to print and more.
- Thomas Fans! There is also a Thomas Page on their website that allows you to explore the Island of Sodor and More.
Literacy Activities
3. Read books about trains. This Ultimate List of Picture Books about Trains from My Storytime Corner is a great place to start.
4. Alphabet Train from Teach Beside Me
5. Freight Train Name Craft from Clare’s Little Tots
6. DIY Foam Train for Easy Bathtime Fun and Learning from Bambini Travel (also works with numbers!)
Math Activities
7. Train Carriage Counting Game from Rainy Day Mum
8. Transportation I Spy and Graph Printable from School Time Snippets
9. Chocolate Train Cookies from Inspiration Laboratories
10. Geometric Shapes Train from Mama Smiles
11. Train Track Card Game for Preschoolers from Preschool Powol Packets
Science, Technology and Engineering Activities
12. Transportation Playdough Mat from The Moments at Home
13. Transportation Sand and Water Play from My Bored Toddler
14. Fingerprint Train Ornament for Kids from The Educators’ Spin On It
Art & Fine Motor Activities
15. Freight Train Drawing Prompts from My Storytime Corner
16. Painting with Trains on Canvas by Play Trains
17. Build a Train from School Time Snippets
18. Train-Themed Unwrapping by Craftulate
19. Transportation Connect the Dots by Craftulate
Movement Activities
20. Easy DIY Paper Train Table for Kids from Toddler Approved
21. Polar Express Storytime with Yoga Routine from My Storytime Corner
