Are toy trains safe, or is lead a concern?

Thomas trains were recalled in 2007 due to high amounts of lead, and in a California Watch article (where the photo at left comes from), a dad tests his son's Thomas trains for lead. Fortunately, the trains all tested to be safe -- although they did have trace amounts of lead in the paint.

It's a pretty interesting read if you've ever wondered how experts test for lead or if you're interested in toy safety in general.

GeoTrax coloring pages

If your train-loving kids also like to color, check out the GeoTrax coloring pages you can print out from the Fisher-Price Web site.

I can just picture an image gallery of colored pages decorating a child's bedroom walls!

The Lion of Sodor

There's a new Thomas & Friends movie out: The Lion of Sodor. It's been at certain cinemas around the United States since Oct. 2. I had heard of it but didn't realize it was a new movie; after all, the last movie (Misty Island Rescue) came out on DVD just last month!

The Lion of Sodor is playing at a theater about 20 minutes from my house, so I could take my train-obsessed son to go see it. I am still not sure if I will, but I have to say, for the price of tickets for him and myself, I could buy the Lion of Sodor DVD brand new when it comes out later on Dec. 7.

What do you think about seeing movies like this at the cinema?

Free Chuggington episode download -- and a review

The Chuggington Play Date at Toys R Us today was fun! My kids played with the Chuggington toys set out for 20 minutes before I tore them away. My younger son liked the roundhouse play set (which had been sold out at the store we went to), and my older son just like coupling and uncoupling all the Chuggington trains and pushing them along the tracks.

My first impression of the toys was OK. I like that they aren't expensive, compared to other train sets. However, the roundhouse kept coming apart, and little plastic pieces that stuck to it also came off easily. I had a hard time reattaching the roundhouse, so a Toys R Us employee put it back together. I think the magnetic method of coupling trains is easier for young children -- my preschooler could do it, but my toddler couldn't. The tracks have almost tongue-and-groove prongs that I don't think either of them could put together -- but maybe that means once a track is laid out, the kids also couldn't take it apart!

At the play date, I was surprised to receive not only a free DVD with two Chuggington episodes on it, but also a free Chuggington wall poster and coupons.

You can get the same free Chuggington episodes from iTunes from now through next Saturday ... maybe. I tried the link and got an iTunes error message: "The item you've requested is not currently available in the US store."

Chuggington has a "play date" at Toys R Us

Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 16, Toys R Us stores will have a special Chuggington program, 12 pm - 2 pm.

New Chuggington toys will be available for the first time. Kids can participate in storytime, coloring and giveaways. They can even supposedly play with the Chuggers!

I hope to go with my children and if so, I'll post a review.

Playing with Hiro

Send your pictures of kids playing with trains to kidslovetoytrains@gmail.com.

Imperfect track layout

Send your track layout pictures to kidslovetoytrains@gmail.com.

How many train DVDs is too many?

My son has a large collection of Thomas DVDs -- and this isn't all of them. In addition, he has DVDs from the Kids Love Toy Trains series as well as train travelogues/documentaries that he loves to watch. What do your kids like watching?

A real, old train

This train is at the Gold Coast Railway Museum in Miami, Fla. Send your train pictures to kidslovetoytrains@gmail.com.

Fallen Thomas

Got a kid who loves trains? Submit your photo to kidslovetoytrains@gmail.com

Toy train sets make the "hot holiday toys" list

Trains are a hot toy this year! Toys R Us has listed its hot holiday toys for the year, and it includes three different train sets.

One hot train set is the Fisher-Price GeoTrax Christmas Train, for $129.99. Kids will enjoy the holiday theme of this set, which features a r/c train with Santa, street lights, clock tower and holiday tunes! There are also more than 20 pieces of track. Not available until November.

The MEGA Bloks Thomas Mountain Adventure lets kids build and rebuild the Island of Sodor however they want, with tunnels, water tower, bridge, elevator and more. There are 160 pieces, including Thomas and Percy trains. Then, fold it up and store it all away! It retails for $99.99.

The Tomica Mega Station Hypercity Set is a fun way to watch the traffic go by! Cars stop at the railroad crossing and the train stops at the station automatically -- or kids can play in manual mode too. This is the least expensive of the train sets at $79.99, and part of the cityscape that you can build with other Tomica Hypercity toys. Not available until October.

Which train set would your kids like the most? Which train set do you think will sell the best?