Many people start with a small car track and end up wanting more: a roundabout, a road up a mountain, a place to park and a bus that can drive the route. A wooden car track can grow with the play if the pieces fit together. Here is what to look for and how to build a track step by step.
What is a wooden car track?
A wooden car track is road pieces that the children put together themselves, with wooden cars that can drive on them. There are no batteries and no screen, so the child decides where the car goes. At Crateit the tracks belong to Crateit Town: roads, buildings and vehicles that click together without glue and arrive in unpainted wood.
Five things to look for
- Road pieces that can be connected. Then the track can change shape from week to week.
- Cars in a size that suits the road. Try the cars on the road before you decide.
- Space. Roll out the mat or measure the floor before you build.
- A way to expand. It is easy to want more once the track is finished.
- Colours that can be changed. If the track can be coloured over, it does not get boring.
Three tracks to start with
### The roundabout
Rule the Roundabout is a wooden roundabout with approach roads. It covers 80 × 100 cm assembled, has 24 pieces and comes with a car. It is a good centrepiece, because several cars can meet in the same roundabout.
### The mountain route
Around The Mountain is a wooden mountain route with a view over the town. It covers 80 × 85 cm assembled, has 35 pieces and two cars. The children can race up the mountain and down again.
### The road extension
Adventure Track Extension is a road extension that covers 80 × 65 cm assembled. It has 19 pieces and four road connectors, so the route can grow in several directions.
Cars and signs
A track needs traffic. Turbo Racer is a racing car of 9 × 2.5 cm, Thunder Truck is a truck of 9 × 2.5 cm, and Bus Adventures is a city bus of 10 × 2.5 cm. Each vehicle is assembled from three pieces that click together without glue.
With the Traffic & Road Signs Pack the track gets ten traffic signs of 3 × 8 cm, including a stop sign, a speed limit and a traffic light. Then the children can invent the rules themselves. To read more about playing traffic, see road rules for children.
Plan the space
The roundabout and the mountain route take up around 0.7 to 0.8 square metres each, so measure the floor before you start. It can be a good idea to build the track on a table or a rug that can stay in place, so the building does not have to be cleared away every evening. The children can also build one piece at a time and carry on at the weekend.
Colour the track
Everything comes in unpainted wood, so the children decide the colours. The colour can be applied again and again, because the markers cover the old layer. So the track can be green in summer and white as snow in winter. See Crateit markers, and read how to colour wooden toys with markers.
Five games on the track
- The race: who gets around the mountain first?
- The delivery: the truck has to pick something up in one place and deliver it to another.
- The bus: the children decide the route and the stops.
- The map: draw the track on paper and build it afterwards.
- Rebuild: move the road pieces and find a new route without buying anything new.
A gift that can grow
A car track is a gift that can be expanded. Start with one route and add the cars, the signs and the extension as the play grows. If the gift is for a five year old, you can find ideas at Christmas gift for a 5 year old. If it is for someone turning six, see Christmas gift for a 6 year old.
Recommended age
Crateit Town is recommended for ages 5 to 9, and may be used from age 3. You know your own child best, and if the child is younger, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the play.
Frequently asked questions
Can you expand a wooden car track later?
Yes. Crateit Town is made so that you can keep building set by set. A road extension such as Adventure Track Extension gives four road connectors, so the route can grow in several directions.
Do you need glue or tools?
No. The pieces click together without glue or tools, and an assembly guide is included.
Can the track be coloured over if the child changes their mind?
Yes. The colour can be applied again and again, because the markers cover the old layer.
What age is a wooden car track suitable for?
Crateit Town is recommended for ages 5 to 9 and may be used from age 3. Keep an eye on the play if the child is younger.
See Crateit Town, a wooden town with roads, buildings and vehicles that can be expanded set by set.
