We’ve all been there. You’re walking through the playroom or toy area when you step on a tiny toy car and nearly end up in the hospital after life flashes before your eyes on your way towards the floor. Maybe you’re graceful enough to have stopped yourself from falling completely, but now you’re wondering what exactly you can do to encourage productive play with all of those beloved cars without encouraging a messy toy area…sound familiar?
You aren’t alone! In an attempt to save more families from the frustration that comes from toy cars scattered all over the place or left behind to collect dust, all while enabling and encouraging more creative play with the toy cars kids know and love, we’re sharing three of our favorite ways to enjoy those little four-wheeled tripping hazards with your kids. Plus, read on to uncover a bonus idea that will transform playtime from fun to fantastic!
The Benefits of Playing With Toy Cars
When our kiddos use toy cars as a part of their playtime, they’re leveraging their existing knowledge of how the world works to push the boundaries of what they know. They “drive” toy cars like maniacs, practice polite or not-so-polite interactions with other cars on the “road,” and might even choose to do flips and tricks — complete with sound effects — to test the limits of their little toy cars. Experimenting with these less-than-stellar driving skills gives them a meaningful sense of freedom when it comes to bending the rules of traffic on a micro level, and we love to support that kind of play!
Build A Bubbly Car & Truck Wash
This clever approach to playing with toy cars and trucks actually serves a dual purpose, as it gets them nice and clean in the process without feeling like a chore for your little ones. All you’ll need is a dish — we recommend a large baking pan or storage tote — and some dish soap! Depending on the age of your kids, supervision is optional.
Just fill up your container of choice with some dish soap and warm water, swirl it around until it’s nice and bubbly, and let your child take their toy cars and trucks through their very own washing station. You can add a brush or sponge to add to the fun! Consider using a second container as a rinsing station, or “hosing” them all down in the shower when this activity is over. Then, allow them to use towels to dry them off and get them squeaky clean before “parking” them in an organized way.
2. Create An Engaging Sensory Tray
Black beans and construction trucks
For most kids, new textures are a great way to explore their creativity and imagination. You can incorporate toy cars into your next sensory activity by using a baking sheet or shallow plastic tub to add various textures and elements to your child’s playtime. Consider creating designated areas (within the container) for things like shaving cream, sand, soap, cereal, cooked (and cooled) pasta, and more! Your child will enjoy driving their cars around and mixing up these various textures while they do it.
3. Construct A Cardboard Parking Garage
When it comes to organization and storage, going the extra mile with this activity might help your kiddo keep their cars organized in a new and creative way. Use cardboard boxes and any other craft supplies around the house to create a garage for toy cars. Your child can use markers or paints to decorate their garage as they see fit and organize cars by size, color, type, etc.
Bonus: Try Something New & Exciting
Want to give your kid’s toy cars another chance at being loved and enjoyed? So did we, which is why we created CarBoard. In the search for new and exciting ways to play with toy cars, we set out to turn cardboard into an eco-friendly, customizable, durable track for cars and toys of all shapes and sizes. Now, our kids can choose to create tracks and obstacle courses independently or speak up to ask for help from mom or dad. You can learn more about CarBoard — and the many creative ways to use them — on our website!
