Print and assemble colorful buildings to go with your child's wooden trains. Our grandchildren spent countless hours playing with Brio(TM) and Thomas & Friends(TM) wooden trains. Like other parents and grandparents, we bought several of the railroad accessory structures that these companies make. They are sturdy, long-lasting, and offer good play value but they are also expensive. Their cost keeps most of us from purchasing more than just a few. While researching the history of toymaking, we noticed that paper cutouts have long been a popular and inexpensive way to build toys. So, we thought, why not design some little buildings children could use with their wooden trains? And, since today's ink-jet printers can produce high-quality color prints on sturdy paper, why not create downloadable files so people can print and build their own? So, we created the Meddybemps Miniature Village, a collection of 40 different buildings that are just the right size to use with little wooden trains. Oh, and one more thing: they're FREE from Chateau Meddybemps.

Each building is presented as a pdf file and will print out on one (or sometimes two or three) 8.5 by 11 inch sheets of paper. Heavy weight (68 lb) glossy photo paper is best and will produce bright colors. 24 lb plain paper will do and is also good for making practice buildings. Follow outlines to cut buildings out. Cut slits for tabs where shown. Fold flaps, tabs, and corners to see how it fits together. Tabs hold the buildings together fairly well. Use tape or glue for permanent assembly. All buildings except the train station and platform now use several tabs and large bottom flaps to make assembly easier.

A word of caution: We recommend that you keep ink jet and laser prints out of the hands of infants and very small children. There are no warnings on the ink cartridges we use, but inks and toners are made from a variety of chemicals that may not be good for children to get into their mouths.

Some of these buildings are related to games and learning activities elsewhere on Meddybemps.com. For example, you can... Put toppings on pizzas at Pepper's Only Pizza. Decorate cakes and arrange display windows at Bobby's Busy Bakery. Arrange flowers at Merry Tulip's flower shop. Help customers pick pets in the Pet Shop. Pick out a tree at a Christmas tree farm and decorate it. Learn about German Christmas Markets. Play a color matching game at the Jolly Penguin ice cream stand. Best of all, you can have fun without spending lots of money. Highly recommended: Take a look at the handcrafted wooden trains made in America by Whittle Shortline Railroad. Many of their engines and cars use the same graphics your child sees on real railroads. Also, they use top-quality materials and methods for product safety and integrity. © 2012 Jerry Jindrich. Revised 2/1/2015. All rights reserved.

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