Attention: CAR EXPERTS!! I Need SERIOUS HELP for beginner cars!!

[Corie]

I read the thread about cars for the 3.5 year old car
lover with great interest since I know absolutely nothing
about cars!!
(Ask me any question about princesses and the color
pink and I've got it covered!)

What cars are my best bet for a 16-month-old boy?

I like the look of the Huggy Buggy cars. Any others
that you really like for this age?

Also, what are some great cars for when he gets older?
Can someone help me with a general timeline?? :)

Thank you so much!!
Michelle (mommato2boys) has opened my eyes to the fantastic
world of cool cars!! :)

[missym]

These are more for younger kids, but DD absolutely loved her FP Nesting Action Vehicles. She still plays with them.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IZQI/102-0732681-3842545?v=glance

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03 and Rebecca 09/05

Want a penpal for your BBB kiddo? Send an email to:
[email protected]

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32351.jpg

[redhookmom]

You will soon know the difference between a front end loader, crane, back hoe, bobcat, tractor, bulldozer, cherry picker... When my ds was little we use to go for walks down our road and watch the men clip tree branches with their chrry pickers. He LOVED it.

One thing I did with great success is have a little canvas bag filled with small dirt/sand moving trucks. Tonka and Tonka like bulldozers, scrapers, rollers... With a few pebbles or some sand/dirt my son was occupied for a long time.

Indoors he loved trains, and cars that could fit in his hands. I think boys are born with car noices in them. My dh never taught him to say "brummm, brummm."

He also played with this plastic spiral thing, It had a starting place at the top where you would fit 2 cars. LIft the gate and the two matchbox size cars would race to the bottom.


ETA: If I had to o over again I would have bought one of those big wooden high quality trucks at each gift giving occasion. When he was younger I knew he wouldn't play with them much... But then when he was ready to go to town with them I could not afford to buy all of the great ones I wanted to. Now at 6 - he still plays with the ones that we do have.

[saoirse00]

Jessica,
Do you by any chance know of brand names for the trucks you mention? Buying a nice wooden truck for each occasion seems like such a great idea. I would really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction!! Thanks so much,
Kathryn

DD 12/00
DS 04/03
DD 03/05

[Corie]

Jessica,

I would love more information about the big wooden high
quality trucks! :)

What are some good brands to buy??

[pixelprincess]

*Not an expert here** as our collection is fairly basic after reading the car thread about the cool cars :-). I haven't bought Rowan anything too $$ as he still throws things and some of his vehicles have gotten amputated. :-( Also, I have let him guide my decisions about what to buy...for eg. he suddenly developed interest in construction vehicles.. the cement truck being his favorite.

IKEA cars-I had no idea what Huggy Buggy cars were until I looked them up. :-) and they looked similar to the IKEA ones we have.

Tonka- the small ones we have are called mini-Tonka $8 at Kohls
Various construction vehicles that are die cast metal with plastic parts

Matchbox cars- These are great for restaurant entertainment. :-)

Various die cast Fire-trucks, School-buses, from toy shops $6-8 each. No name brands- made in China. My friend bought a bigger die cast school bus on the streets on SF for half the price of my little one, lol.

Little Tikes and some other noisy trucks from Target- It seemed like a good idea when I got them but not anymore.

Is Knox interested in trains? Rowan is and has been about all things Thomas for the past several months. Yikes, and those wooden trains cost $16 ish each so save your $$ for them too.

ps. A lot of the are not for kids under 3 but he played with them largely supervised though wasn't into putting stuff in his mouth as much.

[kcimato]

www.maplelandmark.com has a set of community trucks that are wonderful.

Also their train called My Train is TDF

[kboyle]

I will 2nd what Jessica said, you WILL know the difference between all the different types of trucks, having 2 boys I have no idea what the "pink" section in Target looks like, but I have all the "boy" toy aisles memorized :)...and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

DS LOVES:
LITTLE
-hot wheels cars & their line of Monster Jam monster trucks
-trains-thomas, brio, imaginarium brand & the take-along-thomas die cast ones that DON"T fit on the wooden track from target, they are $4.99 and great to keep in the dipe bag for on the go play
-these plastic-y cars/trucks/boats/planes that i got from our local toy shop, but have seen in a bucket on onestepahead.com
http://www.onestepahead.com/images//product/family/8776_v.jpg

BIG:
-FP shake n go racers, shake and they go!
-Playmobil vehicles-both 123 and regular, just take out the small pieces. DS LOVES these the most, he can put his "guys" in there and drive them around, they have construction vehicles, police cars/vans, airplanes, taxi cab, boats...we just LOVE Playmobil vehicles the most!
-DS has a handful of DHs OLD GI Joe & Fisher-price Adventure people vehicle & guys that are also very much adored. One of the trucks was made in the late 70s and still going strong!

BIGGEST:
-TONKA, TONKA, TONKA
-Little Tykes rugged riggz are AWESOME & have rubber wheels so they won't scuff or scratch floors/furniture
-Fisher-price rumblin trucks ( i think that's what they are called, there is only a dump, front end loader & a new fire truck)
-CAT makes these noisy electronic construction vehicles (found at target) that are super cute, BUT noisy, DS got one for xmas and sleeps with it at night...still, and his playmobil guys drive it!

My MIL owns a landscaping/snow removal business, so DS has always been around bulldozers, loaders, etc...I think that's where the obsession started!

[redhookmom]

I really didn't do any research on the trucks, I just trusted that both Nova Natural and Community Playthings would have good products. The vehicles that we have from both have lasted a long time and still look great.
I did once buy a lumber and a log truck from Rosie Hippo and they fell apart.

http://www.novanatural.com/browse.phtml?list_view=TRUE&sub_category_id=388

http://www.communityplaythings.com/c/toytrucks/index.htm

[kcimato]

Just picked up a set of 5 trucks from Playschool called Wheel Pals. They are about the size of hot wheels. They have 3 different sets. the construction fleet, race car fleet and highway fleet. They have them at Target and Walmart.The back of the box shows a triple track Tower to race them from,although I didn't see that at the store.

[Corie]

We went to an independent toy store today and I bought
the Maple Landmark name train for my son. I thought
the brand name sounded familiar and then I remembered
your post.
I just checked out their website and WOW!! They have
beautiful cars and trucks, etc.

I just love this school bus!! Looks like you can buy
each item painted or natural. (I like them both!) :)

www.maplelandmark.com


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32376.jpg

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32377.jpg

[Corie]

Kristine! Wow! Thanks so much for the fabulous information!!

I have to admit that I am greatly intriqued by all this
boy stuff!! :)
My daughter is a total girly-girl so I haven't had the chance
yet to experience boy toys. But I am excited!
I'll be visiting the aisles at Target that I had usually
ignored!!

Thanks again!! :)

[Corie]

Saw this Schleich 4 x 4 vehicle at the toy store today
and thought it was really neat.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32378.jpg

[mommato2boys]

I am always on the hunt for neat cars since I have two boys that love cars/trucks/construction stuff.

I have a six year old and a 14 month old. For the youngest, I start out with real age appropriate cars (123 playmobil, FP Little people, playskool carries some cars/trucks (target) too). I also let my 14 month old play with the monster trucks that someone else mentioned too, they are hand size if that makes sense. John Deere sells a chunky line of cars/trucks for younger kids (target). I let him play with hotwheels/matchbox/siku cars when I am watching him real well (just in case a small wheel/part comes off!). I have recently gotten him some wooden cars from www.ooompa.com that he seems to like too. Especially the race cars.

I remember around 2, it kinda opened up for what he could play with. I watch them just to make sure, but at two-two 1/2, my son was playing with tons of different kinds of cars and trucks.

Here is a store I use a lot:
http://zachstoys.com/store.cfm

this is the kids' end, there is a link to the adult/collector side, I have ordered stuff for my son off the adult side joal is a good maker of more inexpensive construction stuff. The adult side is for the collector but I get models that are $20 or under. Such as:
http://www.dhsdiecast.com/shop/product_detail.cfm?product_id=5585

My son likes the more realistic of the older models. But they are more fragile, I say that, and I don't restrict how DS plays with them. And he is rough. Some have stratches and dents but most are in working order!

Here is another one my son has:
http://www.dhsdiecast.com/shop/product_detail.cfm?product_id=1826

I will stress these are for an older child to play with. They will break if they are not careful, but I try and buy the more durable ones, so far, we have mostly had good luck. He has a ton of these!!! Since we are in the construction business, my son likes to be able to set up a jobsite just like daddy!

I mentioned siku cars, love them!
Hope this gives you even some more ideas!!!