Kids that love cars and trucks

[kristin]

My DS is 3.5, and is STILL all about cars and trucks. He also has a very strange fixation with John Deere items, after watching a short DVD that came with a $3.99 car. He must have at least 100 matchbox cars by now.:eek:

We really try to support his interest with doing car-related things, like reading books about cars or modeling cars with clay (it took me forever to get the hang of that).

I am looking for some suggestions for creative play with cars and trucks or good quality car/truck products. Aside from the matchbox nightmare in my house, we have toys from the Cars movie, a parking garage, and various larger trucks (like Hess trucks). Clearly, he does not need anymore vehicles, but he has 12 things on his list for Santa and they are all cars/trucks or something related - like a sleeping bag with cars on it. I don't want to disappoint DS by not getting him ANY cars, but I don't want my home overrun by them.

In the 3-4 year old thread someone recommended Automoblox, which is perfect for DS! So I guess I'm looking for some similar fabulous suggestions!

Any suggestions?

[Renrel]

I was going to recommend the Automoblox.

DS is not a car boy, he is a builder boy, but he is starting to get a bit more interested in cars so we are getting him a Darda race track. They seem to get excellent reviews for the most part and are non-electric. They are the kind you pull back and let go and they go on their own but they are supposed to reach the equivelent of something like 150 miles an hour if they were full size cars and go up to 75 feet. The track can be configured different ways and it is not that expensive. Around $20 for the least expensive set and I think I saw the super duper kit for $80.

I think I have also seen a few interesting video type toys where there is an actually drivers seat and the screen shows where you are going but I have not looked to closely since I am not interested in video games for DS yet or in the space these take up.

I am pretty sure there is some tool bench out there that focuses on automechanic rather than carpentry stuff, that might also be of intest.

FWIW - DH and a few of his friend came up with a theory that there are 4 boy play characteristics and that "all" boys tend to major in one and minor in another and just have occassional instrest in the other two. The catagories are wheels (cars/trains), construction(blocks, erector sets, lincoln logs), dinasuars and sports (any game with a ball). It seems to hold true for most boys I know. Our DS definatelymajors in construction and minors in sports. He likes cars and has a passing insterest in diasaurs but will rarely gravitate towards either of those kinds of toys if he sees any kind of building set around. I was talking to a mom the other day who said her sons were both majoring in trains to the point that when a relative sent them those plastic bead that babies play with which attach to each other at the age of oh, 4 and 5 they got excited because the decided they were rainbow trains.

[Pookie]

Anything with wheels makes my DS happy. He's a little bit younger than your son ( 2 1/2). The only thing I can suggest is maybe some kind of train track system or upgrades for his existing track. My DS could play with his matchbox cars and Thomas trains all day if you'd let him.

[jay&erinn]

I only have girls, but we have the same problem with babies:rolleyes: They're everywhere.
Also, I don't think it matters if everything has cars on it- as long as there's a nice variety of toys/activities- you're already doing the books with cars, but you could try coloring pages with pictures of cars/vehicles, dress up clothes (I saw a race car driver somewhere, or fireman) for pretend play, running the wheels through paint and painting with the cars, and using blocks to build a garage for the cars or a track to drive them on. You could also look online to see if the cars vehicles have a favorite meal (we've made Boot's monkey bread more than once during the Dora obsession).

[Renrel]

The pp reminded me that there is a aquadoodle thing out there with a car that will follow any line drawn on the board. I think there is a similiar thing out there for chalk outside.

Car shaped sponges for car projects is another idea or if you can find car shaped foam stickers that is another car art project.

Building toys that build a car will encourage another type of play.

I am sure there must be board games out there with car themes.

[kristin]

Thanks everyone!

Renrel - I like your theory - I think my DS majors in wheels and minors in construction. I think its amazing how fixated some kids can get on these things. Car sponges is a great idea - I guess I can purchase them at Michael's? I am always looking for creative projects to do with DS in the afternoon while his sister is napping - he would love this. Will also check out the aquadoodle.

Pookie - My DS would absolutely play with his matchbox cars and trains all day if I let him (and sometimes we do).

I reference to Automoblox - We visited FAO Schwartz in the city yesterday. A total madhouse, it was challenging even with DH there to help with the two kids. They had an automoblox table set up and my DS played there for about 20 minutes! He absolutely loved them! But interestingly, while I was standing there, about half of the inventory of cars sold. They were flying off the shelves. The employee who was manning the table told me it is the hot item this Christmas and they will be hard to find closer to the holidays. He told me there will be new cars released at the beginning of December that you can pre-order, including a pink car for girls.

It is an expensive toy - 34.99 at FAO Scwartz and 39.99 at other places, but I think it will suffice as one of DS's "big" presents this year. Also, they have automoblox "minis" which are around $10 or in a gift pack of 3 for 24.99.

Thanks again, and keep the suggestions coming!

[Renrel]

Kristin - I have not seen the automoblox in person and was wondering how they work as a "constuction" toy if you only have one. I love the idea of intergrate different car pieces to make new cars but the possiblities for different configerations looked limited, particularly if you only have one, and at $35-$40 each I doubt DS is going to have several. Since he is not really a car kids I am not really leaning towards them but the idea of combining cars and construction has its merits. I do like to expand his play outside his immediate comfort zone. Plus car are gaining interest for him recently.

[kristin]

Renrel - good point. Unless you have 2 of these cars, your child may get bored with just taking it apart and putting it back together again. I'm not sure that you can reconfigure the car in anyway. You can purchase an extension set to make the car look like a truck: http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-19446470116834_1976_2867825

Or you many want to try the automoblox minis. Three smaller cars for 24.99. This may be more fun to mix and match the pieces together: http://www.automobloxstore.com/aumiaumi3t9s.html

Hope the links work. If not, go to automoblox.com and click on shop online.

The kids made out their lists for Santa tonight.

DS's list: Green Truck, Blue car, Red jeep, excavator, bulldozer, and cement mixer. And paints.

DD's list: Big doll, little doll, big stroller, doll bed. And Paints.

So I guess the easel will be the big wow toy. Everything else is soooo predicatable.:rolleyes:

[Kingdono]

What about a race track? So your not actually getting cars but things for him to do with his cars?