By Brett Fisher

  • Photos by Brett Fisher. An infant waits to see Santa Claus at Adele's Saturday.
    Photos by Brett Fisher. An infant waits to see Santa Claus at Adele’s Saturday.
  • A small child and her father skate at Arlington Square Saturday.
    A small child and her father skate at Arlington Square Saturday.
  • Children look out the window of a train car aboard the Santa Train.
    Children look out the window of a train car aboard the Santa Train.
  • A girl and her mother paint an ornament together during the Community Kindness Party.
    A girl and her mother paint an ornament together during the Community Kindness Party.
  • Children read to a dog Saturday at the Carson City Library.
    Children read to a dog Saturday at the Carson City Library.
  • Teammates work together during the Lego competition at EVMS.
    Teammates work together during the Lego competition at EVMS.
  • Lego team members ready their creation for competition at EVMS.
    Lego team members ready their creation for competition at EVMS.
  • A girl reads to a dog Saturday at the Carson City Library.
    A girl reads to a dog Saturday at the Carson City Library.
  • A dog is loved up during story time at the Carson City Library.
    A dog is loved up during story time at the Carson City Library.
  • A yellow lab is read to at the Carson City Library.
    A yellow lab is read to at the Carson City Library.
  • A dog rests while being read to by children at the Carson City Library.
    A dog rests while being read to by children at the Carson City Library.
  • Dad and daughter skate together at Arlington Square Saturday.
    Dad and daughter skate together at Arlington Square Saturday.
  • Craft stations at the Community Kindness Party Saturday.
    Craft stations at the Community Kindness Party Saturday.
  • A girl works on an ornament Saturday during the Community Kindness Party.
    A girl works on an ornament Saturday during the Community Kindness Party.
  • Santa Claus waves to passengers aboard the Santa Train Saturday.
    Santa Claus waves to passengers aboard the Santa Train Saturday.
  • Children wait for their turn to see Santa Claus at Adele's Saturday.
    Children wait for their turn to see Santa Claus at Adele’s Saturday.
  • Families disembark the Santa Train Saturday.
    Families disembark the Santa Train Saturday.
  • A family works on a pine cone craft together at the Community Kindness Party.
    A family works on a pine cone craft together at the Community Kindness Party.
  • Sisters have their photo taken with Santa Claus at Adele's.
    Sisters have their photo taken with Santa Claus at Adele’s.
  • Brothers sit with Santa Saturday at Adele's.
    Brothers sit with Santa Saturday at Adele’s.
  • Families step off the Santa Train Saturday at Wabuska Station.
    Families step off the Santa Train Saturday at Wabuska Station.
  • Santa waves to children aboard the Santa Train Saturday.
    Santa waves to children aboard the Santa Train Saturday.
  • Father and daughter at the Arlington Square Ice Rink Saturday.
    Father and daughter at the Arlington Square Ice Rink Saturday.
  • Santa Claus waving to children aboard the Santa Train.
    Santa Claus waving to children aboard the Santa Train.
  • Students work on the automation aspect of their Lego robots at EVMS.
    Students work on the automation aspect of their Lego robots at EVMS.
  • Team members enjoying the Lego competition Saturday at EVMS.
    Team members enjoying the Lego competition Saturday at EVMS.
  • The Santa Train rounding the bend toward Wabuska Station.
    The Santa Train rounding the bend toward Wabuska Station.
  • The Santa Train at the Nevada State Railroad Museum.
    The Santa Train at the Nevada State Railroad Museum.
  • Baked goods at the Community Kindness Party at Food 4 Thought.
    Baked goods at the Community Kindness Party at Food 4 Thought.
  • The Santa Train releases steam after pulling into Wabuska Station.
    The Santa Train releases steam after pulling into Wabuska Station.
  • A child and parent work together on an ornament at the Community Kindness Party.
    A child and parent work together on an ornament at the Community Kindness Party.
  • A child works on an ornament at the Community Kindness Party.
    A child works on an ornament at the Community Kindness Party.
  • A conductor waves as the Santa Train backs into Wabuska Station.
    A conductor waves as the Santa Train backs into Wabuska Station.
  • The Santa Train prepares to take another load of passengers.
    The Santa Train prepares to take another load of passengers.

Saturday couldn’t have been a better day to be a kid. From Legos to locomotives, from cookies to crafts, and ice skates to canines, area children had plenty of fun activities to choose from in Carson City.

Whether it was riding the Santa Train for its last weekend of the season or sharing a cookie with Santa Claus at the Café at Adele’s, the Christmas spirit surrounded families and their children.

The morning began with the inaugural Lego League Northern Nevada Qualifier Tournament, held at Eagle Valley Middle School and hosted by the EVMS Robotics Team.

Kris Kringle called all aboard this morning at 10 a.m. at the Nevada Railroad Museum to kick off the final weekend of the annual Santa Train. Rides went around the clock, leaving every half hour until 3 p.m. The Santa Train leaves the station one last time Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with rides every 30 minutes.

Jolly old Saint Nicholas was also present at Café at Adele’s Saturday for its annual “Cookies with Santa” event, a fundraiser for the Ron Wood Family Resource Center in Carson City. Children and their families could share in hot chocolate, hot apple cider and cookies with the jolly elf while having their pictures taken with him.

The Community Kindness Party was held Saturday at the Food 4 Thought office in the North Town Plaza Shopping Center off North Carson Street, featuring cookies and other baked goods, several craft stations, and a letter writing station to Santa Claus.

Children read to therapy dogs Saturday at the Carson City Library, too, and the Arlington Square Ice Rink was open for a skate in the crisp wintery mountain air.

The ice rink is open again Sunday, weather permitting, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2-5 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. The cost is $5 for children and a $3 skate rental.