My post today is a little different, as it’s especially for parents with toddlers and preschoolers. What started out as a delivery mixup, ended up being a sweet little surprise for one of my favourite little people. And when I was asked if I would write about these toys based on the much loved Thomas and Friends characters, I couldn’t say no.

What does Thomas mean to children?

Thomas and Friends have been around since many of us were toddlers ourselves – in the form of books, tv series, and toys – and there’s no sign of them becoming any less popular any time soon. What is it about this little engine and his buddies that makes them so endearing? I think the official website says it best:

Thomas is a real friend to kids. Inspired by his adventures in episodes or books, your child then lives out their own Thomas stories through imaginative train play. As a result, they begin to understand important life lessons about problem solving and their emotions. Through their friendship with Thomas, you may witness physical, cognitive and social growth.

thomasandfriends.com

Learning through play with Thomas and Friends

We should never underestimate the power of play. Little ones learn so much while having fun. The large and small engines available in the Thomas and Friends range of toys are sure to bring a smile to your little one’s face, and they can be educational too. I’ve listed three key benefits below.

• Imaginative Play – A child’s imagination is an incredible thing. With these toys, they’re able to create all kinds of wonderful stories and worlds filled with colour and adventure.
  
• Fine Motor Skills – Getting a proper grip of the actual train (in the case of very little ones), pushing it along a track, or putting two engines together (they have little plastic connectors on the ends) encourages hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity.
  
• Gross Motor Skills – Building train tracks, or “driving” their engines around the room is quite the workout, as it encourages little arms and legs to get moving.
  

Hours of fun with Thomas and Friends Activities

The website has loads of free colouring sheets, puzzles, and games to keep your littles entertained. You can find all of that here. There’s also a YouTube channel where they can watch short and sweet Thomas and Friends stories. The videos show the engines learning lessons on things like numbers, colours, and even emotions.

One of the best lessons that kids learn from Thomas and Friends is that even though they’re little, they can still do a lot. All their favourite engines – big and small – go on amazing adventures, and they can too, with a little creativity and imagination. 🙂

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, however all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.