Are you looking for ways on how you can encourage your little one’s development through play? Do you want your kid to be able to learn at the same time have fun? Well, giving your kid a variety of toy cars is one of the ways to do it.
This is because toy cars can help build your kid’s fine motor skills. Just by simply rolling the car back and forth and even picking them up is already enough to develop hand-eye coordination as well as improve his dexterity.
See Also:
- Best Doctor Kit Toys for Kids 2020: Reviewed
- Best Unicorn Toys 2020: Reviewed
- Best Race Car Track Toys 2020: Reviewed
But I’m not talking about regular toy cars here, I’m talking about wooden toy cars which bring more benefits that you and your kid can enjoy. In this article today, I will help you find the best wooden toy cars for your kids, so please keep on reading below.
Top 10 Best Wooden Toy Cars Reviews 2020
Best Overall: TOP BRIGHT Wooden Race Track Car
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 8.9 x 3.8 x 10 inches |
| Item weight | 1.6 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 18 months – 15 years |
- There’s an age guide included
- The wooden toy cars have sturdy built
- It is easy to store because of its top parking lot
- It comes with well-designed wooden toy cars with attractive, bright colors
- The cars’ wheels are made of plastic
This wooden toy car has been every mommy’s favorite due to a lot of reasons. First of all, it is made of high-quality wood. It is also BPA-free and painted with bright colors using non-toxic water-based paint. Generally, this toy has met the most stringent product safety standards in the United States and it is of the highest quality. This will give you peace of mind as your toddler plays with this toy.
Another impressive feature of this product is that they come in an easy to grab pieces that are suitable for the young hands while its fun and bright colors are perfect for young minds. But this toy is not all about fun, it also helps build essential hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills.
Your kid can play this with other children too, making it ideal in learning all about teamwork and teach your kid how to work collaboratively. But what I like most is how easy to store this toy is, thanks to its wonderful top parking lot feature, your little one can easily store the cars as he awaits for the upcoming big race.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Toddlers: Melissa & Doug Car Carrier Truck & Cars Wooden Toy SetProduct
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 12 x 3 x 5.8 inches |
| Item weight | 1.32 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 36 months – 6 years |
- It’s a well-made and sturdy set that your kid can play for hours
- It’s made of high-quality materials
- It comes in colors that can be appealing to kids
- It comes with four cars that your kid can load and unload into a truck
- It’s top carrier is only held with a small piece of wood which is not strong enough so it easily comes loose
For the adventure of a lifetime, why don’t you load up your Melissa & Doug Car Carrier Truck & Cars Wooden Toy Set? This toy set is designed for never-ending hours of playing as it creates a realistic world full of trucks and highways for your kids to enjoy during their playtime.
I like that this wooden toy car set is made from durable and heavy-duty wood construction, so rest assured that it will last for a long time. It also has interesting features like a car that picks up and delivers up to four colorful cars. In this way, your kid will get to enjoy an exciting task of loading, hauling and raising the new vehicles along a make-believe highway to his desired destination.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Girls: Melissa & Doug Road Trip Wooden Toy Car and 4 Poseable Dolls
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 10 x 6 x 6 inches |
| Item weight | 1 pound |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 36 months – 6 years |
- The poseable dolls easily bend so it will quickly fit into the car
- The wooden toy car is sturdy and it rolls well, making it perfect for endless playtime
- It’s suitable for both girls and boys
- The door in the wooden toy car doesn’t open
- The poseable dolls tend to relax inside the car, making them easily fall off
Who said cars are just for boys? This another wooden toy car from Melissa & Doug comes in a set that is designed to be used as an individual playset or you can fit it in the garage of Hi-Rose Dollhouse.
It comes with four poseable dolls that your kid could share with her other friends. Its wooden car is also sturdy and it rolls quietly and smoothly so your little one could happily play for yours.
Overall, this set could help your kid make creative expressions at the same time encourage her to be imaginative during playtime.
Best Wooden Toy Cars to Promote Concentration: EverEarth Jr. Ramp Racer. Race Track
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 11 x 3.9 x 11 inches |
| Item weight | 1.65 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 18 months above |
- It comes in a compact size, making it perfect for crowded playrooms
- It comes as a fully assembled toy
- It’s environmentally friendly
- It’s made of high-quality wood
- The wooden cars are quite small so they can potentially be a choking threat
Next, we have an award-winning ramp racer set. It is composed of four colored wooden toy cars that are designed to smoothly roll and stay on the wooden car ramps. This is great for kids since they get to learn how to keep their attention as this set promotes concentration and improves hand-eye coordination.
And the best part is that this product is made of high-quality wood and is stained with non-toxic water-based paint. It has also been fully tested to the highest US and European toy safety standards. It also comes in a compact size so it will easily fit on a shelf or in a cubby.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Imaginative Play: Melissa & Doug Wooden Vehicles and Traffic Signs
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 13 x 11 x 2 inches |
| Item weight | 2.16 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 36 months – 6 years |
- It comes with wooden signs that are great for your kids to learn about the traffic rules
- It has enough cars for your kids to play for hours
- This is a sturdy and heavy-duty set
- The wooden compartmentalized box has no lid and it is difficult to place the cars and street signs back
This is a massive set composed of 15 pieces. There is a school bus, garbage truck, taxi and nine painted traffic signs that help encourage imaginative play. These pieces will help your kid learn and picture out about a busy street.
For instance, your kid can act as the school bus driver and use his imagination to pretend he is picking up and dropping off students. This skill-building idea is a great way to improve your kid’s motor skills, vocabulary as well as shape and color recognition.
Best Wooden Toy Cars to Stimulate Visual Development: Melissa & Doug Stacking Cars Wooden Baby Toy
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 6 x 4 x 3 inches |
| Item weight | 9.6 ounces |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 12 month – 3 years |
- The wooden toy cars are well-made
- The wheels of the toy cars push nicely
- The cars also have smooth edges to avoid splinters or cuts
- It comes in a perfect size for the small hands of your toddler
- It comes with a brochure that will guide you about your child’s learning skills
- The cars don’t stack well
What is great about this product is that the wooden toy cars are beautifully designed and they come in bright colors that help stimulate visual development and capture every babies’ attention.
In addition to that, the wooden toy car comes with a contour that makes sure your little one will not have any difficulty stacking them in any combination. It also has wheels that are easy to roll that allow your kid, no matter what his age maybe, push the cars without any problem at all.
I’m sure your child will always be motivated to win a race as he pushes himself to the limit with this wooden toy car.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Young Kids: Melissa & Doug Mega Race-Car Carrier
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 18 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches |
| Item weight | 3.3 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 36 months – 7 years |
- It encourages your kid to count, match and sort
- It’s a well-made and sturdy set
- It offers unlimited play possibilities
- The truck is made of plastic rather than wood
Here is another amazing set from Melissa & Doug, this time it is a giant hauler that is stocked with sick unique cars. The carrier comes with two levels that can be folded for easy loading and unloading at the same time can be extended up to an amazing 2.5 feet.
The wooden toy cars come in a variety of colors and designs, there are also numbers on their sides that help encourage your kid to sort, group and match, which is important in building your kid’s cognitive skills.
Best Magnetic Toy Set: Melissa & Doug Magnetic Car Loader Wooden Toy Set
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 14 x 6 x 3 inches |
| Item weight | 1.45 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 36 months – 6 years |
- The cars and well-designed using bright colors
- Your kid will enjoy playing the magnetic field
- It’s made of high-quality material
- It helps your kid learn counting, sequencing, and sorting
- It’s magnetic arm can be difficult to move sometimes
This set is composed of a red truck with a magnetic arm, a car-carrier trailer, and four magnetic cars. It features bright colors and the cards are numbered to inspire your kids to count, sort and sequence.
It is also a sturdy wooden toy set with smooth-rolling wheels for endless loading and unloading and of course, learning. Overall, this is a great wooden toy car to help your kid develop fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Creative Kids: Fun Express Unfinished Wooden Cars
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 8.6 x 6.1 x 1.9 inches |
| Item weight | 6.4 ounces |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 3 years and above |
- The cars are sturdy and have heavy-duty wheels
- It allows your kid to explore his creative side
- There’s a great assortment of cars
- The cars are very small, making them a choking hazard
What is even more fulfilling than making something out of your own? Luckily, what we have here is an assortment of toy cars made of unfinished wood so your kid can paint them, have fun and at the same time, explore his creative side.
This item can be a great addition during the birthday parties as a fun activity for your kid’s friends. They can paint wooden toy cars with their favorite colors.
Best Wooden Toy Cars for Animal Lovers: Petit Collage Wooden Push Along Animal Car Lion
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 6.4 x 5.1 x 5.1 inches |
| Item weight | 5 ounces |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 12 months and up |
- It comes with a simple design that boasts primary shapes and colors
- It comes in a great size making manageable for play
- It’s well-designed, sturdy and safe
- It’s a bit smaller compared to its displayed picture
Here’s a wooden push-along car that will encourage your little one with active play. It is sturdy, smooth and made of durable wood. It also has built-in chunky beads that boast a pop of color and makes a cheerful noise whenever you roll or shake it, making it the best distraction for a crying baby.
I like its compact size too that makes it perfect for those little hands to grasp. Plus, it is made of sustainably harvested and non-toxic water-based paints so you will have peace of mind whenever your kid is playing with it.
You can also choose among its three variations: Lion, Elephant, and Whale.
Why you should buy your kids Wooden Toy Cars?
If you think wooden toy cars are outdated, well you might want to think again as they are enjoying a comeback at the moment and a lot of parents are warmly welcoming them all because of incredible reasons.
If you’re wondering why more and more parents are turning to these timely, friendly toys, then you might want to check out several reasons why wooden toy cars are always a great choice.
They are durable
First of all, these wooden toy cars are durable. They are very stable and will rarely break compared to plastic toys or toys made of other materials. They are strong enough to withstand your kid’s day-to-day activities.
It also helps that most wooden toy cars are made by hand, helping the toy meet the highest quality standards.
They inspire fantasies
Though most wooden toy cars are simple, they don’t come with blinking light effects or any sounds, they rather encourage your kid to use his sense of fantasy to play. This means your little one will need his mental power and imagination as she plays rather than be overloaded with noises, lights and other information.
This is very important for your kid to encourage his creativity as well as his verbal, emotional and social development. Not only that, his argumentative and thinking skills will also be strengthened all through his fantasy-filled plays.
They are sustainable
Being sustainable nowadays is no longer just a trend but is already a need. So if you want a more environmentally friendly household, you can begin with your kid’s toys at the same time teach him to environmentally responsible in a playful and relaxed way.
Most wooden toy cars are made using sustainable forestry methods as well as fast-growing trees. You can also look for FSC or Forest Stewardship Council to make sure that the wooden toy car is not made from exploitative materials. FSC guarantees and promotes responsible, economical and environmentally-friendly cultivation of the forest.
They help train fine motor skills
Wooden toy cars can greatly help your kids when it comes to flexibility, decision-making, coordination or one’s sense of balance. Allowing your kid to play, have fun at the same time learn things is very important for him to develop his intellectual capacity.
For instance, if your kid runs a wooden toy car through a race track, this will require dexterity. Your kid will need to control the wooden toy car in such a way that it will not get out of the track. This will train fine motor skills and improve his coordination.
Though wooden toy cars are heavier than ones made of plastic, this is more of an advantage. Your little one will need to make greater effort to get the wheels turning, helping him train for strength and coordination. Your kid will learn how to use the right amount of energy and pressure to get the wooden toy car moving and going at the speed that he wants.
They are cheaper
And the best part is that wooden toy cars are much more affordable than other toys made out of other materials. And since these toys can survive up to a decade, this means you won’t have to buy your kid toys over and over again, saving you a lot of money in the long run.
They look gorgeous too
Well, this might not be your biggest priority, but the gorgeous appearance of wooden toy cars have a nice side effect. They are stylish, timeless and look better than other toys. In addition to that, wooden toy cars will also fit well within any space.
Wooden Toy Cars Buyer’s Guide: What to Consider When Buying for Kids
Now that you already have a better idea of the kids of wooden toy cars available in the market, you can even more narrow down your search and find the ones that you think your little one would enjoy playing the most.
If you’re still feeling a bit confused about which item to go with, then take a look at this buying guide section I’ve prepared for you.
Wood Type
Different wooden toy cars use different kinds of woods and the best ones are made of solid wood. Cheaper wooden toy cars tend to use compressed wood that can be harmful as they are often made using potentially toxic adhesives. It is highly recommended to take safety and quality into consideration over price.
Quality
You also need to pay attention to the quality of the wooden toy especially those colored and dyed toys. Most brands will tell you that they don’t use anything harmful or toxic, make sure you will see this on its packaging. It would also be best if you only buy toys from a reputable manufacturer.
Again, it is highly recommended that you go over the toy and make sure that there are no loose parts. Check out if the wood is well finished and there should be no rough patches that could potentially cause splinters.
Value
The wooden toy car you should not only provide pure fun but should also feature educational elements. It should at least allow your child to learn new things like shapes, colors, new languages, and new words.
Assembly
Is the wooden toy car you are choosing is ready to go right out of the box or will it need some effort on your part to put together? Make sure you are well-aware of the packaging and assembly so you will no longer be surprised when you arrive home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are our wooden toy cars safe even for young kids?
Quality wooden toy cars are perfectly safe for your kids. However, just like any other things you will give to your little one, you still have to be extra careful. Look for small parts that could potentially be a choking hazard and always keep an eye on your child as he plays.
Don’t forget to check out what paint used with the product too. It should be non-toxic and not lead-based. This is why I highly recommend that you only purchase from a reputable brand that will not use anything potentially harmful.
What is the best wood for making wooden toy cars?
The best wood for better wooden toy cars is quality hardwoods like maple, ash, poplar, walnut, beech, oak and birch. Beech, for instance, is a widely-used hardwood in Europe. It has hardness, strength, wear-resistance and excellent bending capabilities that you won’t likely find in most woods. This makes it the perfect material for wooden toy cars
However, hardwoods are much more expensive, but they remain to be the best choice for making wooden toy cars that last for a lifetime.
Our wooden toy cars better than plastic?
There are plenty of reasons why wooden toys are much better than plastic, not only for your little one but as well as for the environment. First of all, they are more durable, this means it will yield less waste compared to its plastic counterparts. They are also biodegradable and may even be manufactured with sustainable wood.
Moreover, wooden toy cars also don’t have PVC, phthalates or similar chemicals being used in plastic toys. But you have to be careful with cheap, low-quality wood too. There are some wooden toy cars made of plywood that is full of toxic glues as well as leach formaldehyde.
How do you disinfect wooden toy cars?
Luckily, wood has its natural antibacterial quality so it will less likely be affected with germs as plastic toys do. You can keep it disinfected naturally by using mild dish soap, white vinegar (apple cider vinegar works well too) or other non-toxic multipurpose cleaners, diluted in the water.
Spray the solution to the toy and wipe it with a cloth and warm water and then air dry it. Drying it under the sun is great as it does not only speed up the drying process but the sun also has a natural way of killing more germs. However, you need to monitor it as strong sunlight or exposing the wooden toy under the sun for so long can lead to cracking or the color to fade.
Can you put wooden toys in a dishwasher?
Wood and water don’t go well. Take note that wood is porous, so it would be best not to submerge wood in water or else it will swell and change shape. This is why you should never place wooden toy cars in a dishwasher.
Can I leave the toys outdoors?
Like all wood, wooden toy cars can also be affected by changes in humidity and temperature. So I suggest you don’t leaven them outside overnight or for a prolonged time. The heat, humidity, and sun can greatly affect the shape and appearance of the toy and worse, it can lead to breakage, swelling or cracking.
Conclusion
Wooden toy cars have been around forever and they are less likely going anywhere. They may be simple pieces but they are stimulating and of course, educational. They are among the fundamental items your little one needs to have to develop motor skills and cognitive abilities.
Anyway, I hope you will find the best wooden toy cars for your kids. If you still have any more questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.