Paper Sodor

"Best indoor activity ever" are strong words, friends, but in this case I'm pretty sure that I mean them. As I write, there are two monster sheets of craft paper taped to our floor that have been recast as "the Island of Sodor." Our paper island began as a new home for Little Brother's beloved Thomas trains, but over two afternoons and at least four hours (so far), we've added an airport, a farm, a fire station, several neighborhoods, a "UPS warehouse," a church, a grocery store, and an open range for cowboys (obviously:)). We have roads, a sun and moon, a helicopter launch pad, a dock, and three schools: preschool, high-school, and Pre-K (a class that currently enjoys exalted status in our family). Almost every square inch of brown craft paper space has been covered with color.

I got this lovely and incredibly easy idea from Liz of Say Yes to Hoboken (I heartily recommend her blog), who used craft paper to make an adorable airport with her son.  She seemed to find, as I did, that one of the beauties of a project like this is that everyone can get involved in the dreaming up and making process. Little Brother, for example, just wanted to doodle all over it, so we designated him "maker of grass and dirt" for the island.

Over the course of our first afternoon "playing Sodor," we selected trucks, planes, construction vehicles and favorite trains to live on the island (why not go all out, you know?) and then Big Brother assigned a space for each one to work and/or park. And drew the track. Then he advised Little Brother and me on all the systems he had dreamed up to make Sodor work. (There is always a lot of "ordering" with him.  Alas--I know exactly where that comes from.)

This activity was entirely age appropriate for both boys, and due to the size, they could both engage with it at their own level without bothering one another. And I could, too!  We all spent an unbroken hour and a half together laughing and playing in the middle of a rainstorm on Wednesday. And do you know what else? I had craft paper and painters tape lying around the house, so I didn't have prepare at all.  Craft paper is available by the roll at Michael's; you could also use one of the giant white paper rolls from IKEA's kids section. 

So, if you need us this weekend, we'll be playing Island of Sodor. On our agenda for the afternoon is adding clouds, a windmill, tunnels, and a waterfall (Big Brother asked to watch Thomas yesterday with the expressed purpose of finding new items to include). Here's hoping this fun activity will be as wonderful a diversion for you and yours as it was for us. Thanks, again, Liz!

Happy Friday!

p.s. You know that the Island of Sodor is home to Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends, right? Both my boys have obsessed over Thomas, and I have to admit--Jim and I love him, too. The British accents and the history of the stories are charming and endearing. Jim doesn't know this, but I'm going to convince him to ride Thomas for the second time in honor of Little Brother. The first time we did it, we got caught in a day-long downpour.