We hosted a momstown Hot Wheels Track Challenge and during the event it was clear that not only can playing with cars and tracks be hours of entertainment for your preschooler, there are several teachable moments that help develop important skills.
momstown moms believe in taking every opportunity to make teachable moments with our children, so when we found ways to have fun with Hot Wheels AND teach our children some early math and language concepts, we recognized the power of learning through play.
Here are some great learning ideas while you play Hot Wheels with your child;
Early Math Skills–
- Practice colours; "Let's say the colour of the cars as we race them along the track! 1, 2, 3…go, Green! Next is the Red car, will it be faster than the green one?"
- Sort the cars in different groups, try by colour, accessories on the car, size, even fastest to slowest.
- Count how many cars you have. Can your child count them by themselves?
- Add and subtract the cars to teach your child about early math concepts.
Early Language Skills-
- Create an imaginative story with your child while you play with your track. Use these great story starters to tell or write down your story;
- The car zoomed quickly past the …
- At the very top of the loop on the Hot Wheels® track …
- She opened the door to the red convertible and …
- The orange truck flew off the jump and …
Fine Motor Skills-
- Let your child find the slot to join the tracks. Can they manipulate it easily with their fingers? Keep practicing!
- Try some tracks that have switches. Let your child practice cause and effect with the buttons.
Social Skills-
- Kids develop social skills by playing and collaborating on how they will build the track together.
- Take turns being the one to race the car down the track to learn patience.
- How can you share your cars? Can you trade with each other?
Problem Solving Skills-
- Builiding Hot Wheels tracks is a fabulous lesson in solving problems and planning. What if your car doesn't move quickly along the track? How can you solve the problem? How can you plan your track to be faster?
Did you know that teachers and parents can download lesson plans from Hot Wheels?
Don't forget to learn more about the Hot Wheels Track Challenge and enter our contest!
