The best toy cars to buy your toddler

Children playing in toy car

by Samantha Ball |
Updated on

Toy cars are a great way to encourage fine motor skills and imaginative play, so providing your toddler with an assortment of toy cars is a good little way for them to be able to learn while still having fun.

Different emergency vehicles, rubbish trucks and race cars help to stimulate their creativity in play. You can even get cars that have easy grip from children who are still developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills!

So if your tot is obsessed with cars, why not take a look at our top picks?

Best wooden cars
Melissa u0026amp; Doug Wooden Cars Vehicle Set
Price: £46.45
Alternative retailers
Target$14.39View offer
Walmart$29.24View offer

This classic set of Melissa and Doug Wooden Cars are great for tots. Each car is completely different, and they come in a tray that children can use as a mini garage to keep their toy cars together.

Toomies DC Comics Batman
Price: £34.52

If you've got a little (or grown up!) Batman fan, they'll love this 3 in 1 Batmobile toy from Toomies which transforms from a deluxe Batmobile into a Batwing jet and a mini version of itself. The Caped Crusader and his sidekick fit neatly into each vehicle for shape-sorting and swapping fun.

This precious Personalised Wooden Transporter Lorry is a fun additional feature to have with toy cars. The upper deck can be easily lowered so cars can be driven on and off, and there's grooves in the surface so that no car falls off while on its journey!

Best animal cars

These fun Push and Go Animal Cars help tots to identify different animals, while still having car fun! When the cars are pushed along, the heads of the animals also swing from side to side.

Best Disney toy cars

The Disney Baby Toy Story Go Grippers Collection design makes the cars easier to grab and grip, making them suitable for ages 12 months and over. Playtime will provide hours of fun while tots zoom the cars across floors. We love the Toy Story themed cars too!

Best pull-back cars

Tots will love racing these Set of 8 Pull Back Cars. All they have to do is pull the car back along the floor, and watch as it races off - they'll be tonnes of giggles! The chunky cars are designed so toddlers can easily pick them up, and they're durable too.

Best sensory cars
Oball Rattle u0026amp; Roll Toy
Price: £12.99
Alternative retailers
Walmart$6.99View offer

Each wheel of this Oball Rattle & Roll Toy is full of colourful beads that rattle as the car rolls across the ground, providing a sensory experience for tots. The finger holes also make it easier for little ones to grab and play with the car, and it's made with soft material to help wih teething, too!

Best first remote control cars

These Remote Control Fire Engine and Police Cars are really easy to use, with the steering wheel designer controller, making it an ideal first remote control car for little ones. With a press of a button, the cars even light up and play music, which toddlers will love!

How we test and choose recommended products

Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.

Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.

For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.

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