36 Gift Ideas For Train Lovers

Trains are a popular interest in general, but especially among children and adults with autism. I have met tons of autistic people, especially little boys, who are train fanatics. The following article lists 36 gift ideas for people who love trains. There are games, puzzles, books, train sets, clothes, and more. There are gift ideas for adult train enthusiasts as well as for children. Let me know what you think!

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Gifts That Give, Part 2: Sea Life

If you know someone who feels strongly about a cause, consider giving a gift that is put out by a charitable organization. You could just make a donation in their name, or you could buy something tangible that will remind the person of the organization or cause. Here are a few ideas for people who care about wild animals and nature. I would love to get these, and I bet any other animal lover would too! (You may want to do your own research to choose an organization you think is particularly worthy of your donation. )

Dolphin Communication Project Adoption -  This organization is dedicated to research and education around dolphins. You can choose to sponsor one of 23 dolphins. You get an adoption certificate, photograph, biography of your dolphin, a DVD about dolphins, and more. You can keep track of when your dolphin was last seen, via their website. Adoption costs $35.

Dolphin Research Center Adoption - This will be particularly exciting to you if you live near, or often visit, Grassy Key, Florida. The $50 "Dolfriend" adoption option gets you free admission for two people to the facility for a whole year, plus a guest pass, as well as the usual adoption certificate and dolphin information and photo. You also get to access their Members Only section of the website. Also, if you pay a little more money, you can do wicked cool things like hug a sea lion, play with a dolphin, or swim with dolphins!!! I wish I lived in Florida!

Loggerhead Marine Life Center Gift Shop - Really cool turtle-themed gifts for everyone. I really want the hatchling snow globe. 

Marine Mammal Center Gift Shop -  They have tons of cool gifts here, including sea animal adoption packages, toys, clothes, jewelry, and books.

National Marine Life Center Adopt An Animal - For $35 you can adopt a patient at the National Marine Life Center! You can choose who you want to adopt. Will it be a beautiful sea turtle or an adorable seal?

Oceana Adoption Program - You can adopt a shark, seal, whale, dolphin, penguin, octopus, clownfish, ray, or puffin. For $50 you get a stuffed animal and an adoption certificate!

Pacific Whale Foundation Adoption Program - This organization works to protect whales, dolphins and turtles in the Pacific ocean. You can choose to adopt a whale, dolphin or turtle for $75. You'll get an adoption certificate, the story of your sea animal, map of where it was last seen, a stuffed animal, and a tote bag, You can choose the specific animal to adopt. If you want to shell out $750, you can even name a future animal! It has to be a nice name though.

Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Cruise - If you are going to Maui, surprise someone you're traveling with, by signing up for an eco cruise! These cruises only take a few hours. You'll get to watch whales or dolphins!

Pacific Whale Foundation Gift Shop - This gift shop has something for everyone! Tons of stuff to choose from!

Sea Turtle Adoption - For $30, you'll get an adoption certificate, a Sea Turtle Conservation Guide, a membership window cling, a sea turtle sticker and bookmark, a hatchling magnet, and a one-year subscription to STC's membership publication. You can go on the website and track where your turtle friends are traveling! You can also choose to name a new turtle.

Sea Turtle Patient Adoption - When sea turtles get sick or injured, where do they go? Hopefully, to the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach, Florida! Turtles who end up there get state-of-the-art veterinary care. You can adopt a turtle patient and help pay for his treatment... because turtles don't have jobs and cannot pay for themselves! For $50 you get a stuffed turtle, a tote bag, a "Proud Parent" sticker, a photo of your turtle, and educational information about sea turtles.

Shark Angels - This organization works to protect sharks and educate people about them. For $50 you get a shark puppet, adoption certificate, photo, a shark sticker, and your name on the website! They also have a lot of cool things in their online gift store.

Dalmation Vet Kit

Dalmation Vet Kit
Ages: 2 and up
For the child who loves animals and wants to care for them, this toy Vet Kit is one of the best I've seen for the money! It contains a stethoscope, brush, syringe, thermometer, bowl, tray, pair of tongs, mirror, hammer, blood pressure meter, pair of scissors, ear examiner,and tweezers. It also comes with a stuffed Dalmation. Of course children could use this kit with any of their own stuffed animals, but the Dalmation is included to help them get started in their pet care play right away! (The medical instruments are TOYS, remember, so they do not really work. On Amazon, a few reviewers were disappointed by this.)

Spring Loaded Rocking Horse

When I was a little kid, I had a rocking horse. It wasn't just a little, ordinary horse on rockers though. It was on springs! I would climb aboard, and I could rock back and forth, with the horse's nose and tail almost touching the ground each time I rocked. I could also bounce on it. It was my favorite toy and I can remember rocking wildly on it, feeling so happy, my pig tails flying behind me.
My horse looked kind of like this.

They still make horses similar to this, although now of course they are full of safety precautions, like seatbelts and spring covers. Plus, they do extra things like make noise and talk and stuff. Here are two that I found.




Radio Flyer Blaze Interactive Riding Horse
Ages: 2 to 6 (up to 60 pounds)
This horse has a realistic mane, a brush to care for the mane, and pretend carrots to feed him. When you feed him the carrots, Blaze makes eating sounds. It has an X-frame with a step on it, so children can easily get on the horse without having to clamor and slide onto it the way I had to when I was young. You can walk, trot and gallop, and the horse makes different sounds depending on how fast you are going. Blaze is made by our old favorite, Radio Flyer!




Rockin' Rider Maverick Plush Spring Horse
Ages: 2 and up (up to 65 pounds)
Made by a company that specializes in rocking horses, Maverick has soft fur that makes him feel like a giant stuffed animal. His stirrups can be adjusted to three lengths, so that the child can continue to ride as she grows taller. If you press one of his ears, he sings a song called "I'm A Little Pony." When you press his other ear, he makes a variety of horse sounds. This horse also has volume control that parents can set if they are easily annoyed by noisy toys. (Both of these horses would also work perfectly well without any batteries in them... they just wouldn't make the noises. That might be preferable to some parents!)

Any kid who enjoys rocking toys will love to have one of these horses!

Heatable Hooty

The following info was originally published on my blog Diary Of An Alien.


At Marshalls, I found this really cool thing that I wanted to get for my nephew, which is a stuffed animal that can be microwaved to make it warm, and it has a calming scent in it. Only then I remembered that my brother and sister-in-law don't have a microwave! I thought maybe they could put it in the oven instead, but my mom said it would probably catch on fire that way, so I decided to forgo getting one for Squeak for the time being. But the stuffed animals were so adorable! And you know I have a soft place in my heart for stuffed animals. I also have a soft place in my heart for things that smell good. I am a very sensory-seeking person. So I ended up getting one for myself! Meet my new Heatable Hooty! 

Bringing Hooty home

Hooty warming up

I popped Hooty in the microwave for 90 seconds, as directed by the box. When I took him out, he was all warm and smelled pleasantly of lavender! It is really cold in my house, and even though I am wearing wool pants under my jeans and also a fleece sweatshirt, I was still really cold, so I was glad to have Hooty to warm me up! I am planning to heat him up again right before I go to bed, so I can put him on my pillow and he can help me fall asleep. I was thinking to myself that he'd probably also come in really handy whenever I have an earache, or a headache, because I can just lay right on him and let him relax my muscles.

Hooty comforts me and keeps me warm!

This is not a sponsored review... obviously, seeing as how I just told you I bought Hooty at Marshalls with my own money a few hours ago... but I thought I would post about him anyways because I like him, and some people might appreciate interesting ideas for holiday or birthday presents for kids. 

When I was looking at some of the Amazon reviews, a few people worried that this would be a really dangerous toy to give a kid. So I just wanted to point out, Hooty is not necessarily meant to be a toy. He's more of a comfort item. He'd make a nice stuffed animal even if you didn't heat him up. But definitely, if he's going to be heated, an adult should do the heating. If Hooty gets too hot, and your child cuddles him, obviously there is a burning risk. So make sure to follow the directions for microwaving, and don't put him in there for too long. I put him in for a minute and a half, and he was nice and toasty. If you're microwaving him for a child, make sure to test him to make sure he's not too hot. His stomach seems to get the hottest, so pay special attention to that area. I also shook him around a little to mix up the material inside so there wouldn't be any super "hot spots." 

Okay, now you can mock me for being like a little kid and getting a stuffed heatable animal! You know you would enjoy one too. He smells so nice, even now that he's cooled off, and he's so soft and squishy!

Another thing I just thought of... I like the smell of lavender, but not everyone does. I think the company chose lavender as the scent because it is a naturally calming aroma. A lot of baby lotions made with natural ingredients use lavender, especially those meant to help the baby fall asleep or be comforted. But if a child hates the smell, or is really sensitive to it and gets headaches or something, it won't work! So you might want to check before you get this as a gift for a child you don't know well.

Raised Line and Braille Coloring/Paint Book

Raised Line And Braille Coloring and Paint Book
Ages: 2 and up
This is a coloring book that is great for blind children or children with visual impairments, because the raised lines show them where the picture is. It is also great for any children with sensory needs, and children who need to practice fine motor skills, because the raised lines can help them have more control over where they are coloring. The thick pages can be used with crayons, markers, water colors, Do-A-Dots, etc. There are only 12 pictures in the whole book, so you might want to buy Book 2 as well.

Mozart Magic Cube

Mozart Magic Cube
Ages: birth and up
This is marketed for infants and toddlers, but I can see how it would work well as a calming toy for older children as well. Each side of the cube has a large button. When pressed, it will play a classic Mozart song. (By the way, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is actually a Mozart tune.) Lights flash in rhythm to the music. After you've chosen a song, if you push any of the other sides of the cube, another instrument chimes in. Watch this video to see for yourself!

Wooden Marble Tree

Wooden Marble Tree
Ages: 3 and up
Similar to a marble run, this toy involves placing marbles at the top of the tree and letting them roll down through all of the levels. But this toy is different from other marble runs, because the leaves make musical tones as the marbles land on them. This toy can help kids with fine motor skills, as well as giving them visual and auditory stimulation. Who wouldn't like this? Click this video to see and hear what the marble tree does!

Magnatab

Magnatab
Ages: 3 and up
This is a cool tool for helping kids practice their fine motor skills and handwriting. It is a board with the alphabet on it. Underneath the board are lots of little metal beads. Using a magnetic stylus, you trace each letter. As you trace, the little beads pop up, showing your work. When you're ready to erase, you just use your finger! The idea is that the feeling of the magnetic pull will help kids develop muscle memory for writing their letters. I can't guarantee all that... but I do think that this is a fun way to practice handwriting! You can also get Magnatabs for lowercase letters, numbers, cursive uppercase letters, and cursive lowercase letters.

Watch this video to see how the Magnatab works!

Braille and ASL Blocks

Braille and ASL Blocks
Ages: 2 and up
Is there anyone out there who did not have a set of alphabet blocks when they were growing up? You know the kind I'm talking about, right? Well, the future of alphabet blocks is here!
On one side of each block is a letter of the alphabet, printed on the block in the traditional way that we've all seen before on alphabet blocks.
On another side is the letter, embossed so that a person can easily trace it with their fingers, as well as the braille cell for that letter.
On still another side is a picture of the letter being formed in American Sign Language.
Since it is a block, there are three more sides, at least one of which has a number. At least some of the blocks have an arithmetic symbol, like a plus or minus sign, so that you can even use them to practice math problems!
I should also mention that they are made from sustainable Michigan basswood.
If you ask me, these cool blocks are worth the price. Every child should have these!

Worry Eater

Worry Eaters
I deal with alarmingly high levels of anxiety. I have experienced this since I was a little kid. I don't think a Worry Eater would cure my anxiety, but it really might help! It is a little stuffed monster with a mouth that can be zipped open and shut. You can write your worries down on a piece of paper, "feed" it to the monster, and then zip it shut. This is a great way to symbolically set aside your worries for a while. The visual and kinesthetic experience can help children learn to manage their anxiety. There are eight of these monsters to choose from: besides Schnulli, there is Polly, Saggo, Enno, Flamm, Bill, Betti, and Flint.

I did find this kind of humorous disclaimer on the Haywire website: DISCLAIMER: The toy does not take away the worry, literally. The phrases “we eat your worries” and “worry eaters” are not used in the literal sense to indicate that the worry will be taken away. The phrases are used in the non-literal sense to be rhetorical or whimsical. The toy will not eat the child’s worry. The worry will not be gone forever. The toy is not a replacement for sound and compassionate psychological support by a professional or a trusted adult. 

Keep that in mind, folks.  

Organs

You've seen stuffed doggies, stuffed kitties, stuffed teddy bears... but what about a stuffed heart, a stuffed brain, or a stuffed gallbladder? These were created to be lighthearted gifts for people who were ill. Imagine your grandfather just had a heart attack, and you bring him the stuffed heart! It would be good for a chuckle, and a lot more memorable than a bouquet of flowers or a mushy card! However, kids and adults who are interested in anatomy will also love these weird plush toys.
Besides the stuffed heart, you can get a brain,  gall bladder, pancreas, colon, lungs, appendix, spleen, bladder, intestines, liver, and even a rectum or a uterus! Who could have imagined?

Cloud b Night Light

This is another thing I wish I had. Many people with various special needs have trouble falling asleep at night. Our minds tend to go to quickly, or our bodies have too much energy, or both. It is a good idea to do as much as you can to create a calming, pleasant sleeping environment. I love the idea of a Cloud b night light. They are meant for children as young as birth, but can definitely be enjoyed by people of all ages. Here are some of the different types they have available.




Tranquil Turtle
This turtle projects an underwater effect around the room. It also has a sound machine that can play either a lullaby, or the sound of ocean waves.



Twilight Buddies
These animals project constellations onto the ceiling and walls. They come in many different options, including alligator, bunny, hippo, ladybug, horse, pegasus, unicorn, blue turtle, mocha turtle, and purple turtle. Some of them are cheaper than others. The least expensive one I found was the ladybug, which was just under $27. The most expensive one was the original, the mocha turtle, which was $56. I don't know why... they all seem to do the same things!

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Twinkles To Go Octopus
This is a smaller, less expensive, more portable version of the Twilight Buddies. It projects stars on the ceiling and walls as well. You can also buy it in pink.


Stay Asleep Hedgehog
This hedgehog does several things.  First of all, unlike a regular night light, you can snuggle with it. At night, it glows with a calming amber light and plays a lullaby. It has a timer to shut it off after 45 minutes. Throughout the night, it can be reactivated if the baby wakes up and starts to move around. In the morning, it glows green and plays a cheerful "Wake up" song. Very awesome!


Twinkling Firefly 
This one is another snuggly nightlight that can get in bed with you. It's belly twinkles! It has two sound options... rain with crickets chirping, or a lullaby. You can also choose to turn the music off and just have the twinkling lights. It also has a timer to shut itself off after 45 minutes.


Glow Cuddles Bear
This one may be my favorite, and not just because I have a soft spot for teddybears. This bear has a heartbeat! (You can also put it on vibrate instead.) He  glows softly. The heart can be removed so that you can machine wash the bear. There is a bunny version as well. LOVE IT!


Twilight Sunshine Owl
I don't know why this has the word "sunshine" in it, because it is really for night time. It projects stars onto the walls and ceiling, cycling through the colors blue, green and red.

Whichever one of these you choose, it will be sure to help provide a comforting night of sleep!

Smanimals

Smanimals Scented Stuffed Animals
Ages: 3 and up
Aaaaaaah! I need to stop finding things that I love! Why didn't they have these when I was young? Is it too late for me to ask for one of these>
A Smanimal is a stuffed animal filled with scented eco-friendly ceramic clay beads. The scent is guaranteed to last at least two years! Each animal is about six inches tall, and comes in it's own egg for you to "hatch." 

There are a whole bunch of animals, each with their own scent. I wish I could smell them through the computer! Besides the one that is listed above, there are...
A chipmunk that smells like mint chocolate 
A llama that smells like pink lemonade
A dinosaur that smells like sour apple
A kangaroo that smells like rootbeer
A crocodile that smells like pickles
A bear cub that smells like strawberries
An orangutan that smells like oranges
A cockatiel that smells fruity and
A panda that smells like pears. 

Somebody send me one of these! Uh... so I can give it to a little kid. Yeah. A kid. 

Train Poster

Many kids and adults like to memorize the names of, and information about, the things they are interested in. With an educational poster about trains, the train lover in your life can memorize to his heart's delight!



History Of Trains Poster
This one shows all of the different trains throughout history, as well of other information about trains.




Modorn Locomotives Poster
This one focuses on modern locomotives.


Both posters are 24x36, and would make a great addition to a bedroom or playroom for someone who is interested in trains!

Train Engineer Costume

Aeromax Jr. Train Engineer Costume
Sizes 4 to 10
For the train lover who dreams of being an engineer, it can be a lot of fun to dress like one! This costume, which comes in three different sizes, includes striped overalls and a matching hat, a red bandanna, and work gloves. It could also be used as a Halloween costume, but many kids might like to wear it all year round!

Train Crossing Sign

Train Crossing Sign
Who wouldn't want their very own train crossing sign? This sign also has flashing lights, just like a real one, and makes sounds like an oncoming train. (The sound can be turned off for those with sensitive ears.) Use it as a bedroom decoration, or add it to a train table!

Bubble Blowing Steam Locomotive

Steam Train Locomotive Bubble Blowing Bump And Go
Ages: 2 and up
This train is a lot of fun. Not only does it run by itself on a smooth surface, turn itself around when it bumps into something, and make music as it goes, but it also blows bubbles out of its smoke stack! It includes the bubble solution to get you started, although once you run out you can use any bubble solution you have on hand. It also includes a funnel to help fill the train with bubble solution without spilling any. I love watching this little train in action!

Train Set

Many children love trains! Train sets have been classic toys, probably since the time when trains were first invented! Chances are, you have a train lover in your life. Here are a few train sets that I think are pretty awesome!


Orbrium Toys Wooden Train Set
Ages: 3 and up
The cars on this train connect to each other with magnets. The train works well with most wooden tracks, including Thomas The Train, Chuggington, and Brio sets. You can add these cars to your existing train set to make a longer train, or just use them on their own! I like them because they are made of wood, brightly colored, and just look like fun.
 (If you don't already have a train track, here is a basic one that works with all of the above mentioned train sets, including this one.)



Want to get a little more serious with your gift giving? This is another Orbrium train set, but this one has 100 pieces, including the train tracks, train cars, vehicles, bridges, buildings, trees, and road signs!






Littler train lovers will enjoy My First Number Train. It includes a toy Duplo person and a toy dog to ride on the train! This is a good toy for children ages 1 through 5.





If you're looking for a more modern train set, try the WolVol Train. It does not need a track, and it runs on its own. It plays music, makes train sounds, and displays a colorful light show. When it bumps into something, it will turn and go the other way! This train does not require much imagination, which is why it is not one of my favorites... but I have to admit, it is cool to watch!


For the older and more serious train lover, the Bachmann Trains Thoroughbred Ready-to-Run HO Scale Train Set is a realistic model train set. It has a train track, plus a locomotive with a working headlight, two train cars, and a caboose. It also has controller switches where you can make the train go forward, reverse, pick up speed, or slow down. Of course the company sells additional items that can be added to the train, so this can be the beginning of a collection for a train lover!



Have fun with your trains!

Discovery Kids Extreme Weather Tornado Lab

Discovery Kids Extreme Weather Tornado Lab
Ages: 4 and up
This is not really a lab, but more like a display where you can view a miniature tornado in action. You can push buttons to control the speed of the tornado, and watch how it effects the little balls and foam squares inside it. You can look through the top of the container to get a birds-eye view of the vortex. It also makes tornado-like sound effects. One Amazon reviewer wrote, ."My 14 year old son has who has Autism is a very big fan of this tornado toy. He's always talking about tornados and when he got this for Christmas he was soooooooo happy. It spins so well and makes tornado noise like sounds." I think this would be a lot of fun to have!
Here is a video of a family that got a little creative with their Tornado Lab!