How to Make a Train Diaper Cake

If you’re going to a baby shower soon, and you’d like to gift the mom-to-be something useful and fun, a diaper cake is the way to go. Alternatively, if you’re hosting a baby shower, a decorative centerpiece option is a train diaper cake. Although you might think making one of these is tricky, if you follow these diaper train cake instructions, then soon yours will be ready to roll.

1. Gather What You’ll Need for a Train Diaper Cake

• 106 Pampers Diapers

• 3 long pieces of thin ribbon

• Rubber bands

• 6 pieces of wide ribbon, 15.5" long

• Hot glue gun

• 8.5” x 14” Rectangular foam core

• 2 fleece blankets

• Safety pins

• 2 receiving blankets

• 1 roll of ribbon 1.5” wide

• 1 bib

• 1 canister of wet wipes

• 1 pair of baby socks

• 1 teething ring

• Baby accessories such as toys, bottles, pacifiers, etc.

2. Create the Wheels of the Train Diaper Cake

• Take one diaper, and place the thin ribbon on top. Roll the diaper around the ribbon by starting at the top of the diaper (thin end). Roll with the printed side facing in.

• Roll seven more diapers around the first, then secure the roll by placing a rubber band around the roll.

• Repeat this step around same piece of ribbon, creating one more roll around the ribbon.

• Then, do the same with two other lengths of ribbon, creating a total of three ribbons with two rolls on each.

3. Prepare the Cab

• Stack 12 diapers one on top of the other, alternating the orientation. So the first diaper has the top side (waistband) facing out, and the next will have the bottom side facing out. Continue to stack the diapers in this fashion. It is important to alternate the direction of each diaper to create even rows. Then, secure with a rubber band.

• Repeat to make two large stacks of diapers.

• Lay out a receiving blanket, and place the two large stacks of diapers in the middle. Fold the blanket to the width of the two stacks together (approximately 8.25") and secure with safety pins. This will be the cab.

4. Decorate With Ribbon

• Lay out your fleece blanket with the inside (the side you don't want seen) facing up.

• Cut a piece of foam core that’s 8.5" x 14”.

• Place the foam core in the center of the blanket, and fold the sides of the blanket toward the center, securing the ends with a safety pin. This will be the train’s base.

• Place the base with the safety pins facing up. The back of the cab should line up with the base.

• Lay out another receiving blanket, and fold it until it's 5.25" wide. Wrap this folded receiving blanket around the cab and base, and secure it with safety pins to the blanket of the base.

• Place the cab base on top of the six wheels that you made earlier.

• Cut six pieces of wide ribbon at 15.5" long. Cover the rubber bands on each of the six wheels. Hot glue the ends of the ribbon to each other, being careful not to get any glue on the diapers.

• Take a 1.5" wide ribbon, and wrap it around the cab base, hot gluing the ribbon-ends together. Try to keep the joint at the side of the cab.

5. Add the Final Touches to the Cab

• Drape a bib over the front of the base to create the front grill of the train.

• Take a tall, slender canister of wet wipes, and your second fleece blanket. Fold the fleece blanket to the same length as the canister. Roll the blanket around the canister, and secure the ends with safety pins. This will be the train's boiler. Place it on the base in front of the cab.

• Starting with the wheel that's directly under the cab, lift the ribbon that's strung through the wheels up over the top of the cab, and hot glue the ends together at the top.

• Repeat with the middle ribbon going over the boiler.

• Repeat with the front ribbon going over the boiler.

• Then, roll one diaper, and secure it with a rubber band. Take one pair of baby socks, and insert one half of the rolled diaper into one sock, and then cover the other half of the diaper with the second sock.

• Decorate with a teething ring to make the train light.

6. Make the Train Cars

• Roll 21 diapers with the picture side up. Roll each into a tight roll from the flat banded edge in toward the thick folded edge. Secure each roll with a rubber band.

• Take 31.5" of 0.5" wide elastic band, and wrap it around the outside of a 6" x 9" x 3" box. Glue the ends of the elastic band to each other using the hot glue gun.

• Start slipping the rolled diapers between the box and the elastic band. Repeat until you have surrounded the box in diapers.

• Cover the elastic with ribbon, and glue the ends of the ribbon to secure it, just be sure not to get glue on the diapers.

• Take another diaper, and fold it in half vertically on the yellow stripe (with the picture side in). Roll it from the thick end to towards the thin end, and secure the roll with a rubber band. Create four wheels for each train car you will make.

• Hot glue the ribbon from the wheels to the bottom of the box. Again, be careful not to get any glue on the diapers.

• Fill each train car with goodies such as baby toys, bottles, stuffed animals, etc.

• Use link toys or teething rings to attach the cars to the engine (and each other).

All done! Your train is ready for the baby shower.

If you happen to be organizing the baby shower, don’t forget to have a read through this handy baby shower checklist so you don’t miss anything important, and browse through these amazing baby shower game ideas, too.

Meanwhile, if you’d like more diaper cake ideas, check out the stroller, the princess castle, and the bathtub diaper cakes. With so many to choose from, you’ll definitely find one you love.