A Child's Fascination
Thomas loves being called a 'really useful engine'
What fascinates young children in particular boys with "Thomas the Tank Engine"? No parent of a small boy should miss watching their child go through their "Thomas" stage, and the endless play they derive from this most popular and best-known train in the world.
Stop by any local specialty toy store and witness how children make a 'bee line' for the "Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway" play table. Trying to drag them away can be quite the feat; the children are mesmerized in the world of Thomas, Percy and Harold. They recreate the Sodar tales by using the wooden track, and the vehicles that have all the familiar faces from the "Thomas the Tank Engine" stories. Even at home, our kids spend hours away from the television playing and talking to these trains; and these are the same young kids who usually have almost no attention span!.
Child development experts recognize that playing with the wooden trains helps children to develop physical, social and cognitive skills. "Thomas the Tank Engine" seems to fill a need in the young child's world, particularly a young boy's world who has a fascination with motion, power, control, action, movement, and with how things work.
Research done by the "National Autistic Society" shows that many children with autistic spectrum disorders appear to have a particular affinity towards "Thomas the Tank Engine". In some instances, the train has helped children to make remarkable progress with speech and communication. Thomas was named as the official spokestrain for Autism.
So, where did this little magic train come from? A British author the Reverent Wilbert Awdry first penned it in 1943 when Awdry's son Christopher had the measles. The Reverend made up stories about steam engines for him, and eventually penned them as books. After twenty-six books, the Reverend Awdry laid down his pen.
Later his son Christopher, who continued writing stories for his own son, picked up the pen. Ten more books of the Railway Series have now appeared so far under Christopher's name.
"Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" first made their appearance on television in 1984, and famous Beatle drummer Ringo Starr narrated the series. Television introduced a whole
new generation of children to the fascinating world of "Thomas the Tank Engine" and the rest as they say is history!
Official Thomas Website
