A toddler's fascination with toy vehicles can provide endless hours of screen-free entertainment. As parents, we don't need to be precious about our children's toys. Once we let go of the fantasy that toys should stay in pristine condition, our kids will open our eyes with their inventive ways to play, which is how this painting toy cars acitivity began!
How the Idea Came to Be
I noticed that every single time we bring out the paints and brushes for art time, my toddler requests his toy vehicles. One day I thought, "Why not? What's wrong with letting him smear paint all over them?"
We always used washable paint so even if he changed his mind, he could always give his toy cars a bubble bath, which is his favorite toddler indoor activity, anyway!
Also, look at his bucket of toy vehicles. Don't they look like they could use a paint job?
Painting Toy Cars Activity
You'll be glad to know, this is a very easy toddler activity to set up. Feel free to head outdoors to paint cars on a lovely day, but we stayed inside.
Materials
- Paper
- Paint, preferably washable paint
- Toy vehicles of all sorts
- Paint brushes
- Paper plate
Instructions
Cover your work surface with a piece of paper from a giant paper roll (one of our must-have art supplies). We used extra large binder clips to secure the paper to our dining table.
Optional: Instead of covering the table in paper, you could use a washable mat, but I wanted to give my child the option of creating art on the paper, if the spirit moved him.
Squeeze out several colors of paint onto a paper or plastic plate. Alternatively, use only one color. There is great value in single color art projects.
Allow your toddler to choose which toy vehicles he wants to paint, sit him in the chair and let him paint the toys however he wishes!
Just be sure to set them aside to dry before letting him zoom them all over your white carpet.
MORE: 20 Ways to Play with Toy Cars
Idea first published 2012, updated 2023.
MaryAnne says
This is a fantastic activity!!! Wonder if I can get my kids to do it - they're very into rule-following...