BaD #7: Thomas Minis

On 02/09/2016 at 10:09 AM by daftman

As a dad of two kids under four, I'm very familiar with preschooler toys and shows and something we've really gotten into recently is Thomas minis. You're all familiar with Thomas the Tank Engine, I'm sure, and Thomas minis are basically chibi train engines. They came out last year but seem to have reached mass consciousness only recently (that's when we noticed them). You can buy them together in packs or individually in blind packs. What's cool is that the blind packs have numbers printed on them, so thanks to lists people have compiled on the internet you can actually know what's inside (though we have had a few surprises).

There's spooky Emily over on the left and pirate Salty, another favorite of mine, on the right

What's cool is that it's not just vanilla Thomas and Percy and James and everybody but there are many variations. I really like the spooky versions, like Emily dressed up like a ghost or Frankenstein Deisel 10. What's even cooler is they've come to an agreement with DC Comics to make superhero versions, like Superman Thomas and Robin Percy and Catwoman Emily. The other day my wife ordered a pack with Batman Thomas in it. Looking forward to that getting here! I have a feeling that by the time my kids grow out of this phase we will have a LOT of Thomas minis

We don't have any of these ones yet but I hope to get them! (Batman is on the way.)

Cary Woodham

02/09/2016 at 10:25 AM

I was probably born too early to be into Thomas as a kid, but I did like to read train books like The Lilttle Engine That Could, so if Thomas was out when I was little, I probably would've been into it.

All of my little brothers didn't really get into Thomas that much, even though he was big when they were kids. My brothers would've rather played Digimon vs. Mega Man vs. Metroids or something like that. It's almost like they had a big brother who had some kind of influence over them or something...

daftman

02/09/2016 at 11:34 AM

Thomas first appeared in a children's book in 1946 but the TV show didn't premiere until 1984 (just looked it up lol), and originally just in Britain at that, so I'm sure you're right about it not being around when you were young. But I was in the same position as your brothers when I was young. I have two older siblings and never liked or in many cases even knew about shows and toys for preschoolers.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

02/09/2016 at 12:04 PM

is that a Wonder Woman train?!?!?

02/09/2016 at 12:20 PM

It is! We've got one that looks like Cyborg and another as the Flash

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/09/2016 at 12:48 PM

I remember renting those on VHS when I was real little. Didn't know it was still going.

Funny how George Carlin was the conductor on a kids' show ...

KnightDriver

02/09/2016 at 04:40 PM

My sister's kids were huge Thomas The Train Engine fans when they were younger. I bet they, at age 13 now, would tell me that's stuff is for kids. Ha!

mothman

02/09/2016 at 08:45 PM

Those are very cool. Watched Thomas with my kids when they were little

PixlBit