The Toy Train
The Toy Train: find 5 differences in two pictures, then color. Free printable activity for ages 4–7 with instructions and answers.
- 👶 Age
- Ages 4–7
- ⭐ Difficulty
- Medium
- ⏱️ Time
- 10–20 minutes
- 🕵️ Collection
- Spot the Difference & Color
- 🎯 Theme
- The Toy Train
About this activity
A little locomotive pulls a carriage along a straight track. Check the engine, the carriage and the scenery for five differences before coloring a train ticket in your imagination.
Skills this page builds
- Visual comparisonMatch the same part of the scene in both pictures before moving on.
- Spatial languageExplain where a change appears using above, below, left and right.
- Pencil controlCircle a small detail and color within the outlines at your own pace.
How to do this activity
- Print or save the sheet. There are 5 differences to find between the left and right pictures.
- Compare matching areas from top to bottom. Look for missing objects, different shapes or changed numbers.
- Circle each difference in one picture. Count each changed detail once, even if you mark both pictures.
- Check the answers below together, then color the pictures however you like.
- Invent one extra difference: draw a small new detail in just one picture and challenge someone to find it.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Follow the train from its front to its last carriage. Ask which features help you recognize the same part in both pictures.
- Take turns describing clues without pointing straight at the answer. There is no time limit; pointing is enough for a child who cannot yet write.
- Where would you like this train to take you?
Frequently asked questions
Should we color before or after finding the differences?
Compare the uncolored pictures first so that your own colors do not create extra differences. Color freely after the search.
Does circling the same detail in both pictures count twice?
No. Each changed detail counts once. This sheet has 5 differences; the openable answer list describes all of them.
Answers for parents and teachers
- The tall chimney on the left becomes a small rounded cap on the right.
- The star on the locomotive is missing in the right picture.
- The carriage window is round on the left and square on the right.
- The cloud at the upper left is missing in the right picture.
- The flower at the bottom right becomes a tuft of grass in the right picture.