Did you ever collect model trains as a child? If you did then you might remember the awe with which you viewed the train as it tooted around the track. These trains seemed to be especially prevalent at the holidays and you could just imagine all the gifts that they would carry to all the good boys and girls.
Now you are grown and you have children of your own. They are interested in video games and such stuff but you want to find a hobby to keep them occupied and teach them with as well. One such hobby is that of model train building and collecting. The first thing you should do is to find a train that is acceptable for your child's age. There should be several different ones available and you can choose to allow your child to assist in the selection process as well. For example, you would not want to choose a Z scale fully wired train for a seven year old. You would probably be better off starting them out on an H0 scale or slightly smaller.
This also works in reverse. You would not want to buy your twelve year old a big clunky childish model train. Allow your child to assist you in selecting their first engine. They can usually pick out one that they like while you make sure that it is one that will be suitable. The next part you will need to decide is what sort of track layout it is that will be needed for their new train. Again, you will want to pick one that they can work easily with but not too much so. After you have the basics you will then be ready to get them started.
Allow your child to set up the train and tracks as much as possible on their own. Encourage them along the way and give pointers when needed. Tell your children about your experiences with trains as a child. Help them to understand what is involved in train collecting as a hobby. Try to stimulate your child by also picking up some books on trains as well. These can be about the history of the railroad or just amusing children's stories. As long as it can capture the child's attention it will work.
Now that you have piqued their interest you will need to keep it. This can be by any number of ways. You might offer new box cars as a means of rewarding you child for making good grade, or doing their chores. You can also offer to provide some of the accessories for different tasks that they complete and excel at. If your child enjoys watching videos then you could pick up one of several that show real life trains and how they work. There are so many ways you can incorporate different train related tasks to alleviate their every day boredom.
Before you know it they will be old enough to collect them on their own. You will have then started them down the road to a hobby that is loved globally by innumerable people. It is also a hobby that will help you to teach them different lessons such as the importance of chores.
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