For my son's 5th birthday he wanted a train party. We love Thomas but everything seems so packaged we wanted to do something unique. We went to our zoo-which has a train and had him dressed as an engineer. He got to sit in the train and take his picture. Which we scanned and used for the front of our invitation- inside it said-"All Aboard the Birthday Express, (Name) turns 5 Please be his Guest". Then we listed the arrival and departure time and location. At the Party-guests were greeted with track leading up our sidewalk (made with black electrical tape), Signs cut out of poster board in "X" shapes with Birthday Crossing on yard sicks in the ground. On the flag pole we had a sign that said- (Name) Birthday Station (made out of poster board and hung with ribbon) hanging off of it an Arrival Time and Departure Time. Inside Guests were greeted with an Engineer Hat and Bandana and took their Poloroid picture in a train. (A 4X6 Sheet of Plywood that cut out a window. I painted a train design on it and they sat behind it) They left and went to the Depot. With a List of Times and Destinations (also printed on Poster Board). They had their activites-decorating a bag (to collection pinata goodies)-with train stamps and Thomas Stickers, a Jupiter Jump Train which we rented for 3 hours, Picture Frames to decorate for their picture. We did the train pinata with the pull strings which was just as much fun but not so dangerous. We did lunch and then birthday cake. My sister-in-law and myself had baked 3 Thomas Cakes (wilton cake pan) and decorated them to look like Thomas, Percy and James (for James we added a tender car with a mini loaf pan cake we baked). James was the first cake we ate because it was #5 and it was his 5th birthday.  When it was time to Arrive Back at the Station (their departure) they left with their hats, bandanas, picture frams, pictures, goodie bag of pinata goodies and goodie bags we pre-made with Train Shaped train whistles (Oriental Trading Company), Miniture Candy Bars-with a wrap with train stamps on them, Thomas coloring pages (from the Thomas Website) and crayons. Everyone had a great time and the 2 hours went by so fast.