THE SEARCH IS ON!
- As the summer holidays kick off, Hornby is on the lookout for Britain’s biggest little train fan to become “Mini Conductor”
- Risk of summer boredom and screen time is a real concern but 89% of parents and grandparents saying hands-on hobbies help keep children away from screens
- With 82% of children saying they love making up stories while playing with toys, Hornby is inviting families to bring rail adventures to life by entering the competition here
THE stress of keeping little ones, curious, creative and away from screens during the school summer holidays can feel like a real challenge.
New research* from Hornby reveals that (81%) of parents and 86% of grandparents say children today can’t fill their time without a screen. But this year, Hornby has the perfect solution – playing with model trains.
Parents and grandparents alike also recognise the very real benefits that hands-on hobbies bring: (89%) saying they help keep children away from screens while (84%) say that hobbies help children learn and grow – building the creativity, confidence and practical skills that stay with them for life.
Turns out, that appetite for imagination-led, hands-on play is exactly what makes train travel and model railways so compelling for children. The research** shows that for many kids it’s not just about getting from A to B – it’s the whole story along the way.
From spotting landmarks through the window (62%) to the thrill of arriving at the station (60%), children see train travel as a rolling adventure, packed with little moments that spark big imaginations. And the imagination doesn’t stop when the journey does. Four out of five children (82%) love making up stories while playing with toys – the same kind of storytelling energy that makes train journeys so magical in the first place.
This summer holiday, Hornby is inviting kids to bring those experiences to life by entering the Mini Conductor competition. The competition taps into the growing popularity of young railway enthusiasts, with children gaining attention online for their love of all things locomotive, from spotting trains and learning routes to recreating the sounds and theatre of the railway with their own announcements.
Martyn Weaver, Brand MD at Hornby, said: “The summer holidays are a brilliant opportunity for families to spend quality time together but keeping kids entertained, engaged and away from screens can be a real challenge.
“Our research shows that children value spending time with friends and family above anything else when they play (49%), and there’s nothing quite like the hands-on magic of model railways to fire up the imagination and banish the holiday boredom.
“The Mini Conductor competition is a brilliant opportunity for families to celebrate curiosity and imagination that train travel inspires, while giving one young rail fan the chance step into the conductor’s shoes for the day.”
Open to children aged 4–10, the competition will see one lucky winner spend a day alongside the LNER team as a ‘Mini Conductor’ visiting the train cab, greeting customers and making announcements, as well as starring in a Hornby video advert. Four runners-up will also receive a Hornby Playtrains prize bundle worth £100.
Parents and guardians can enter by sharing a video of up to 90 seconds explaining what their child loves most about trains and why they should be Hornby’s Mini Conductor, tagging Hornby and using #HornbyMiniConductor, or by uploading their entry at https://hornby.com/miniconductor
The competition entries close at 11:59pm on 2 August, so there’s still time to get involved before the summer holidays are in full swing.
For more information, visit https://uk.hornby.com/
Kids’ Hawaiian Party! 
Wednesday 5th August
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Muirhouse Millennium Centre
