As if trains weren’t already fun enough…

Hey, parents! Gas prices are sky-high and it’s almost time to make summer travel plans. But if you’d like to avoid all the hassles of car travel—pricey fuel, bad traffic, and (worst of all?) bored kids—maybe you should consider going by train.

While you ponder your options, get your kids excited about rail travel by steering them to Amtrak’s new Kids Depot, an interactive website where kids of all ages can learn about the history of rail travel, geography, and the environment. There are also some fun memory and problem-solving games—a few of them featuring art from Ranger Rick! (Check out the “Park” section.)

The site also offers downloadable and printable activities, including coloring sheets, word searches, and matching games. So once you decide to travel by rail, your kids can be entertained on the train, too. Not that they’ll necessarily need it. If your kids are like mine, traveling by train is excitement enough!

ALSO: Whether you hit the rails or the road, be sure to check out our own travel activities to keep kids thinking about the great outdoors even while they are stuck inside a moving vehicle.