Why Do Kids Love Thomas the Tank Engine? | Autism PDD

Our boy loves GeoTrax, he has about every piece. He used to love Thomas but that has fallen by the wayside. He sometimes watches Dora, Sponge Bob, Play House Disney and PBS Kids, but the new favorite is the Curious George DVD with the interactive stuff.

He has ridden in coaches pulled by Thomas at "Day out with Thomas" 3 times and I work for a big frieght railroad so he has been in the cab of real locomotives [against all rules, but everyone does it ].

When he was 2, before he was diagnosed with PDD/NOS, we went to a July 4th fireworks display and he watched the fireworks while holding his beloved "Buddy" the stuffed dog, and Thomas, Annie and Clarabelle, Face up to the fireworks so that they could see them with him.

My son was hooked on trains as soon as we set up the cheap plastic battery-operated train he got from someone as a first birthday gift. I think he found it very visually stimulating -- the colors and movement. His interest in Thomas came later, but his favorite train, the one he held in his hand all day long (except at preschool) was just a multi-colored generic wooden train.

You'll find more on trains here, including links to online games, etc.

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11839&am p;KW=polar+express

My dd LOVES Thomas too. I think James is her favorite, although she
recently got Molly and she (Molly) is often in dd's hands. She watches the
show, loves the books, & playing w/ trains. We have a set at home, which
she plays a lot...but for some reason, at the book or toy store she is so into
the train table, that's all she does & gets so upset when it's time to leave.
Big Thomas fan, I like that it's a relaxing show. She also likes Diego & Hi-5,
she is a former Blue's Clues JUNKIE, & Blue is still a popular standby! LOL!we have not seen the tv show. But, we have several dvd's and all the trains and my son would probably flip if he thought there was a show that actually came on every day with Thomas in it. It's funny, his middle name is Thomas, (after my dad) and I think he things he is names after Thomas the tank engine.Rozie 4 yo likes Thomas alot but not because she likes trains. She gets very excited when their eyes move back and forth. She also likes the song at the beginning and end.Jasper HATES the shows, but loves his trains.
Though, my two close friends both have totally NT boys who also love
Thomas, just as much as J.

Today I ran across a survey by the National Autistic Society that found that 99% of survey responders said Thomas was their child's favorite character (#2 was Bob the Builder). Here's the link:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=253&a=14021

http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2134978,00.html ?gusrc=rss&feed=10

Why do kids love Thomas the Tank Engine?

Stuart Jeffries
Thursday July 26, 2007
The Guardian

When, in 1943, Rev Wilbert Vere Awdry made up stories about anthropomorphised trains, he had no idea he was creating a successful multi-platform brand. He wanted to cheer up his son Christopher, who had measles. Thomas the Tank Engine has evolved beyond the books that Awdry wrote: the little train is now a global multi-million pound franchise embracing television series, films, videos and merchandising that includes duvet covers and spaghetti shapes, though ideally not together.

This week the National Autistic Society (NAS) published a survey concluding that Thomas and his friends' adventures are educationally valuable to autistic children - helping them distinguish emotions, as well as colours, numbers and words. Earlier NAS research, from 2001, found that children with autism and Asperger syndrome have a particularly strong relationship with Thomas, identifying with him more strongly than any other children's character.

Why? Straightforward stories, overt narrative resolution, bold colours and clear facial features. One surveyed parent said of his son's fascination: "It is the faces on each engine which first attracted his interest. The expression on the faces never changes." A third of parents in the survey reckoned their children were obsessed with Thomas.

And non-autistic kids? "Boys love trains," said one mother. "My four-year-old boy is soothed by Thomas because he runs along tracks in a predictable way."

The original TV series' comforting narration, courtesy of Ringo Starr, charmed many kids too. Last week it was announced that silken-voiced ex-007 Pierce Brosnan will become the latest narrator, perhaps guaranteeing that the little train will be more beloved than ever in future.

We have never had a tv but have a monitor with a vcr/dvd. Our little guy will ONLY watch - and I mean ONLY -

Baby Einsteins

Veggie Tales

(SOME) Sesame Street Videos

The Donut Repair Club

My ds really has had little interest in Thomas. My dd likes playing with the trains - but neither of them like the DVD we bought a long time ago. And at the time, my ds was fascinated with cranes (this one was about Cranky the Crane, I believe).

He much more is into pirates!

Oh Thomas is definitely one of Mason's passions!

And it is only Thomas...we bought him one of those geotrax trains with all sorts of extras and it sat and sat collecting dust for a couple of years before I finally sold it in a garage sale last summer. But our library has a train track with all sorts of Thomas pieces and Mason plays with that the entire time we are there!

Thomas the show isn't that popular here either. They will watch it, but there are other shows they would definitely pick over it. They are usually bored and walking away from it after the first 5 minutes. They love the toys though.That is neat, but my son can't stand Thomas or his pals in any way shape or form!Sharlet likes the show, but hr attention for it is no where near what it is for
Tubbies, Booh bah's or Blue's Clues...

My boy LOVES Thomas... the show is called "THOMAS and FRIENDS" here in Malaysia. I guess again the exaggerated facial expressions is what captures their attention. My boy will mimic all the various facial expressions and it helps him to understand the feelings behind such expressions...anger, sad, happy etc

Another thing is the "slow" narration that helps them catch every word said. The background which is static also helps... that means the kids will focus only on the moving train/the one that's talking.

The colours are quite good... all the bright colours... different characters... and to top it all of... a catchy tune...."They're two, they're four, they're six and eight. Shunting trucks or hauling freights, Red and green and brown and blue, They're the really useful crew. Down the hills or round the bends.... Thomas and his friends. THOMAS, he's the cheeky one. JAMES, is vain but lots of fun, PERCY, pulls the mail on time, GORDON, thunders down the line, HENRY, toots and huffs and puffs, EMILY, really knows her stuff, TOBY, well lets say he's square!!" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > WELCOME to the Island of Sodor !!!

My sons obsession is not limited to Thomas, but any and all trains. Steam engines are of most interest, I think because we never actually see one.

My father in law is a conductor on the Metra train here in the Chicagoland area. His route runs from Wisconsin to Chicago. We have yet to take my son on a ride with grandpa, mostly because of time and distance. Hopefully, we can schedule a trip before school starts. My son will just be besides himself