Hot Wheels Cars are going to be the death of me!

[Dreamalittledream]

If I step on, trip over, slide around on one more Hot Wheels Car!! My sons (& DCBs) are crazy about them and we've amassed a mighty collection. Silly question, but I've tried different storage ideas...in a bucket on the car table...but they just get taken along to drive along any surface in the room & get left, on the stairs & floor (ouch!). Anybody else face this? Any creative ideas about storing them that works for you? Just thought of the fact that I probably don't need the cazillion of them out that I do...duh!

[Crayola kiddies]

Why not get one of those carpets that has the town printed on it and place it in an area that is maybe off to one side or something like that and let the kids know that the cars only stay in that area. Have a big bucket to keep the cars in and key them know when they are done put the cars back. Some people have different centers and you could have a car center.

[Dreamalittledream]

Oh boy do I...I have a car rug, a car table, train table & a car ramp...and yet the cars travel. Perhaps just a reinforcement that they stay there.

[Toregone]

If you figure it out let me know. I wish I could get the darn dinky cars to stay in one spot but they are everywhere!

[DCP_But_Momma_1st]

I was shocked to see that most of the cars in my daycare room were missing. I lifted up the couch to clean and WOW there they all are. My boys aren't too interested in them though so I just put the couch back down LOL

[Dreamalittledream]

I was shocked to see that most of the cars in my daycare room were missing. I lifted up the couch to clean and WOW there they all are. My boys aren't too interested in them though so I just put the couch back down LOL

Awesome! That chuckle made my day

[kidlove]

Make a "garage" out of a cardboard box and tell the boys when they are done the cars need to be parked in the garage. How old are they? Could they understand a "demotion program" if they get done playing and dont park the cars in the garage, the cars that are left out get taken away. If they really like their cars and want to play with them for the rest of the day, they'll learn quick to put them in the garage or.....bubye.

[playfelt]

I got some of the smaller bins with part of the side out that you can stack. I put a few cars in 3-4 of them and then spread them out. First it means no matter where they are - near the table, near the garage, etc. there is a bin of cars to use. It also means when I find one sitting around and pick it up that I am only a few steps away from the nearest bin. We too have cars everywhere. The good news for me is that the older boys are off to school and I am left with two girls and new babies so MOST of the cars will be disappearing in the next couple weeks a few at a time so they aren't suddenly missed. I will be leaving more larger type cars out that all ages can use.

[Inspired by Reggio]

LOL well they do say tripping hazards are the number 1 cause of accidents in the workplace so for US that is definitely true

I admit to being one of those people who has a 'when your done return it to its home rule' in the playroom.... and while I do not mind them taking out lots of toys if they are 'engaged in play' with them all if the playroom starts to get 'unsafe' due to sprawling play we stop and do the '2 second tidy' and the group all helps to make it 'safe again' .... I have clients who tease that their child has become the 'Tidy up Police' at home and will say things to them like 'you need to put your briefcase in its home dad someone is going to trip over it and get hurt' or 'that's a tripping hazard' to anything that is on the floor or stairs

[dodge__driver11]

I also say:

"Remember if we are done with the toy it goes back to its home."

We don't move on to the next "thing" until all toys are gathred from the previous playtime.

Some of my kidlets have turned into the "tidy up police" too LOL