Why Do Children Love Toy Trucks?
Every child has an obsession. Toys like dolls, plushies and dinosaurs are all favourites.
Researchers have discovered that this phenomenon is called “extremely intensive interests” (EIIs) and they are visible in about a third of preschool-aged children. This obsession is centred around cars for many children, including yours. Although the gender divide remains in the world of toys, not all little boys are attracted to anything with wheels. This is evident in my 20-month-old daughter’s love for her red bus.
Gender Differences
You’d be right if you thought that boys are more likely to love cars and trucks.
Caroline explains, “When you watch children play and give them all kinds of toys, it’s common to see that boys prefer things like cars, trucks, or other things that move. They also enjoy things which interact physically with .”
She continues to note that “children of different ages play differently, but you tend to see this pattern across the board.”
Nature or Nurture:
Are the toys that children choose to play with influenced by stereotypes? Caroline says that it’s not always the case.
When they play alone, their interest is more likely to come from what they like.
As children develop, other factors become important.
Caroline says that as children get older, they will begin to play together.
“If a girl wants to play with a truck, but her friends prefer to play with rabbits, or whatever, she will go play with the toy of their choice.”
The Science Behind the Car Obsession
Why cars? A possible reason could be related to cognitive development. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive growth, toddlers are moving from the sensorimotor (birth-to-2 years) stage into the preoperational (ages 2-7) stage around the age of 2.
Sensorimotor development is a stage where children explore the world by using their senses and interacting physically with objects. This is why cars are the perfect toy for this stage. They’re cause-and-effect toys — you push them and they move. Toddlers can experiment with the effects of their actions, such as rolling a vehicle across the floor or launching a ramp.
When toddlers reach the preoperational stage they start to develop symbol representation. This means they can use objects as a way to represent other things. They might pretend that their car is zooming along an imaginary motorway or flying like an aeroplane. It’s the start of pretend play. Their little cars are transformed into vehicles that help them expand their imaginations.
Evolutionary Theory
Caroline says researchers are still examining theories about children’s play and preferred toys but that evolution could be a factor.
Men and boys used to be the hunters and gatherers and had to have a solid understanding of tools, as well as three-dimensional space. Women and girls had to take care of their families and keep their community together.
Caroline says, “That’s one theory.” She suggests that some children might group cars and trucks in the same category with their favourite living items.
If you imagine a truck with big headlights they look like eyes. She says that because it moves, it appears to have its agency.
You may not know that children think of trucks the same way they do about dinosaurs or animals. They are a moving object which does some interesting things.
Here are some reasons why little boys love toy trucks and cars:
First, They’re familiar and fun!
Toy vehicles are a miniature version of familiar things. This is one of the main reasons why kids love them. Kids are exposed to cars, trucks and other vehicles from an early age. They see them on the road, in movies and on TV, but also at home. Early exposure to vehicles can help children learn about the world and make them more attached to their toys.
Benefits: The connection kids have with their toys vehicles allows them to explore the world from the comforts of their playroom. Kids can learn about how to operate a fire engine or telehandler as they zoom across imaginary landscapes and cities. They will also start to understand basic concepts such as spatial awareness and cause and effect relationships.
Second, They are fast and exciting!
You may not be surprised to learn that kids enjoy toys with moving parts, flashing lights and sounds. Toy vehicles offer children a sensory experience that is thrilling. Playing with fast-paced toys, whether it’s a zooming car or a roaring truck, stimulates the senses of children and increases their excitement.
Benefits: As they race, jump and even crash toy cars, they create a lot of sensory input. Toy cars provide sensory input in the form of sounds, images, and textures. This helps to enhance young children’s development. Interacting with these toys helps children improve their tactile sensitivity and auditory and visual processing skills, which are important for language and fine motor skill growth. It’s pretty cool!
Third, They’re fascinating.
Toy vehicles spark kids’ curiosity! It’s hard to not wonder about the real-life counterparts of these toys, with their intricate designs and moving parts. Toy cars and trucks are a great way to bring pretend play to life for children.
Benefits: Playing with toy cars can inspire a child’s desire to learn about their mechanics. Toy vehicles can teach kids a lot, from the basics like cause-and effect to more complex STEM principles such as basic engineering concepts, problem-solving and spatial reasoning.
Playing with cars has many educational benefits.
What is the best thing about toddlers’ fascination with cars? It’s more than just fun. Toy vehicles are a great way to develop a variety of skills.
Problem Solving: Building a ramp, creating crash situations, and experimenting on different surfaces teach toddlers the basic physics concepts like gravity, friction and acceleration
Motor skills: Pushing or pulling cars strengthen fine and gross motor abilities. It is good for your muscles to chase a car that has run away or to zoom a vehicle in the room.
Storytelling and Imagination: The possibilities for pretend play with cars are endless. Your child will learn to expand their imagination and create stories by zooming the car to the shop or pretending that it is a rocker.
Language development: Toddlers use prepositions such as “over,” “under,” or “through” when playing with cars. They also begin to understand concepts like stop/go, fast/slow.
Not all gender is equal.
There are many factors that influence a child’s toy choice, and they don’t just come down to gender.
She explains, “It is not only trucks and toys.” “Kids this age can become obsessed with bugs and beetles. They can also be obsessed with vacuums. “They can be obsessed with anything and we don’t know why.”
“We don’t understand what makes one child obsessed with a tortoise and another child obsessed with a fire truck.”
Researchers refer to this phenomenon as ‘extremely intensive interests’. Extremely intensive interests are observed in approximately a third of preschoolers and begin to appear at 18 months.
Little Toy Hackers
Caroline explains that children play differently and “hack” toys to suit their style of play. They don’t believe in the assumptions adults have about toys.
I’ve seen boys wrap cars in blankets, and then rock them from side to side. She explains that she has seen girls using dolls to make trucks.
As adults, we categorize these toys. Children are not as categorical, I think. You don’t have to use a doll to show care and nurture, and you do not need to use a construction kit to learn how solid objects interact.
Conclusion
As a parent, I understand how important it is to provide activities that will engage your child while also supporting their development.
It’s not unusual for toddlers to spend hours playing in the car. This is a crucial part of their physical and cognitive development. It’s also an activity that encourages curiosity, promotes learning and keeps children entertained.
Next time you step on a toy car, remember that they are not only toys. These toys are tools for imagination, learning and growth.
