If you feel you still want to maybe contact the school but not to sound rude or what have you it sounds liked you really were trying to avoid this so the serving of refreshments really shouldn't be on you and actually a gift should be offered to you and your wife for your hospitality as they hunted you out.
This is a very good point.
I took the advice that several of you offered and called the school principal, who had contacted me in the first place. He did not think it would be a problem to offer simple snacks.
I believe we will have two or three different kinds of 'store purchased' cookies (Oreo, etc.), small cans of drinks, and water. Judy is disappointed, but understands that it is best not to offer her home made goodies. We will offer the snacks once we are back upstairs after they have looked at the layout.
And yes, I think Jim McCarty did a great job with the article - he covered a lot of information in not too many words.
Alex
Did anyone notice that he has already determined his course of action? 
Well, my first thought was Margaritas, but after reading your post, I see we are talking kids. 
In that case, cookies, chips and pop should do it! It's easy to overthink this stuff! 
Is your insurance coverage up to date and does it cover large groups of people descending upon your property?
If that question was a genuine concern for the property owner then make the visitors sign a waiver.
Can't do that for minors.
In the case of minors, the parent(s)/guardian(s) signs the waiver(s). Kinda self-evident, I think. 
When consent is put to ink, it's binding. No signature, no admission.
Well, my first thought was Margaritas, but after reading your post, I see we are talking kids. In that case, cookies, chips and pop should do it! It's easy to overthink this stuff!
Yea right, load them kids up on pop, i.e. lots of caffeine and sugar. Should be a real fun time.
In the case of minors, the parent(s)/guardian(s) signs the waiver(s). Kinda self-evident, I think.
When consent is put to ink, it's binding. No signature, no admission.
Dose anybody have school age children. Every time my kids go on field trips, My middle daughters band activities. In fact any activity that is school related. I have to sign permission slips or they don't go. That implies that the school district and the teachers are responsible for there safety. Now as a parent I would see no issue with this trip, unless some kid had plans on impaling him or herself on the track and getting run over by a toy train..
I would see no issue with this trip. Just keep the snacks simple.
Well, my first thought was Margaritas, but after reading your post, I see we are talking kids. In that case, cookies, chips and pop should do it! It's easy to overthink this stuff!
Yea right, load them kids up on pop, i.e. lots of caffeine and sugar. Should be a real fun time.
Hot Water, this is coming from the guy who said this earlier. " Remember,,,,,,NO PEANUTS!!!!!!! Too many kids have "peanut allergies". Also, I have found it best to have no "snacks" around the layout, just beer. Anything to be eaten is served OUT of the room where the layout is. In our case that would be downstairs, as the layout is upstairs.".. Hot Water just having fun. Its not often you leave yourself wide open.
Our museum has frequent special tours for kids and we not only don't serve snacks, we don't allow them in the train area. We do host kids' birthday parties. For those, the trains run first, then the kids go to the back room and have their cake or whatever the party organizers have brought, but no food in the train room. We believe in hospitality, but kids with sticky hands do not mix with trains!
By the way, we don't charge for special tours or birthday parties, but the voluntary donations from tours and parties usually run way ahead of anything we would charge.
I'd be disappointed not to be able to hand out cookies, too, but when it comes to a crowd of kids you don't know, labeled, wrapped snacks work best. Most people on special diets know what commercial things they can have. It seems like a violation of some natural law to buy packaged Rice Krispie treats, but they're very popular with a lot of people who have allergies or other issues. Even if you do a homemade tray, having some of those wrapped on the side works well. The same is true of homemade punch and a few Capri Sun flavored waters. The kind without added coloring go best.
Also, definitely food AFTER trains when kids are involved. The guys get nervous when I get around trains with food and I'm 56. Fifty years ago, my gummy little hands could have demolished paint jobs.
Serve the little urchins anything you want. As they finally leave the building!
If you do not want it on your layout it should not be in their hands.
Permission slips, hummmmm, like parents of bad kids even care.
Better check your Homeowner's policy, one slip and fall could mess up your train budget.
I handle insurance claims, that taught me to control my liability exposure.
Permission slips, hummmmm, like parents of bad kids even care.
That maybe true and would not be the first time parents signature was forged. Here where I am at in Fl. Hillsbough County. Policy is no parent signature, you don't go. Teachers must turn in permission slips so staff can confirm verify parent signatures. This also works both ways. I had a teacher fired for taking my oldest on a field trip without my permission.
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Well, my first thought was Margaritas, but after reading your post, I see we are talking kids. In that case, cookies, chips and pop should do it! It's easy to overthink this stuff!
Yea right, load them kids up on pop, i.e. lots of caffeine and sugar. Should be a real fun time.
Hot Water, this is coming from the guy who said this earlier. " Remember,,,,,,NO PEANUTS!!!!!!! Too many kids have "peanut allergies". Also, I have found it best to have no "snacks" around the layout, just beer. Anything to be eaten is served OUT of the room where the layout is. In our case that would be downstairs, as the layout is upstairs.".. Hot Water just having fun. Its not often you leave yourself wide open.
Leave myself wide-open for WHAT? Pop winds the kids up like crazy. Beer slows them down. That's the way it work on our kids, more than 30 years ago.
Just to reiterate, as I said earlier:
I believe we will have two or three different kinds of 'store purchased' cookies (Oreo, etc.), small cans of drinks, and water. Judy is disappointed, but understands that it is best not to offer her home made goodies. We will offer the snacks once we are back upstairs after they have looked at the layout.
I'll post back later today after this first visit is history.
Alex
PS. The calls and emails keep coming in!
From the Always an Uncle Never a Parent point of view, I'd load those kids up with a lot of sugar as they're walking out the door.
Don't serve anything. It's a train room not a buffet.
We had 20 people visit us over the weekend to look at the Hidden Pass Junction RR. Ages ranged from 18 months to well over 70 years of age. The school field trip ended up being 10th graders. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the trains, and the groups stayed between just over two hours to almost four hours.
After much deliberation, Judy offered the packaged cookies; however, she decided to also serve a couple of plates with her specialty desserts, and these went over well – all gone! The small boxed drinks, as some of you suggested, were the ticket for the kids. Adults had water, soft drinks, and coffee.
Besides thoroughly enjoying everyone, and especially the kids, I was very fortunate because everything worked just right – speaking of the trains, that is.
After the guests had had a chance to walk around the layout for about 20-30 minutes and look at the details, I let the kids run several of the operating accessories that have push-button switches on the fascia of the layout. Although they liked all the accessories, the automatic operation of the log unload car onto the saw mill, and then the saw mill ‘cutting’ the logs was most admired. They also liked the fork truck oil drum loader.
Then I ran a 15-minute MTH DCS Record & Playback session involving two trains (a SF ABA passenger and BNSF-SF double headed freight) and 12 turnout changes. All eight times I ran it, it executed without a hitch. I also ran a double-headed Legacy diesel freight train, the SP Daylight GS2 train, and a couple of steam locomotives to demonstrate the turntable operation. I finished by running the VL Big Boy.
The 10th graders were impressed with the Big Boy articulated action, and they followed the train around the curves closely looking at the locomotive – they thought it was “really cool”. So much for the protruding front end of the Big Boy in model curves (mine are Ø108 and Ø99) being ‘not right’.
The biggest joy was to see the 3-year old and his younger, 18-month old brother point at and attempt to follow the trains as they disappeared into and then reappeared from the various tunnels. Either one of the adults or I carried the kids around (as they requested) so they could see the trains. I let the 3-year old operate some of the Legacy remote buttons, and his expression when he pushed the Engine Start and the Big Boy came to life, was priceless. Of course, his younger brother wanted to participate in the action as well, so I let him blow the whistle.
All in all, a great time. (And we have several more groups coming . . .)
Alex
Happy to hear your open house was a huge success.
Very happy for you that the kids, AND YOU, enjoyed the experience.
Alex
Well done! Sounds like you had a great time too!
Alex,
Sounded like a great event, with lots of success. Well with a beautiful layout and great people like Judy and you it could only be successful.!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Alex
Glad you enjoyed it Alex
Ken M
That's one of the ways to get ones interested in the hobby good going, and enjoy!
All in all, a great time. (And we have several more groups coming . . .)
Alex
That is wonderful. There's no telling whether a seed was planted which might grow into a future O gauge model railroader. It was really nice of you to stick your neck out to share with school kids.
Glad to hear everything went well; it's awesome that you've been able to share your collection with so many!
Sounds like a great time. Glad it all went well.
The biggest joy was to see the 3-year old and his younger, 18-month old brother point at and attempt to follow the trains as they disappeared into and then reappeared from the various tunnels. Either one of the adults or I carried the kids around (as they requested) so they could see the trains. I let the 3-year old operate some of the Legacy remote buttons, and his expression when he pushed the Engine Start and the Big Boy came to life, was priceless. Of course, his younger brother wanted to participate in the action as well, so I let him blow the whistle.
All in all, a great time. (And we have several more groups coming . . .)
Alex
Sounds like you all had a fabulous experience Alex. Even if they never become model railroaders, those 2 boys will remember their time at your house, your hospitality and enthusiasm, and pass on their passion to others.
Sounds like you sparked the interest of model trains in everyone! Hopefully, some them will get trains of their own.
I commend you for sharing your wonderful layout and putting smiles on faces. Not enough smile creation going on today.
I glad everything went well, especially with the younger kids.
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