Our Rainbow & Natural Wooden Vehicles Sets are new for 2022.
Each vehicle has four rotating wheels, metal axles and lasered markings.
The lasering creates a slight indentation in the wood, making the pieces tactile and compelling.
Find out more here.
Gemma Knight, an Ofsted Registered Childminder, has been using the Rainbow Wooden Vehicle Set (Pk12)
and the Natural Wooden Vehicle Set (Pk12) in her setting.
We contacted her to find out what she thinks of the sets and how she has incorporated them into play.
What type of setting do you work in?
I am an Ofsted Registered Childminder, working with infants, pre-school and school children in my home.
How many children do you look after in your setting and what are their ages?
I have 3 children during the day and 8 children before and after school on different days. Currently the children I care for are ranged between 12 months and 12 years.
What do you look for in an educational product?
I look for products that match the interests and abilities of the children I look after and that promote social skills and collaborative play. I invest in products that spark the imagination of the children in my care and provide opportunities for pretend play. I also look for resources that promote heuristic play and encourage exploration of the real world.
What was your first impression of the TickiT Wooden Vehicles?
I LOVE them! One child that I look after in particular loves cars, so this is such a great addition to my childcare setting. They are solid and chunky; the wheels move with ease and feel sturdy. The child could easily identify what each car was e.g. fire truck, police car, post van. He also loved that you could link the caravan on to the car, great idea. They look like they are going to last!
How have you used the TickiT Wooden Vehicles in your setting and how do you feel they support a child's learning & development?
We discuss travel and holidays with the Wooden Adventure Vehicles and E-Vehicles. We talk about where we’ve been on holiday, where we are going, who else has gone away, when we travel on the bus, what we see out of the windows - it really does encourage the use of so many different descriptive words and storytelling.
When we play with the Wooden Community Vehicles and Emergency Vehicles, we talk about work and communities and how important these cars (and people) are in our everyday lives, what do they do for us, how can they help us, who do we call in an emergency.
We have used the vehicles to practice colour recognition, by matching the cars with other coloured items from around the playroom. We then matched them with the Architect sets and we built tunnels, bridges, and houses.
Playing with TickiT Wooden Vehicles is a wonderful opportunity for interactive play and the development of social skills such as communication and turn taking. This allows children to build confidence and establish relationships with other children, as well as enhancing language skills and building vocabulary. They can help develop fine and gross motor skills and nurture creativity and imagination.
How are the TickiT Wooden Vehicles played within different age groups?
I have a 1 year old child in my setting who likes to look at and feel the vehicles. They are slightly raised on the sides, and he likes to run his fingers along the etching. The holes which are in them (great thinking TickiT, fantastic idea), make them easy to hold, even for the smallest of hands.
My two 2 year old children play with them as cars. They use them with a toy garage, and we make a road on the floor which they push them along, taking turns to cross the junctions. We take them in the garden, and they take it in turns to push them down the slide, one will push, and one will catch them at the bottom. We put them into colour groups, and they can be stacked up on top of each other.
What are the most useful features of the TickiT Wooden Vehicles?
I think the holes are the most useful feature. They make it easy to hold and push along. They are such a great idea! I see the children pushing their fingers through the holes and even looking through the holes.
Do you feel the Natural and the Rainbow Sets offer different advantages to play?
Absolutely, the Rainbow Set offers the chance to learn colours. Developing colour recognition skills allows children the opportunity to use words to describe and to sort.
Some children may feel a little overwhelmed by bright colours so something more natural is a better alternative. Uncoloured toys can require more from the imagination, helping to develop creative play.
Do you feel the TickiT Wooden Vehicles are good value for money?
Yes, I do. The TickiT Wooden Vehicles are extremely durable. I look after three boys under 3, so they really need to be! They have been accidentally dropped, played with outside, we’ve taken them to the park and pushed them down the slide. They are yet to show any dents, scratches, or marks on the vehicles, and they haven’t chipped, which I have found happens with cheaper alternatives.
You can buy them in the set of 12 or in smaller sets of 3, which is great if don’t want the whole set, or you want to build your collection up over time. Unlike plastic toy cars, these will last a lifetime. They are environmentally safe, offer excellent educational value, they excite the imagination, encourage social interaction and are durable and long lasting.
Do you feel the TickiT Wooden Vehicles would have continued value over time?
Yes, most definitely. We have had these for a while now and they still look as good as the first day. I have kept them out in a basket and they are played with daily. Cars are something that will never get old, it’s something that will be passed down the generations. They are perfect for endless hours of fun!
I would recommend the TickiT Wooden Vehicles to other early years practitioners. While plastic versions may have more features, designs and sound effects, these wooden vehicles encourage children to use their imagination and invent new ways of playing. They spark the child’s natural curiosity and help them develop motor skills, problem solving skills, hand eye coordination, social skills and so much more!
Wooden toys are durable and pretty much unbreakable, they are sustainable, and they look beautiful.
