17 Train Crafts for Preschool Kids

Trains are a favorite for little ones, and train crafts make learning even more fun. They help preschoolers explore shapes, colors, and counting while building fine motor skills. From a cardboard tube train to a colorful shape train, these projects are simple, hands on, and full of choo choo charm. Here are 17 train crafts for preschool kids that are easy to make with supplies you already have at home.

1. Cardboard Tube Train

A cardboard tube train is a fun craft that reuses empty paper rolls. Kids turn cardboard tubes into colorful train cars linked together. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a cute tube train that little ones can decorate, line up, and roll along during happy pretend play.

Paint or wrap cardboard tubes in bright colors. Lay them on their sides and add round paper wheels to each one. Connect the train cars together with string or tape. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers reuse materials while making a cheerful cardboard tube train that is just perfect for rolling around and telling little train stories.

2. Shape Train

A shape train is a smart craft that mixes early learning with fun. Kids build colorful train cars using circles, squares, and triangles. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and shape recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a colorful shape train that helps little ones name and sort their shapes as they create.

Cut out squares for the train cars and circles for the wheels. Add a triangle or rectangle on top for the engine. Let kids glue the shapes together into a long train. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers learn their shapes while making a bright shape train that turns simple shapes into a cheerful little choo choo.

3. Handprint Train

A handprint train is a sweet keepsake craft that preschoolers love. Kids press colorful painted handprints that turn into little train cars. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and makes a really special memory. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a precious handprint train that captures their little hands while creating a cheerful, colorful keepsake families treasure.

Paint a child’s hand and press it sideways onto the paper. Each colorful fingerprint becomes a part of the train car. Add wheels, windows, and a little smiling engine. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers make a keepsake while creating a colorful handprint train that records their little hands at this fun and playful young age.

4. Egg Carton Train

An egg carton train is a fun craft that gives old cartons new life. Kids turn egg carton cups into bumpy little train cars. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a charming egg carton train that little ones can paint, decorate, and push along the floor.

Cut a strip of egg carton cups to make the train cars. Let kids paint each little cup a bright color. Add round paper wheels and a little engine at the front. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers reuse materials while making a bumpy egg carton train that is just perfect for cheerful pretend play and storytelling.

5. Number Train

A number train is a clever and fun craft that makes counting easy. Each train car shows a different number in order. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and number recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a colorful number train that helps little ones count from one to ten as they create and play.

Cut out a row of train cars from colorful paper. Write a big number on each car from one to ten. Let kids line them up in the correct order and add wheels. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers learn their numbers while making a bright number train that turns counting into a cheerful little counting game.

6. Name Train

A name train is a special craft that celebrates each and every child. Every train car holds one letter of the child’s name. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and letter recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a personal name train that helps little ones learn all the letters in their very own name.

Cut a train car for each letter in the child’s name. Write one big letter on each train car. Let kids decorate them and line them up in the right order. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers learn to spell their name while making a colorful name train they will be proud to show off in class.

7. Paper Plate Train

A paper plate train is a big and bold craft preschoolers love. A paper plate becomes a round, cheerful train engine. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a fun paper plate train that little ones can hang up or use as a bright wall decoration in class.

Use a paper plate as the main body of the engine. Add a small square cab on top and a funnel at the front. Let kids glue on wheels and decorate it with color. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers learn about trains while making a big, bright paper plate train that brightens up the whole room.

8. Matchbox Train

A matchbox train is a tiny craft that fits right in little hands. Small empty boxes turn into cute mini train cars. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes an adorable matchbox train that little ones can push, line up, and play with almost anywhere they go.

Cover small boxes or empty matchboxes in colorful paper. Add little paper wheels and tiny square windows to each one. Connect them all together with string to make a little train. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers reuse small boxes while making a tiny matchbox train that is perfect for imaginative play on a small table or shelf.

9. Craft Stick Train

A craft stick train is a sturdy craft that preschoolers enjoy building. Wooden craft sticks form the frame of a colorful train. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a neat craft stick train that little ones can paint, decorate, and proudly display when they are all done.

Glue craft sticks together to form each train car. Let kids paint them in bright, happy colors. Add button or paper wheels and link the cars in a row. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers build fine motor skills while making a sturdy craft stick train that is great for play and for showing off at home.

10. Cotton Steam Train

A cotton steam train is a fluffy craft full of choo choo charm. Soft cotton becomes puffy steam rising from the train. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and a sense of texture. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a cute steam train that helps little ones imagine the puff of an old fashioned engine.

Cut out and decorate a train engine from paper. Glue a tall funnel at the front of the steam train. Let kids stretch cotton balls into puffs of steam above it. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers learn about old steam trains while making a soft, puffy engine that looks ready to chug right down the track.

11. Clothespin Train

A clothespin train is a clever craft with a fun clip on twist. Clothespins become the wheels or body of the train. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and hand strength. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a neat clothespin train that little ones can clip together and pull apart again and again.

Paint several wooden clothespins in bright train colors. Clip them onto paper train cars to act as the wheels or links. Let kids practice opening and clipping each little one. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers build hand strength while making a clever clothespin train they can clip, connect, and rearrange again and again for play.

12. Bottle Cap Wheel Train

A bottle cap wheel train is a fun craft that recycles tiny lids. Colorful bottle caps become the spinning wheels of the train. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a clever train that helps little ones see how everyday items can become something new and really fun.

Cut out a few train cars from cardboard or thick paper. Glue colorful bottle caps along the bottom edge for the wheels. Let kids decorate the train cars with bright paint or markers. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers reuse old bottle caps while making a clever wheel train that rolls right along during cheerful pretend play time.

13. Sticker Train

A sticker train is an easy craft that even the youngest kids can enjoy. Bright stickers decorate the cars of a paper train. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and creativity. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a colorful sticker train that lets little ones design their very own train with no mess at all.

Draw or print a simple train outline onto paper. Give kids lots of bright colorful stickers to fill the cars. Let them add dots, stars, and fun shapes wherever they like. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers practice peeling stickers while making a bright sticker train that is just perfect for tiny hands and busy little fingers.

14. Sponge Stamp Train

A sponge stamp train is a fun craft that turns sponges into shapes. Kids stamp colorful train cars onto paper. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and color recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a bright stamped train that lets little ones print a whole train with just a few simple sponge shapes.

Cut a few sponges into little squares and circles for cars and wheels. Let kids dip them in paint and stamp them in a long row. Add a funnel and a few windows with a marker. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers explore stamping and printing while making a colorful sponge train full of bright, freshly printed train cars.

15. Tissue Paper Train

A tissue paper train is a soft and colorful craft preschoolers adore. Bits of tissue paper fill in a bright train shape. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and color recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a textured tissue paper train that little ones can fill with all their favorite bright happy colors.

Draw a simple train outline on paper for kids to fill. Let them scrunch up lots of small bits of colorful tissue paper. Glue the pieces inside the train shape for lots of texture. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers build fine motor skills while making a soft tissue paper train that is bursting with bright, happy color.

16. Footprint Train

A footprint train is a precious keepsake craft that whole families treasure. Painted little footprints turn into cute and colorful train cars. It is a simple project that builds a really special memory and lots of giggles. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes an adorable footprint train that captures their tiny feet at this fun and playful young age.

Paint the bottom of a child’s foot and press it gently onto paper. Each little footprint becomes a train car in the row. Add wheels, windows, and a friendly little engine. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers make a sweet keepsake while creating a footprint train that records their little feet in a cheerful, lasting way.

17. Birthday Age Train

A birthday age train is a festive craft perfect for celebrating. The train shows a number for how old the child is turning. It is a simple project that builds fine motor skills and number recognition. This craft is perfect for preschool, and it makes a joyful birthday train that helps little ones feel proud and excited about their special big day.

Cut out a train engine and a few colorful cars. Add the child’s new age as a big number on the engine. Let kids decorate it with balloons, candles, and confetti. This craft is fun and hands on, helping preschoolers celebrate their birthdays while making a cheerful age train that makes their special day feel even more exciting and fun.