Matchbox/Hotwheels or Toot Toot for 2 year old?

[slidingsideways]

Just that, really!

We ordered a Matchbox garage and cars and then cancelled it, worrying perhaps the small parts aren’t safe for a 2 year old as it says age 3+.

Have since ordered a small Toot Toot set (with a view to adding to it over time with some preloved sets) and now they have arrived oh my goodness I can see why everyone finds them annoying! Worried he will outgrow them quickly. Today he was playing with some diecast cars when we were out somewhere and he loved them, I had to prise them out of his hands. I like the fact that play with them is a bit more open ended than Toot Toot seems to be.

Have we made a mistake?! Or am I overthinking massively and do we just accept that we replace Toot Toot at Christmas/next birthday with something more grown up that will last longer?

Any thoughts appreciated, I’m in that last minute panic buying mode and struggling to make a decision. Thanks all!

Mine found Hot Wheels fiddly and annoying around age 4, he wouldn’t have coped with it at age 2. He’s had more fun with angling loo rolls and planks of wood to slide Matchbox type cars down and still loves spending his pocket money on Siku cars at age 11!

Brio is a fab toy for age 2+ if you’re looking for a gift - loads of fun for adults to get involved with too and lots of scope to add bits and bobs for a few birthdays and christmases to come.

Yep don’t overthink it - kids will make do and be inventive with whatever they have!

Thankyou so much! Yes I can see the Hotwheels cars could be a bit fiddly, I hadn’t really thought of that when you are actually trying to play with them in the garage they are really small.

Totally agree about Brio, we bought a starter set for Christmas and he LOVES it, most played with toy he has. We have bought some more for his birthday. We put away some of the more complicated Brio bits though until he’s a bit older, so makes sense that Hotweels might be too much. Perhaps Toot toot is the right option for now. Just wish you could turn the volume down

Thankyou for sharing

@slidingsideways if you are talking brio train track the IKEA range fits it perfectly. My son started at the same age as yours.....hes 19 now, still car and train mad!!

Ah thanks will have to check it out! Haha so should we start saving now for when our little one is bigger??! Sounds like an expensive hobby and not just when they are little!

@slidingsideways i dread to think how much we have spent over the years 😂😂 at least now he uses his own money.... sometimes 😂 model trains (Hornby) are his latest hobby.

@slidingsideways the IKEA wooden trains are really good though. Also have a look at eBay, Facebook marketplace, charity shops and car boot sales. We have picked up some really good bargains at these 😍

I recommend getting a wooden garage/car park and buying the Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars for it.
The good thing about the cars is you can buy them so cheap (10p at charity shops sometimes).
Official Matchbox/Hot Wheels garages are usually rubbish.

One positive about the toot toot cars is the batteries seem to run out quite quickly

Thanks, I like this idea, will have a look - would MUCH prefer the look of a wooden garage!

Was going to say exactly this.

Hot wheels cars, tomika cars, matchbox cars are all great. 2 years old was around the time when my son became obsessed.

But, hot wheels tracks and garages are a fiddly pain in the arse that look amazing in the box, but in my experience, rarely get played with.

The simple old wooden garage that his grandma has has been played with 100x more over the years, as has the wooden train tracks and any wooden block that can make a road.

Buy the more metalic cars and they will last a lifetime. My son still plays with his grandpa's little box of matchbox cars from the 1970s..

And yes the good thing is they are cheap! My son's trips to the shops were cheap for years when his grandparents were offering to buy a treat, and all he wanted was a tiny car.. but the bad thing is that you end up with tons and tons!

My daughter had toot toots from about 18 months - she’s just turned 3 and still loves them!

she’s got lots of track and slides etc for them now. She loves building it all together. The music they play is annoying as hell but she enjoys them.

credit where credits due - they’re sturdy! She’s thrown them all over the place and they still all work