We've all heard the trendy term "open-ended toys" or "open-ended play", but between diaper changes, mealtimes, school pick up AND drop off, plus all the other mom things we have to accomplish in a day, we've probably forgotten how and why to incorporate this into playtime. 

But don't worry, it doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, we're going to break down three ways you can use our three wooden car set (which you probably already have), to apply this concept and get the most out of its benefits. 

To start, let's define "open-ended toys" as: a toy that does NOT have a clear or specific purpose. Meaning, how they are used is totally up to your kiddos' imagination and creativity. 

There are tons of benefits to using these kinds of toys, some of which include:

• Increased attention span
• Fine-tune gross motor skills
• Advanced fine motor skills
• Creative thinking and problem solving 

Let your Child take the lead

At the heart of open-ended play, this is the main concept; follow your child's lead. Set them up for success in their playroom with the three car set and see where their imagination takes them. It's really that simple. Let them decide which other open-ended toys they want to pair with their truck, love bugand/or racer and see what they come up with. 

Use a Playmat 

If your child needs a little more direction, incorporating a playmat or using other items to create roads can help get them on the right track. This still allows for them to freely learn how to move the cars around, discover how they roll and helps them grasp more complex concepts such as right and left, back and forth, and fast and slow. 

Take it Outside

Another super easy way to switch up playtime is to bring some favorite toys outside. This change in scenery can make even the oldest of toys feel new again. Suddenly the trees, rocks and dirt piles are the new pretend towns their toy cars can drive through and our solid hardwood, easy to clean vehicles can withstand even the roughest of terrain. 

A couple additional open-ended toys from our product line:

• Picture Alphabet blocks
• Smiling Moon Balancer
• Basic Block set
• Lacing and Tracing toy