Turn A Train Table Into An Adorable Little Girl’s Play Table

So last Christmas we decided to get my son a train table…..then we decided to start our daughter on the critter castle collection, after we saw how much she loved them at a friends place.

The combination of these things got my wheels turning!  Wouldn’t it be nice for them to each have their own space to play on!  We looked at the tables that they make for for critter castles, but they were small, and expensive.  When I can’t find what I’m looking for I usually find a way to make it, just the way I want it!

So I found one of these Imaganirium train tables used at a resale shop for $20 (no trains) but that was just right!  With a little work my husband and I turned it into this!

The hubby got to work painting the table with whatever white paint we had at the house and I started covering the play surface.

I had picked up a couple yards of fabric at Hobby Lobby months before because…well….it was on sale…and…..really cute, but had no idea what I intended to do with it!

This was the perfect time to bust it out!  It was a thick almost upholstery-type fabric with the perfect girly colors and print!  I used a small paint roller and rolled a thick layer of Modge Podge onto the train table top.  I then carefully laid the fabric over the table top and smoothed it out using a fresh little sponge roller.  After it dried I cut the fabric to fit the board perfectly, and because it didn’t look perfect added a little ribbon around the edge using dabs of hot glue.  Last I added another good layer of Modge Podge to cover, coat, and protect the entire surface.  Once that dried it was ready to go onto the table.

We added a layer of lacquer to the table after the white paint had dried for protection, and I also took out the existing rope handle and added a cute ribbon handle in pink and brown!  I even lined the drawers with fancy scrapbook paper that was also modge-podged in place!

A few warnings!  The table is made of some kind of fake laminate wood, we did not sand it for fear that there might be nothing left, and there were a few spots where the paint would chip off if something rubbed against it.  Now, I have heard that there are new paints out there that will stick to anything, so if I had to do this again I would try that, but after we added the lacquer we have not had any problems!  The table top is holding up amazingly well (just remeber that the table top folds, but after your fabric is modge podged in place you should not let it fold anymore.)

So on Christmas morning we had her table all set up with her critters, and the whole table wrapped to perfection!  That was one happy little girl!  I can defiantly see a horse barn and Breyer horses on this table in the future – I think it will give her many happy hours of girlish play throughout the next few years!

I had to share this photo of Olivia on Christmas morning because 1.  She is so cute in her jammies and 2. It was such a great memory to watch her open this unique gift that we created for her that no other little girl has!