Santa trains for a 2 year old - yay, or absolutely chuffing not?

[PanettoneMoly]

DD is 2, will be 2.5 at Christmas (or is it 2.6? She’ll be 2 and a half). Her big thing at the moment is steam trains (🤷🏻‍♀️), she gets to watch 5 mins of a toddler steam train video on the TV, pushes her duplo train round to her hearts content and this makes her happy.

DH wants to take her on a Santa train, the bumf says children 2 and over get a present and to meet Santa and his elves, babies travel free, so clearly they’re set up & expecting tinies.

However I’m of the frame of mind that she’s too young/won’t appreciate it/remember it/enjoy it but I don’t know if this is a hangover from the last two years when all of those things were definitely applicable.

DD is a covid baby so I’m also wary of the temptation to go nuts and book absolutely everything in sight for her, now we’re actually able to plan things for Christmas without some kind of lockdown or various other measures in place,

Depends on the child. DD hated Santa- she hated trains, wouldn’t have sat still. It would’ve been (was a waste of time- we didn’t so a train just a Santa experience). We left!

We took our 2.5 year old DD to the Severn Valley railway last Christmas and there was a Santa show. She loved it and still talks about it now.

She would probably enjoy it but in real life steam trains are big, loud and smelly and can be a shock at first if she's not seen one in real life before.
Sometimes at Victoria Station in London they have steam trains and I can smell and hear them as soon as I walk in - even if I am on the complete opposite of the station. I personally love a steam train but I am not 2 and a half.

At 2 my child was terrified of Santa. I wouldn’t waste your money until about 4.

It costs £90 for a family of four to go on our local Santa train which is such a shame as it looks amazing

We’ve done different ones, budget ones and the more expensive ones both trains and just Santa visits. They have enjoyed the expensive ones ha! No chance they remember them much before age of 4 but we have some great photos and they thoroughly enjoyed it at the time. This year have gone for a mid-priced one, may be last time eldest fully likes the magic of it

I would go with what you can afford at 2 as very young still and maybe spend bit more in next few years

We first took our eldest at 18 months. She loved it but didn't understand it. Her sister first went at 9 months... DD1 was 2.5 that year and had ore understanding.

We think this is the last year... they are 11&9 now. But its been a lovely family tradition. We will be swapping to the post Christmas festive special aimed at adults instead. (No santa, just mince pies etc)

PILs have photos of DH on it from when he was two!

OP where are you based? If you're in the Midlands try Statfold Barn. They have small steam trains you can ride on and they do Santa experiences.

We went there for Halloween last year and it was a fantastic day out.

I would, we used to take eldest DD on steam trains a lot as she loved trains. She loved the experience. Never managed a Santa special because of the cost but from what I can gather the Santa interaction is usually fairly quick as he has to get down the whole train, so even if she hates him it won't be the end of the world!

I think there's always a danger of waiting til they'll appreciate it more and then looking back and wishing you'd done more. Kids don't tend to believe in Santa for very many years these days so I would get in while you can!

My DS would have loved this at that age.

I wouldn't do anything like polar express however you will most likely find smaller ones which will be less overwhelming for her local to you. Whereabouts in the country are you?

If it’s affordable and you are prepared to call time early if she doesn’t like it then go for it

My 2 year old DD loves steam trains, we live near a steam train line. She has also done several trips on another steam train line and no issues with her sitting still as she was pointing out signals, animals etc that we saw.

I have booked Santa in a garden centre this year though, it's the first year she has any idea and is already mentioning Santa Claus, however I can imagine her hiding and or crying and being scared when she sees him, so I didn't want to inflict and shrieks (and she really can shriek) on other passengers - with a garden centre i can walk her out if it's too much

At that age I'd say you'd get better value out of getting a normal train somewhere and going to a grotto/Christmas lights somewhere.

I love steam trains and took the kids on a Christmas one last year. They enjoyed it but to be honest the train element was a bit lost on them, any train is exciting for a two year old - you're kind of wasting your money on the heritage aspect! They got a bit bored of just being on the train. I think if where you live is set up for it, a normal train ride to a city centre with Christmas lights would be cheaper and better.

I've booked to go again this year though, purely because I like it so much and the charity that runs the trains is full of really lovely volunteers living their best lives.

Thanks for all of the replies! We’re SW London so in reasonably easy reach of the ones that go from Victoria station.

In reply to a PP regarding the noise & size, I am a bit worried she might turn tail and run off screaming, although we have a railway at the end of our street ( I know, breaking MN house buying laws) and for some reason a steam train occasionally makes its way past us and once, we’ve been making our way home from nursery, she’s got super excited and dashed off to see it so what do I know?

Is the bluebell railway still in Surrey, I went as a child (not Christmas) I would just be prepared for her to be overwhelmed, hate Santa etc. If money is tight and this is the only time you can afford to do it, I would wait a couple of years whereas if this could be annual then go for it.Before 4 they barely remember

Check out some videos of steam trains, turn up the volume and let her hear the hissing noise. If she doesn't like it on TV/computer, then don't.

DH is a. big train enthusiast and we did lots of steam train visits when DD was small and she was always fine with it. But I also saw small children crying because of the noise.

These trips are quite expensive and we didn't do them because of the costs. She also may absolutely hate the idea of meeting this guy in a bright red suit.