Reading the book and watching the movie of The Polar Express is a holiday tradition in our home. This year we decided to invite some friends and make it a party!
Wear Pajamas–The kids in the movie were wearing pajamas, so we all did too. What could be better then snuggling up in cozy pajamas with your blankets and pillows to watch a good movie?
Tickets, Please–If you want to ride the train, then a ticket is required. We got the template for our tickets from this helpful packet.Ride the Train–When our friends arrived we handed them a ticket, then we all boarded the train for a ride to the North Pole. Our train was just the kitchen chairs arranged in train style seating, but we chug-chugged and pretended we were looking out the window at the snow capped mountains.
Bells–The bell is a central element of the story. Our train took a short detour to make sure each passenger was properly equiped with a bell. A string threaded through the bell makes a great necklace (incidentally, the Ant Bug has been wearing her bell necklace since Saturday).
Lights, Camera, Action–We parked the train at a safe location and settled in to watch the movie, with the lights from the Christmas tree setting the mood.Snack Time–don’t forget the treats! Our stomachs were content with popcorn, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and a few M&Ms.
Looking for more ideas? Check out this helpful packet from Houghton Mifflin which includes more party ideas, a crossword puzzle, word search, mazes and more.