Gift ideas · Cars and trucks
Gifts for kids who love cars and trucks
Car and truck kids want to load it, dump it, crash it and race it again. Good gifts are tough enough to take a beating, and give them a road, a ramp or a job to do.
Skip: Remote control cars for kids under 6. The remote does the fun part. A truck they push themselves gets played with longer.
Not sure how they play? Take the quiz.
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Ages 2 to 3
- 1A sturdy dump truckOur pick: Green Toys Dump TruckNo small parts, and it works in the sandbox, the bath and the living room. Find it
- 2A truck board bookOur pick: Little Blue Truck board book (Alice Schertle)The truck book most toddlers ask for again and again. Find it
- 3A ride-on toyOur pick: Little Tikes Cozy CoupeTheir own car. They'll drive laps around the kitchen. Find it
- 4A big book of things that goOur pick: Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That GoHundreds of little vehicles to point at, and Goldbug to find on every page. Find it
Ages 4 to 6
- 1A steel dump truckOur pick: Tonka Steel Classics Mighty Dump TruckReal steel, built for dirt. It'll still be around when they're 10. Find it
- 2A big pack of Hot WheelsOur pick: Hot Wheels 20-car gift packTwenty cars to race, sort and trade. This is where collections start. Find it
- 3A road rugOur pick: Melissa & Doug Round the Town Road RugA town on the floor, and every car in the house drives on it. Find it
- 4A car carrier truckOur pick: Melissa & Doug Car Carrier Truck and CarsLoad the cars, drive them across the room, unload them. Then again. Find it
One we made ourselves
Ages 7 to 9
- 1Hot Wheels track they can rebuildOur pick: Hot Wheels Track Builder Unlimited Split Loop PackThe pieces connect any way they want, so it's a new track every time. Find it
- 2A build-your-own race car kitOur pick: Stanley Jr. Pull-Back Race Car kitThey build it with real tools, then race it down the hall. Find it
- 3A slot car setOur pick: Carrera GO!!! Champion's Racing slot car setTwo cars, two controllers and a lap counter. Races get serious fast. Find it
- 4DownforceOur pick: Downforce (Restoration Games)A racing board game where you also bet on which car will win. About half an hour a game. Find it
Ages 10 to 12
- 1A LEGO Technic carOur pick: LEGO Technic Dodge Viper GTS-R (42234)Over 800 pieces and a real weekend build. Technic shows how a car's parts move. Find it
- 2A LEGO Speed Champions carOur pick: LEGO Speed Champions McLaren W1 (77257)One real supercar, small enough to race across the table when it's done. Find it
- 3A big book of every vehicleOur pick: Cars, Trains, Ships, and Planes (DK)Cars, trains, ships and planes, with a photo of each and what made it special. Find it
- 4A sketchbook and fine liner pensOur pick: Faber-Castell Do Art Drawing & Sketching setKids who love cars draw them all the time. Good pens make the lines look fast. Find it
Things to do near you
Gifts are one way in. Camps, classes and weekend events for kids who love cars and trucks are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.
How kids who love cars and trucks tend to play
A lot of kids who love cars and trucks are Builders, and some are Competitors. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.
Gifts for other things kids love
Gift ideas by Play Type
Holiday gift lists
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
