[Finch]

Okay, so, my kid is the last autistic child to discover Thomas the train.

: He just discovered him (no joke) 2 days ago. So now of course he's obsessed. He's always liked trains in general (duh), so it's not a huge surprise that he likes Thomas.

So Day Out With Thomas is coming to a city relatively close to ours in late September/early October, and I'm thinking of taking ds. He's ridden on a train once, it was at the Museum of Life and Science here, and he was scared at first and clung to me the whole ride, but afterwards and every trip to the museum since then he always immediately points to the train and says "train!! choo choo!" a gazillion times, so obviously he liked it. Sept./Oct. in this area is still warm and spring-like, not too hot but definitely not cold, just right.

Have any of y'all ever done this with your auties or other sn kids? How did they handle it?

 

[KatWrangler]

My son loves Thomas! OMG he plays with Thomas every day.

 

[StephandOwen]

Sweet!! Off to find one to take Owen too. He would LOVE this!

 

[momof4peppers]

We took our typically-developing DS when he was 3. Where we were, it was EXTREMELY well organized and well run. Not sure if they're all set up the same, but there was a HUGE - and I mean HUGE - merchandise tent of all things Thomas just as we walked in (or out). There were Thomas Lego displays in the next section, then the huge rail yard of trains that are always at that particular train museum. There were vendors selling food and Sir Topham Hatt was getting his picture taken (free) with anyone who walked up. There was also a reading of stories by Thomas's "Engineer", and the "ride" on Thomas. Really 20 minutes on unnamed coach cars being pulled by Thomas. But the kids were thrilled nonetheless.

It was mini-van and SUV heaven. I don't think I've ever seen that many cars in one place at one time. Well, maybe at DisneyWorld. It was incredible. But VERY organized, and other than having to buy our tickets for our "thomas" ride, completely up to us to wander around.

 

[StephandOwen]

Okay, I just have to say WTH? I peeked around looking at different places they're having this. Most are around $16. Then I see one closest to us (still a good couple hours away). $30.75 for an adult, $24.75 for a child age 5-12, and $10.75 for a child 1-4

Wow. I found one farther away (a couple states away, just an hour from my boyfriends house) that I might consider taking him to.

 

[peekyboo]

Steph - that's probably b/c it's through the Henry Ford Museum. There's one going through Flint that's only $18. It'd be about a little over 2 hours for you to get there I think.

 

[StephandOwen]

I didn't even see that one! Doh! Yahoo maps says about 2 1/2 hours so not too bad! I still might go to the one in Kentucky though just because it'll give me an excuse to go down there and see bf

 

[sbgrace]

I'm so glad you posted this! I've never heard of it but there is one in Indiana and I think my boys would love it! We've been to train shows (model railroad) and ridden their railways which I imagine won't be even half as neat as this one and the boys have really enjoyed it. Their first train ride though (it was actually at a place in North Carolina-a really cool museum in I want to say Durham or somewhere near?) Andrew was scared but he was younger then.

 

[logan&jordansmommy]

My NT kiddo loves Thomas (well he acts like he does but he is afraid of trains when we get close). My SN kiddo could care less

Too funny. But I am going to have to see if this is coming to my area!