science experiments using toy cars

Toy Car Ramp Experiment (Easy STEM for Kids)

Categories Printables , Science , STEM

This Toy Car Ramp Experiment is an excellent way to introduce your kids to the wonders of physics. Don’t be intimidated by the word physics. You can start introducing it to your kids when they’re very young. 

Every baby who has ever thrown anything from their highchair, just so that they can watch it fall to the floor is experimenting with gravity. Or psychology, if you happen to get annoyed whenever they make an unnecessary mess on your kitchen floor.

Disclosure: Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times.

Table of Contents

• Materials needed

Instructions

• Different experiments to try
• What you’re learning
• More STEM activities to try

Materials Needed

• Wooden plank
• Different cars in various weights, or these Duplo blocks that you can adjust.
• Measuring tape
• Stool, table, blocks or anything to lean the roadblocks against

I’ve made my own DIY Roadblocks in two different ways. One with painted wood, and the other with black cardboard. Cardboard was much easier to make and store and have been my preferred roadblocks for years now. However the wooden ones were perfect for outdoor play, and if you use outdoor paint then you don’t have to worry about them being left in the rain.

How to Make a Toy Car Ramp Experiment

1. download and print the recording sheet.

The free printable recording sheets can be found below. Simple head to the bottom of the post and click the large blue button to get your copy.

You’ll need 1 recording sheet per child, or per group if you are doing this as a group activity.

2. Set up your ramp

I placed one end of the wooden planks on top of some of our building blocks. Foam building blocks were perfect for this because you can easily adjust the height of the ramp (which you need for experiment 1) and since they were made from foam the ramps didn’t slip around so easily.

When you are setting up your ramps, make sure to set them up on a flat surface. Otherwise it’ll affect the validity of your results.

3. Place the cars at the top of the ramp

Place one hot wheels car at the top of each ramp. You’ll need to make sure that they are starting at the same point for each experiment.

You’ll also need to make sure that the cars you use are exactly the same, (except for experiment 2), otherwise your results will be invalid.

4. Let the cars go

Make sure your kids, let go of the car and don’t push it. Otherwise, your results will be invalid because you can’t guarantee that they’ve used the exact amount of force for each push. Instead, you’ll be using the Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) to give the cars enough energy to move.

5. Measure 

When the car has stopped rolling, you’re going to measure the distance between the end of the ramp and the end of the car. You can then record results on the free printable recording sheet.

With each of these three car STEM experiments, you’re going to change only one variable and see how that variable affects the distance the car rolls.

6. Record your results

Write down the distance the car traveled from the bottom of the ramp to the place where it eventually stopped rolling.

Repeat step 3 – 6 for each experiment 3 times. When you’ve gathered all of your data you can compare how far the object travels and talk about what that means. 

Different Experiments to Try

Experiment 1: how does the height of the ramp affect the distance the car goes.

In this experiment, you’re going to find out how different amounts of gravitational potential energy (GPE) affects the distance the car travels.

To do this, you’re going to adjust the angle of the ramps. The higher the ramp, the greater the GPE and the more force that is exerted on the car. In other words, the higher the GPE, the further we expect the moving car to go.

Since I used foam blocks to support my simple ramps, it was easy to increase the inclined plane by adding another block to the supporting tower. Try a whole lot of different heights and see what happens.

If you want to highlight the primary concept here, you can even do an experiment where one of the ramps is lying flat on the floor. Obviously, the car is going to go nowhere, but at least now your kids will know that it’s because there was no GPE to get the car rolling.

Experiment 2: How does the weight of the car affect the distance the vehicle goes?

Have you ever been stuck behind a big truck on an onramp and thought “My gosh, this is going to take forever!” Have you ever wondered why a heavy truck still goes so slowly even when it’s going downhill and trying to increase its speed to merge safely with the other cars that are going at a faster speed?

It’s because it takes a lot more energy to move heavy objects, such as a big truck or a medicine ball, than it takes to move lighter ones, like a regular car or a tennis ball.

Another way to explain this concept to your kids is to get them to blow through a straw. Get a pom pom and a tennis ball and try to blow them off of a table. See how hard your kids have to blow to get each of the balls moving. They’ll soon find it much easier to get the pom pom to fly across the table while the tennis ball follows at a much slower rate.

In this experiment, the GPE is the same because you’re going to make the height of the ramps equal, but the weight of the cars will change. The lighter car should roll further because it requires less GPE to roll the same distance as the heavier car.

This experiment was the reason why I chose these Duplo train blocks instead of cars. I found it a lot easier to adjust the weight of the vehicle by adding on extra blocks to create a heavier mass. If you don’t have these Duplo train set blocks at home, you can instead find two cars that are different weights, or you can try to make one heavier by sticking a pebble to the top with playdough.

Experiment 3: How does the surface texture of the landing area affect the distance the car goes?

We’ve used the GPE to give the car the energy to move. Now we’re going to explain why the car stops rolling. In this experiment, your kids will learn how different surface textures and the different amounts of friction produced will affect the distance the car travels.

Pick three surfaces, something smooth, like wooden floors or tiles, something rough, like grass and something in between, like carpet. Then repeat the experiment and see how far the matchbox car goes on the different surfaces.

The more ‘rough’ a surface, the more friction is produced when something moves across it. When two objects slide against each other, friction works in the opposite direction to the movement. The more ‘rough’ a surface is, the more surface area that is actually coming into contact with the moving object.

Although the relationship between roughness and friction is a bit more complicated than this, there’s no need to go past the basic concept when doing this experiment with young kids.

In this experiment, friction acts like an outside force to stop the cars from rolling. If it weren’t for friction, the car would keep going forever, or until it ran into something.

To explain this to your kids, try to use examples of friction working in their everyday lives that they can understand. For instance, get them to think about which is harder. Is it easier to ride their bikes on the grass, or the road? Another example is to ask them if it’s easier for them to walk through air or water?

What You’re Learning

Basic concept: Objects, even inanimate ones, require energy to move.

Your kids probably already know that we need energy to move. Even if you haven’t talked to them about it directly, they would have picked up on the concept. If you think of some of the usual things parents say, you’ll understand what I mean.

“Vegetables give you the energy to grow.”

“Where’s my coffee? I need some energy.”

“Wow, running across the whole park took a lot of energy.”

Your kids are smart, and they’ll have figured out what energy does.

But have you ever told your kids that even inanimate objects need a bit of energy to move too? Why does a ball move when you kick it? The ball will then stop moving after a while, why? Why is it easier to throw a tennis ball compared to a bowling ball?

These are three questions we can answer with these simple science experiments.

More STEM Activities to try

With the right STEM experiment even young kids can become enthusiastic science students. They’re a great way to introduce kids to the scientific method and help develop essential life skills as they play and explore. Here are some more simple STEM activities that even preschoolers and kindergarteners can enjoy.

• Make a Book – STEM Invitation to Play
• Paper Plate Number Match Activity
• How to Make A Pom Pom Shooter
• Edible Bubble Science
• Safe Drinking Water STEM Activity

For more ideas, take a look at these 42 STEM Activities for Kids .

Are you going to try this Toy Car Ramp Experiment with your kids? Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.

Toy Car Ramp Experiment

Use toy cars and ramps to make an easy science experiment for your kids.

This is a fun way to teach kids about physics and the scientific method.

• Download and print the recording sheet.
• Set a ramp up, with one end on the floor and the other end on a stack of blocks or book.
• Place a car at the top of the ramp and let it go (don't push it.)
• Use a measuring tape to measurethe distance between the bottom of the ramp and the end of the car.
• Write the distance on the recording sheet.

There are three different experiments you can try with this simple setup.

• Change the height of the ramp and see what happens.
• Change the weigh of the car.
• Change the surface that the car reaches, with varying amounts of friction.

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• Apr 23, 2020

20 STEM Activities Children can do with Their Cars: Early Childhood

Updated: Aug 20, 2023

Children learn best by doing through child-directed play and exploration. It’s easy to delve into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) lessons at home with toys children already have, such as cars. Toy cars can be purchased for very little at thrift or Dollar stores. Remember to inspect what you buy. Access where children are in their development and invite them to take learning to the next level. When natural discovery stalls, ask open-ended questions and introduce tools and interesting materials to extend learning. 1. Examine and describe the cars to someone.

2. Explain what cars are for and how they think cars operate.

3. Describe how their cars are the same as, or different from, other cars.

4. Sort and classify their cars, or other modes of transportation, by their characteristics.

5. Find things that are bigger, smaller, taller, wider, longer, or shorter than their cars, by comparison. Measure the cars.

6. Discover how wheels work. Simple machines: wheel & axle.

7. Find other things that have wheels. How are they different from the ones on their cars?

8. Build a wheel and axle to move an object. How about building a wheel out of straw and cardboard?

9. Explore how cars roll on various surfaces and textures: water, dirt, sand, metal, grass, concrete, rocks, wood, etc.

10. Push cars and measure how far they go. Push harder. Push softer. Change surfaces. Start from various positions.

11. Make cars move without touching them with their hands.

12. Count down and race cars against other objects that roll or move.

13. Design and build cars out of random objects. They don’t have to roll.

14. Design roads out of things like sticks, rocks, leaves, manipulatives & toys, or chalk. Pretend their cars stop at real-life places.

15. Explore how cars roll down a ramp - ramps constructed differently, ramps at different heights, angles, and/or with various surfaces. What happens when cars get to the bottom?

16. Find ways to pull cars up a ramp.

17. Make a parking lot out of a box or box top and practice parking cars in the spaces. Add numbers or colors to both the spaces and the cars, then park the cars in their matching spots.

18. Construct a garage, road, bridge, or tunnel out of boxes, rocks, sticks, Popsicle sticks, blocks, paper, etc.

19. Search for other objects that are the same color as their car or that roll. How do they work?

20. Draw their observations on paper, even if they scribble.

Additional ideas...

21. Draw a map of their neighborhood, and give directions for children to drive to places with which they are familiar.

Author of: The BIG Book of Open-Ended Questions to Intentionally Support Young Children in Learning: Topics for Preschool thru 1st Grade

Angela Russ-Ayon is a mom-preneur, children’s author, interactive trainer on the subject of early childhood, and award-winning artist/producer of music for young children. She presents educational strategies to child care providers, parents, and teachers nationwide for AEYCs, R & Rs, and the like. She is a member of the Recording Academy and is the sole owner of Russ InVision Records. For more information on Angela, her workshops, and her accomplishments you are welcome to visit www.abridgeclub.com. © 2021, Russ InVision. All rights reserved.

Find out more about Angela Russ-Ayon and her affordable interactive keynote and workshop presentations coast-to-coast on the subjects of early childhood development, STEM (science and math), open-ended questions, and family engagement. Visit her training page.

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10 Self-Propelled Car Projects

Welcome to Make It Move STEM challenges! These engineering projects for STEM are all about things that go, move, fly, bounce, spin, and more. Use the materials you have on hand to invent your own simple machines designed to move in some way, shape, or form. Get ready to design, engineer, test, and re-test your things that move with the following STEM activities for kids.

Build A Self-Propelled Car For STEM

Get ready to raid your recycling bin, check out the junk drawers, and even break out your LEGO stash if you haven’t already from for our LEGO building ideas .

Our STEM projects are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, quick to do, most activities will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun! Plus, our supplies lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home!

Here you can make your own car from a combination of simple household items. Come up with your own car designs, or try ours below!

From balloons, rubber bands, gravity and more, these self-propelled vehicle STEM activities will be tons of fun for elementary and older. Lets get started!

Get your FREE printable balloon car project!

5 Tips For Kids To Design A Self-Propelled Vehicle

Designing a self-propelled car can be a fun project for kids. Here are five tips to help kids design their own STEM car:

TIP 1: Gather Materials

Collect materials like cardboard, plastic bottles, rubber bands, straws, paper clips, and small wheels. Look for items that can be recycled or repurposed to reduce waste and encourage eco-friendly design. See our STEM supplies list for more ideas!

TIP 2: Understand Basic Physics

Explain the basic principles of propulsion to kids, such as the idea that energy from a source (like a rubber band) can be transferred to the wheels to make the car move. Encourage kids to think about how different mechanisms can transfer energy efficiently.

TIP 3: Plan and Sketch

Have kids sketch their car design on paper before building it. This helps them visualize their ideas and make a plan. Ask them to label key components like the wheels, axles, and the mechanism they will use to make it move.

TIP 4: Experiment and Improve

Emphasize the importance of trial and error. Kids may need to try different designs and make adjustments to improve their car’s performance. Encourage them to test their car multiple times and make changes based on what they observe. This is all about the engineering design process!

TIP 5: Encourage Creativity

Allow kids to be creative in their designs. They can paint and decorate their cars to make them unique and visually appealing.

Bonus Tip: Consider organizing a self-propelled car design competition among kids, where they can showcase their creations and test them in races or challenges. This can add an element of excitement and friendly competition to the project.

Amazing Self-Propelled Vehicles To Make

Click on the links below to learn more about each STEM car idea, including step by step instructions and full supply list.

Balloon Powered Car

I am sure there are many ways for you to create a balloon car of your own. One way is to make a balloon car from cardboard.

LEGO Balloon Car

This Lego balloon car is easy to build and super fun to play with for all ages!

LEGO Rubber Band Car

How about making it move with a rubber band? Can a rubber band really make a car go fast? Find out how fast it can go with this fun rubber band car STEM challenge!

Rubber Band Car

If you don’t have LEGO, we also created a rubber band car  with simple household items.

DIY Paddle Boat

Make a paddle boat that moves through the water! This is a fantastic STEM challenge for young kids and older ones, too. Explore forces in motion with this simple DIY paddle boat activity.

Wind Powered Car

You can also harness the power of the wind (or a floor fan) to make something move. How can you design and build a car that will move with the breeze created by a fan?

Don’t have a fan? Make a paper fan or blow through a straw. However, you make “wind” is up to you.

Robot kits are awesome to play and learn with! Find out how to make a robot car for a fun engineering project for all ages. It’s easier than you think!

Magnet Powered Car

Can you drive a car with a magnet? Give it a try! We had great fun building these simple LEGO cars that we could drive around with magnets while figuring out how magnets work! All you need is a car design and bar magnets.

More Fun Things That Move

You can think even simpler with easy STEM ideas! Make a boat that floats, a car that moves when pushed, or a plane that flies the farthest . Things that go don’t have to be complicated! Set a challenge for the day and you will have awesome STEM activities to keep your kids busy!

A hovercraft is also known as an air cushion vehicle or AVC because it can glide over a smooth surface by hovering on an air cushion. Can you make a homemade hovercraft that hovers? Learn about how the hovercraft works and build a mini hovercraft at home or in the classroom from simple supplies.

Do you have kids who love things that go pop, fizz, and bang? Take a simple chemical reaction and turn it into something that moves! You could try…

Balloon Rocket

Explore Newton’s Laws of Motion with a simple set-up balloon rocket physics demonstration. Why not set up two and race the balloon rockets?

Set up a fun toy zip line that moves with gravity and create a vehicle for a mini-figure to ride along it in!

What Is STEM For Kids?

So you might ask, what does STEM actually stand for? STEM is science, technology, engineering, and math. The most important thing you can take away from this, is that STEM is for everyone!

Yes, kids of all ages can work on STEM projects and enjoy STEM lessons. STEM activities are great for group work, too!

STEM is everywhere! Just look around. The simple fact that STEM surrounds us is why it’s so important for kids to be a part of, use, and understand STEM.

Interested in STEM plus ART? Check out all our  STEAM Activities!

From the buildings you see in town, the bridges that connect places, the computers we use, the software programs that go with them, and compasses for navigation, STEM is what makes it all possible.

Helpful STEM Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce STEM more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Engineering Design Process Explained
• What Is An Engineer
• Engineering Vocab
• Real World STEM
• Questions for Reflection (get them talking about it!)
• Must Have STEM Supplies List
• Join us in the Club

Turn It Into A Science Project

Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , making observations and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

Printable STEM Activities Pack for Kids

💡 Find all the directions for the projects in this article and more! 80+ Doable Engineering Projects  in one convenient pack!

• Full instructions with sample images
• Activity-specific instruction sheets
• Data Collection Sheets
• Questions for Reflection
• Architecture Building Cards: Try the tallest tower challenge
• Bridge Building Cards: Explore different types of bridges to build your own.
• Paper Chain STEM Challenge: Who can make the longest chain? Great icebreaker or quick challenge!
• 3 Little Pigs Architectural Pack: Design a house that won’t blow away!
• Great marshmallow challenge: A classic challenge kids love!
• Real-world STEM challenge lesson but don’t know where to start? Our easy-to-follow template shows the steps!
• What’s the difference between a scientist and an engineer?
• Crossword and word search with engineering vocabulary.
• Engineering vocabulary cards
• Design a one-of-a-kind invention and write about it with this 5-page activity!

Awesome post! 🙂 Thanks for sharing some of my ideas!

• Pingback: Simple Physics Experiments For Kids | Little Bins for Little Hands

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~ projects to try now ~.

May 18, 2017

Build a Balloon-Powered Car

A zippy science activity

By Science Buddies & Ben Finio

Start your (balloon) engines! Learn how you can power a toy car with air--and a little knowledge of physics. Then challenge a friend to a race! 

George Retseck 

Key concepts Physics Kinetic energy Potential energy Conservation of energy Newton's laws of motion

Introduction Turn a pile of trash into a toy car—and watch it go! In this activity you will learn some physics concepts and use recycled materials to build a toy car that is propelled by a balloon. You can even find a friend, build two cars and race them against each other. Whose car will go the fastest?

Background It might not seem like it at first, but a simple balloon car is loaded with physics and engineering concepts! When you inflate a balloon, it stores potential energy in the form of stretched rubber and the compressed air inside. When you release the balloon, this energy is converted to kinetic energy—the energy of motion—as the balloon zooms around the room. Some of the energy is also converted to heat due to friction. According to the law of conservation of energy, the total amount of energy is conserved. Energy never “disappears”—it just changes to another form.

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Another way to think about the balloon's movement is to use Newton's third law of motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you inflate a balloon and then release the nozzle, the rubber contracts and pushes the air out the nozzle. This means that there must be an equal and opposite reaction—the air pushes back on the rubber, propelling the balloon forward. This principle is used in real rockets and jets that shoot a high-speed stream of gases out the back of their engines, propelling the vehicle forward. In this project you will use this principle to build a toy car that is propelled forward by the stream of air escaping a balloon as it deflates.

The car also contains a simple machine: the wheel and axle. This invention has been around so long, we take it for granted—and many of us ride in wheeled vehicles every day. You will see, however, getting your wheel and axle to spin smoothly is a critical part of getting your balloon car to work!

Plastic bottle

Four plastic bottle caps

Wooden skewer

Scissors or sharp knife (Have an adult use or supervise your use of this tool.)

An adult helper

Preparation

Cut one of the straws in half.

Tape both pieces of the straw to one side of the water bottle.

Cut the wooden skewer in half and push each piece through one of the straws. These will form your axles. (Have an adult help.)

Have an adult help use the scissors to poke a “+”-shaped hole directly in the center of each plastic bottle cap.

Press each bottle cap onto the ends of the wooden skewers. These will form your wheels.

Put your car down on a flat surface and give it a good push. Make sure the car rolls easily and coasts for a bit before stopping. If your car gets stuck or does not roll smoothly make sure: your axles are parallel to each other; the hole in each bottle cap is centered; and the straws are securely taped to the water bottle and do not wobble. You can add some glue if tape is not sufficient.

Tape the neck of the balloon around one end of the other straw. Wrap the tape very tightly so the connection is airtight.

Cut a small hole in the top of the water bottle, just big enough to push the straw through.

Push the free end of the straw through the hole and out the mouth of the bottle.

Use tape to secure the straw to the bottle.

Blow through the straw to inflate the balloon, then put your finger over the tip of the straw to trap the air. What do you think will happen when you put the car down and release your finger?

Put the car down on a flat surface and release your finger. What happens?

See what adjustments you can make to make the car go farther.

What happens if you inflate the balloon more?

What happens if you adjust the direction the straw is aimed? Does it work best if the straw is aimed straight back?

Extra: There are many different ways to build a balloon car. Turn this into an engineering design project and try building your car with different materials. For example: What happens if you use a cardboard box instead of a plastic bottle for the body? What happens if you use different diameter straws? What about different materials for the wheels and axles? Get some friends and try building different cars and racing them against one another. What materials work the best?

Observations and results When you inflate a balloon and let it go, it zips randomly around the room. When you tape the balloon to a straw and attach it to the body of your car, however, you can control the direction of the escaping air. When the end of the straw is aimed backward, the air pushes your car forward, as described by Newton's third law of motion. Your design will be most efficient if the straw is pointed straight back and not downward or to the side. The more you inflate the balloon the more potential energy it stores, which in turn is converted to more kinetic energy, according to the law of conservation of energy—so the car will go faster.

You may find your car does not work perfectly on the first try, particularly if its axles are not parallel or the wheels wobble. Too much friction can cause the wheels to get stuck, and the balloon will not be powerful enough to push the car forward. Test your car to make sure the wheels spin freely and, when you give it a push, the car rolls easily. If not, you might need to make some adjustments to your design. You should also make sure no air escapes the balloon where it is taped to the straw, and re-tape it more tightly if necessary.

More to explore Balloon-Powered Car Challenge , from Science Buddies Newton's Laws of Motion , from Physics4Kids Under Pressure: Launch a Balloon Rocket , from Scientific American Science Activities for All Ages! , from Science Buddies

This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

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Tag: physics with toy cars

Cars and trucks: preschool story time activities.

I’m doing a series of STEM story times for a local city program and thought I’d share the activities. Most require items that are easy to find around the house.

Because this is story time, we read children’s books at the beginning and end of the half hour session. This time I offered a choice of a few books and the children first picked Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Jill McElmurry.

Little Blue Truck is a work of fiction, but it is quite easy to tie in STEM activities about physics, including an activity to explore friction. HMH Books also has some great Little Blue truck party and activity ideas to download

STEM Activity Station 1. Exploring Friction

• Toy cars and trucks
• Inside of a padded envelope or bubble wrap
• Play dough (home made or commercial)

Encourage the participants to roll the toys over different surfaces. Explain that the play dough is like the mud in the story that the trucks get stuck in. Discuss why the play dough traps the wheels.

Note:  If the play dough dries on the toys, scrub them with a bottle brush. It made clean up easier.

Making home made play dough is so much fun. All that you need is flour, water, oil, salt, and cream of tartar, which is a white powder often found in the spice/baking section of most grocery stores. Kneading the warm dough is an experience not to be missed. Here’s one example of how to do it:

STEM Activity Station 2. Painting with Cars (also exploring friction)

• Paper plates
• Washable tempera paint
• Butcher paper or newspapers to cover work surface (optional)
• Paint brushes (optional)

This activity would work well outside.

Encourage the children to roll the cars and trucks on the paper to see how much “push” is required to move them. Then roll the wheels in paint and try again. Does it feel different?

Note:  Some children preferred to dab the paint on the wheels with paintbrushes rather than roll the toys through the paint.

STEM Activity Station 3. What Objects Roll Down a Ramp?

• Wood blocks or foam core to form a ramp
• Objects such as pine cones, blocks, balls, cylinders, etc.

Encourage the participants to test the ability of various objects to roll dow a ramp. Adjust the steepness or length of the ramp and try again.

Thank you to Prekinders for the original idea.

STEM Activity Station 4. Car Race (testing gravity)

• Cardboard or foam core for a ramp
• Toy cars of different sizes and shapes
• Low table or chair to prop the ramp on
• Painters tape

Use the tape to create a “race track” and to fix the ramp to the table. Older children might want to quantify their results using a stopwatch.

Cardboard tube, such as those used for wrapping paper, also  make great ramps.

STEM Activity Station 5. Pull-back Cars (energy)

• Cars that pull back then go when released (inexpensive versions may be found at party stores).

If children are used to pushing a toy car to make it go, then a pull back car seems to break the rules. Explain the spring mechanism inside stores energy when the car is pulled back (potential energy). When released, the stored energy is converted to kinetic energy and the car rolls forward.

The cars could also be used to test acceleration, what happens if you increase the mass (add weights to the car), and also explore friction by testing them on different surfaces (bare floor versus carpet, for example).

Conclusion/wrap up

We ended by reading Freight Train by Donald Crews. It introduces color concepts and also some terminology about trains, for example words like “caboose” and “cattle car.” Simple, but with gorgeous artwork.

You can find more children’s books about cars and trucks in our growing list at Science Books for Kids .

Weekend Science Fun: Car Movement Physics

Anyone in your family interested in cars and physics? Even if you don’t realize it, working with the first thing can teach you a lot about the second. Today we’re going to look at Newton’s Three Laws of Dynamics using toy cars.

• A few blocks or books
• A few toy cars that roll
• A small action figure or doll, or a smaller block or penny that can ride on the car
• Piece of cardboard big enough to use as a ramp (older children can use wood)
• Plastic eggs

1.    Newton’s first law states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion, unless acted on by an external force.

To test the object at rest part, place a small block or action figure/doll on a car (even a penny will work). Push the car, taking care not to push the object resting on it. Usually the block or doll will “stay put” by falling off, or at least falling back, while the car rolls away.

Now roll the car with the block or doll riding on it towards a barrier, such as a book or larger block. When the car hits the barrier, what happens to the rider? Does it fly forward? The rider is trying to remain in motion even after the car stops.

A child may wonder why, if an object does indeed remain in motion, does the car eventually stop rolling? Think of some other forces acting one the car that we might not see. How would you test this?

2.    Force equals mass times acceleration F=ma

Toy cars and ramps

Raise a piece of cardboard on books, blocks or a piece of furniture. Roll cars of different sizes and weights down the ramp, or add weights to cars of the same size (you can tape on pennies). Do bigger cars go farther and/or faster?

Now push the cars rather than simply letting them roll. See any difference?

Older children can actually calculate the force by weighing the cars and timing them.

3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Most children are more than willing to crash their toys cars into each other to test this theory.

You can save wear and tear on the vehicles by creating demolition derby vehicles out of the bottom of a plastic egg and a marble. You can decorate the egg with a sharpie marker. Place a marble under the egg and roll it away. See what happens if you add smaller, larger or more marbles under the egg. What happens when two plastic egg racers crash?

NASCAR Physics for the Older Set The Science of Speed is a series of 13 videos at http://science360.gov/ that relate physics to what you see on a NASCAR race track. Just click on the circles under the “Science of Speed:” text to navigate through the videos. Topics include drafting, tire pressure, and friction and heat. Note: there are car crashes.

Thanks to Karen of Leaping From The Box for contributing the NASCAR link. If you are a NASCAR fan, try her racing blog .

For more info:

Teaching Physics with Toys: Activities for Grades K-9 by Beverley A. P. Taylor, James Poth, Dwight J. Portman

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Magnet-Powered Car

In this activity, you will

move a toy car around with magnetism!

Supplies Required

• Masking tape or painters tape
• Magnetic wand or horseshoe magnet

The Challenge

You can move a car without ever touching it by turning a regular toy car into a magnet-powered car. Push it forward, make it turn, and park it using magnetism , an incredible invisible force.

Magnets have an invisible magnetic field around them that attracts other magnets and magnetic materials. One end of a magnet is the “north” end and the other end is the “south” end. Similar poles (north and north or south and south) repel each other, while poles that are different (north and south) attract each other. If you find that one end of the magnet repels something, flip it around to see if it will attract that same object. In this experiment, the magnetic force is strong enough to propel a toy car around the room.

Let’s Experiment and Build!

Instructions

• With an adult’s permission, use masking tape or painter’s tape to make a road on a smooth floor. Add parking lots and other highways on which to drive a toy car.
• Tape a bar magnet securely to the top of the toy car.
• Use a magnetic wand or horseshoe magnet to push and pull the car around the floor. See if you can make the car turn around, go backward, and drive along the road without touching it with your hands.
• Observations: Did you find it easier to use your magnet to push or to pull the car along the road?

Think about it and Additional Resources

Now Try This! Make several magnet-powered cars and see how they interact as they drive into and next to one another.

Share on social media: Record a video or take a picture of your activity and post the results online using the hashtags:

#MagnetCar #ProjectExploration #StemAtHome

Tag a friend and challenge them to do it, too!

For more activities like this one, go to www.projectexploration.org/stemhome. If you’re interested in learning more about Project Exploration and our free events, programs, and activities, please find us on social media and be sure to follow!

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Easy Balloon Powered Car

April 21, 2020 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

I’ll be honest and say balloon powered cars can be very frustrating to make, but I have some top tips to help!

If you don’t have everything you need you can also make a LEGO balloon powered car , just make sure it’s as light as possible. The weight of the car is the most important factor. It needs to be VERY light.

Balloon Car Top Tips

• Make the car as light as you can. You can see that I’ve cut out some of the cardboard on the sides to reduce the weight of mine.
• The end of the straw you blow down should sit just over the edge of the car.
• The balloon should also rest on the car ( not the floor ) when blown up.

What you need to build a balloon powered car

Thin cardboard

4 plastic lids

Elastic band

Instructions

Carefully attach each skewer to one plastic lid to make a wheel and axle. Our lids were soft enough to pierce the plastic easily, but if not you’ll need to glue them in place.

Thick cardboard wheels will also work.

Cut one straw in half and place each half over the skewer, before fixing the second wheel in place

Cut the cardboard, so it fits over the axles as the body of the car.

Attach the cardboard to the straws with tape.

Turn the car over and check the wheels move freely.

Attach the balloon to one end of the second straw and fix in place with an elastic band.

Attach the straw and balloon to the top of the car with more tape.

Place the car on a smooth surface, blow up the balloon by blowing down the straw and let go.

The balloon powered car should roll along the floor until all the air has been released from the balloon.

Why does a balloon powered car work?

Our balloon powered car is also a great example of  Newton’s Third Law of Motion .

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

Air is forced out of the end of the balloon, which means there must be an equal and opposite reaction pushing the car forward!

You can also see this in action ( more explosively ) with a  bottle rock et .

Extension Activities

Try adding more weight to the car, it should slow down! How many passengers can it carry and still move?

Try the car on a rougher surface like carpet. Does it still move as easily? You should find the car moves less well over a rough surface as there is more friction between the car and the floor.

Make a LEGO balloon car – remember to keep it as light as possible.

Try adding extra balloons to supercharge the car , do they make it travel faster?

Troubleshooting

If the car doesn’t move, first check the wheels can move freely, then make sure the balloon is sat on the car when inflated not the floor.

If all else fails make the car as light as possible!

Science concepts

Newtons Third Law

Last Updated on January 12, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

May 24, 2022 at 6:40 pm

Great! Worked for me in a competition in my class!

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Exploring the Scientific Method with Toy Cars

Guest blog post by Ari Huddleston

• I gave students the question.
• They wrote their own hypothesis in the format I prefer.  “If _______, then ________ because _______.
• We shared hypotheses.
• In groups, they discussed how the experiment should be set up.  I loved hearing many of my students insist on performing multiple trials.
• We came back together to write the procedures.
• They wrote the materials list by going through the procedures and seeing what is needed.
• We discussed and identified the independent variable and dependent variable.  Some students are improving at this, but some still need help.
• We discussed how data should be recorded.
• We reviewed students’ lab team roles. { Download free lab team role cards here. }
• Students got to work conducting their experiment. There was 100% active engagement in all groups.
• Students worked on the bar graph of their data in groups.
• Students individually wrote their analysis of what they notice by looking at the data.  We always use a sentence stem of “I notice _______.”
• Using a sentence stem, students wrote their conclusions.
• Students completed a reflection by drawing labeled diagrams of the experiment.

This was a great opportunity for students to THINK and use their science process skills. Remember that science is not just about learning content, it’s about experiencing the content!

What were the procedures your students used?

• Set up a ramp.
• Tape a 1g gram cube to the back of the car.
• Roll it down the ramp and measure the distance from the bottom of the ramp to the back of the car.  Record your data.
• Repeat Step 3 two more times.
• Tape a 20g gram cube to the back of the car.
• Repeat Step 6 two more times.

What materials are needed for each group?

• ramp, toy car (preferably a truck), measuring tape, tape, 1g cube, 20g cube

What results did your students get?

• Well, they varied a bit. It was clear that the different masses affected the distance the toy car traveled. I had to work hard when I first started teaching to become comfortable with the idea that students will not always experience the exact thing we want them to experience, especially in science labs.  Make sure you have explanations for it and have tried the experiment yourself so you know what issues might arise.
• Any time an experiment does not go just the way it should is the perfect opportunity to discuss variables outside of their control, things students may have done to get inaccurate data, and how the experiment could be improved.

Thank you to Laura Candler for allowing my to do a guest post on her blog! I’m Ari from The Science Penguin .  I live in Austin, Texas and teach 3 classes of 5th grade science.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Toy car physics: playful integrated science unit for kindergarten to second grade, toy car direction experiment.

Toy Car Story Play

Decceleration Experiment

Measuring Practice

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Toy Car Physics! on Teachers Pay Teachers

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4 Simple Experiments to Introduce Kids to Physics

It is never too early to start having fun with Physics!

This quick series of physics experiments is perfect for introducing little learners to concepts of push and pull! In the experiments that follow, kids will investigate how they can change the speed and direction of objects by applying varying degrees of strength. It’s a great way to get young students excited about physics and STEM in general.

Step 1: Introduce the Physics Experiments

First, connect motion to what the children already know. Ask them, “How do we move?” Have children raise their hands and demonstrate. Next, drop a stuffed animal on the ground. Ask students, “How can I make the stuffed animal move?” They will think about their past experiences with moving objects to derive an answer. Then, explain that a push and a pull are both forces. Force makes an object move or stop moving. When we push something, we are moving it away from us. When we pull something, we are moving it closer to us. (Act out motions with students: push = palms out, push away from body, and pull = two fists on top of each other, pull toward body.)

Brainstorm : Create a t-chart, write down objects that can be pushed or pulled (objects at home, in the classroom, on the playground).

Step 2: Do Small-Group Instruction  (Stations):

PHYSICS EXPERIMENT #1: SODA BOTTLE BOWLING

Push: Children experiment with pushing a ball hard and with less force to knock over soda bottles. They can compare a big push to a small push. What kind of push made the ball move the fastest? They will see how when objects collide (ball and soda bottle), they push on one another and can change motion. ADVERTISEMENT

PHYSICS EXPERIMENT #2: CHAIR PULLEY

PHYSICS EXPERIMENT #3: RAMPS AND MATCHBOX CARS

Push: Children create ramps using flat, rectangular wooden blocks and Duplo Lego bricks. They will investigate how the height of a ramp can change how fast and far their Matchbox car can go. They will also compare the distance and speed of the car on the ramp to using no ramp.

PHYSICS EXPERIMENT #4: SORTING PUSH AND PULL

Sort: Put out a paper bag that contains various real-world objects. Children collaborate and sort the objects using a Venn diagram (hula hoops). Children place the objects in the appropriate groups using this free printable”  push, pull or both .

Step 3: Reinforce the Concepts

After the physics experiments, children can play computer games to reinforce push and pull! I like these two:

• Push:  Piggy Push  from Cool Math Games
• Pull:  Hook the Fish  from Cookie

Or you can watch a  video  to reinforce pushes and pulls. For further reinforcement, the next day, have children go on a scavenger hunt and try to find things around the classroom that they can push and pull.

Step 4: Assessment

Children are assessed through observation, questions, and conversations while they work in small groups at stations, interacting with various objects that demonstrate pushing or pulling. I took notes and scored the children using a rubric  I made in iRubric. You can download it for free!

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Acceleration Lab Activities in Physical Science

How to Calculate the Mass of a Moving Object

Acceleration is different than speed. In physics there are a few interesting experiments to measure acceleration. By combining these practical techniques with a simple equation involving the speed of an object moving and the time it takes that object to travel a specified distance, acceleration can be calculated.

The Moving Car

A moving car experiment is a straightforward way of demonstrating that acceleration is a measure of the change of speed of an object using a “photogate.” Photogates use single beams of ultraviolet light to detect a moving object as it passes. They can measure speed to a high degree of accuracy. A toy car can be mounted at the top of a simple flat ramp, such as a length of cardboard or wood. Make sure the ramp is not slippery, or the results will be skewed. The distance from the top to the bottom is measured using a tape measure. The car is rolled down the ramp four times, starting from different points, and timed using a stopwatch. The point at which it passes the finish line can be recorded by the photogate. The results are plotted on a graph to show how the different speeds correspond to an acceleration. Try to measure the time intervals to the nearest 0.0001 seconds and the distances and speeds of the car to the nearest 0.1 cm/s, according to The Science Desk.

Walking and Running

Classroom students can make use of their scientific knowledge outside in this engaging experiment. Make sure they know about basic physics first. The equation used to calculate the speed of an object is speed equals distance divided by time. The equation to calculate acceleration is the change in speed (or velocity) divided by the change in time. If the acceleration of an object does not change for different time intervals, it is referred to as a “constant” acceleration, as described by Think Quest. Working in pairs, students can time each other walking a specified distance to calculate their speed of motion; then, they can start looking at acceleration by starting from a walk and moving into a run. Ask them to determine which person can accelerate the fastest, record the results, then compare them back in class.

The Moving Car 2: Force and Acceleration

This experiment works like the basic moving car experiment, but here you can incorporate how a force acting upon an object in motion changes the way the object moves. According to the website "Science Class," you need to tie a 60-cm piece of string to a paper clip and, at the other end, to a toy car. The car is placed on a work desk, with the string hanging over the edge so the paper clip dangles in the air. A triple beam balance is used to measure the mass of a range of weights. The weights can be formal weights from the lab or a range of small objects the students select from their surroundings. The masses of all the chosen weights need to be measured accurately and recorded. Ask the students to write down predictions about how the car will move with different weights attached, then let them see what happens when you hang the weights from the paper clip and measure the motion of the car. Heavier weights will produce a faster speed and a higher rate of acceleration.

Changing Mass, Force and Acceleration

This changing mass experiment demonstrates Newton’s Second Law of Motion. This describes the behavior of a moving object when the forces acting on it are not balanced, which is another way of looking at the phenomenon of acceleration. The value of acceleration of an object depends on the net forces acting on it. If two equal forces from either side act on an object, it will stay put because the forces cancel one another out. So, to demonstrate this concept, another small car can be used as the object in motion, and a range of different weights can be added to it. The mass of the cart and weights all need to be measured and recorded. A spring scale is attached to the car with a paper clip. Pulling the car along using the spring scale will result in a measurement of force appearing on the scale. By adding different weights and pulling the car at a constant velocity, it is possible to measure the increasing amount of force needed to move the same distance. The acceleration of the object is equal to the net force acting upon it divided by its mass.

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Science projects on newton's second law of motion, toy car experiments, fifth grade activities on force & motion, how to calculate inertial force of mass, how to calculate acceleration, how to calculate angular acceleration, what is the purpose of the pendulum, how to calculate catapult force, how do i find velocity when time is unknown, how to calculate the velocity of an object dropped..., second law of motion experiments, why is a pendulum scientifically important, how to calculate tangential speed, how to calculate the jump height from acceleration, how to calculate brake torque, how to calculate the coefficient of friction, the types of velocity, how to calculate fpm, science projects with slinkies.

About the Author

Natasha Parks has been a professional writer since 2001 with work published online and in book format for "Thomson Reuters," the "World Patents Index" and thomson.com. Her areas of expertise are varied and include physics, biology, genetics and computing, mental health, relationships, family crises and career development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biophysics from King's College, London.

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The 7 Best Car Waxes to Protect Your Paint Job

These wax products add a layer of protection to keep your car’s paint clean and free of contaminants after a wash.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

Car wax products are the answer. They can be rubbed right onto clean paint using a soft cloth or a microfiber applicator pad—an easy DIY job. When applied right after a wash, they cling to the clear coat and form a protective barrier around it. For the best results, you should apply a wax after every wash.

Yet there’s more than one type of car wax out there, from gloss finish to liquid to paste. To help you find the best car wax for your vehicle, I cover everything you need to know about these products and recommend some I stand behind after my research and experience with the products.

For more auto detailing products, check out our pieces on the best microfiber detailing cloths and interior carpet cleaners .

The Best Car Waxes

• Best Paste Wax: Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic Graphene Paste Wax
• Best Liquid Wax: Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax
• Best Value: Meguiar’s Premium Liquid Wax Kit
• Best Multi-Surface Wax : Car Guys Hybrid Spray Wax
• Best Budget Paste: Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax

What to Consider

Wax composition.

Automotive waxes can vary in consistency from a soft paste all the way to a purely liquid composition. Generally, thicker waxes take longer to apply, but also protect the paint’s clear coat for longer. On the next wash, you will also have to put in some extra elbow grease to ensure the wax layer is entirely removed. These waxes are generally made from natural carnauba compounds and are the more traditional form of automotive wax going back decades.

Softer liquid waxes are made from synthetic petroleum compounds. They usually come in a bottle, and are a happy medium consistency for regular washing, application, and re-application. Synthetic waxes won’t last as long as a carnauba wax, but they tend to give a good compromise between ease of use and general level of protection.

Both carnauba and synthetic waxes may also contain additives to help boost the compound’s protection against paint hazards like water spots, ultraviolet rays, and animal droppings.

Spray waxes or quick waxes, come in a small spray bottle and have the thinnest composition, usually a clear liquid that won’t dull trim. A quick wax is not intended to detail an entire car, but is great for touching up small areas of your paint job a few days after a wash and wax. This spray solution contains cleaning compounds to help push away new contaminants, plus wax ingredients that add a new layer of protection. Other types of waxes may also leave a dull finish if applied to things like plastic trim. Quick wax generally is safe for plastics and may even be formulated for many types of surfaces.

Application

When applying any type of wax to your car, the most important thing is to have the car freshly washed, so that you don’t accidentally seal in contaminants. The applicator that you use should also be soft and clean. For paste and liquid waxes, a sponge or a round polishing pad are best. For spray wax, use a soft microfiber cloth to both apply it and wipe away light dirt accumulation.

For carnauba paste and synthetic waxes, it’s generally recommended to have your car’s paint dried and outside of direct sunlight to get it prepped for wax application. When it comes to spray waxes, they are versatile and formulated to go on either dry or wet paint and to be used in a covered garage, or in sunlight.

Fully detailing a car’s exterior, including washing and waxing, can be time consuming. When dealing with either paste or liquid waxes, you’ll want to apply the product to the entire clean surface of the car, then wait 20 to 30 minutes for the wax to cure. After it does, you may notice unsightly streaks on the surface of your paint. This is excess wax, and you’ll now have to buff it off using a microfiber towel or electric buffer on low settings in order to polish it back to a shine.

As a touch-up product, spray wax does not require all the prep or buffing. One spray wax application could take a couple of minutes from beginning to end, but it’s important to remember that it’s considered a supplement to other wax types and not a replacement.

How We Selected

As an automotive writer, I’ve spent over six years reviewing cars and automotive products, including detailing products like car waxes. I also regularly use waxes like these in personal auto detailing projects. For vehicles intended to be driven daily, I recommend a thick carnauba wax that can really take a beating between washes. For irregularly driven cars a thinner synthetic wax is great after a wash, along with spray wax to do touch up work between driving.

In looking at options for this story, we researched online considering specifications like wax consistency, content of protective compounds, and ease of application among other factors. We then chose the best car waxes across categories such as “best all-weather” and “best liquid wax.”

Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic Graphene Paste Wax

This wax is a thick paste made for lengthy application and long-lasting protection. However, this premium formula includes extra ceramic and graphene ingredients to make it more versatile than some others. You can apply this wax to warm or cool paint—in or out of direct sunlight—as well as clear plastics, wheels, and chrome accents.

Once cured and polished, the wax provides months of protection from dirt, chemicals, water, and UV while boosting a glossy finish. You should be able to see raindrops beading up and rolling off the paint instead of sticking to its surface.

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

This liquid wax is a go-to for ease of use, combining natural carnauba with synthetic polymers for quick application and protection from both UVA and UVB rays. It’s formulated for use on cars and RVs, and safe for glass and bare metal as well (but not for matte paint finishes). There’s versatility in application too, either by hand or using an electric polisher.

Like most Chemical Guys products, this wax is produced locally at the brand’s plant in California. Unlike most other waxes, this one has a banana scent, which may or may not be to your liking.

Meguiar’s Shine Booster Quick Wax Spray

When you need to do a quick detail between washes, this spray wax is super versatile, both wicking away dirt buildup and adding extra shine and UV protection to the coat in the process.

The folks at Meguiar’s claim that you can apply the wax to either wet or dry paint, as well as in direct sunlight. It also won’t dull any plastic trim if you accidentally spray the product onto it. To use the quick wax, you can simply spritz it onto the area you want to polish, then use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe away loose dirt while lightly polishing the area.

Meguiar’s Gold Class Carnauba Plus Premium Liquid Wax

This handy kit includes 16 ounces of Meguiar’s Gold Class liquid wax, plus an additional round foam-and-microfiber applicator for hand waxing. The liquid wax is designed to go on and buff off faster than a paste wax application. When it comes to buffing, you’ll need additional microfiber cloths or pads, as the kit only comes with one.

After applying, curing, and polishing, this liquid wax provides a long-lasting glossy finish that is both protective and shiny. It’s also easy to remove when it comes time for the next wash. The manufacturer recommends using the wax with a Meguiar’s Dual Action Polisher .

Collinite 845 Insulator Liquid Wax

This product is a great choice for a vehicle you drive daily that’s frequently outside in a range of weather conditions. The liquid treatment blends a traditional wax compound with a variety of synthetic protective polymers. The result is a product that provides the high-gloss finish you expect from a liquid wax with exceptional defense from road grime, rain, snow, and ultraviolet exposure.

This wax is used with either a hand applicator or a rotary polisher. It’s also made to be easy to buff after curing, and can provide protection for as long as several months between washes.

Car Guys Hybrid Spray Wax

This kit comes with one 18-ounce bottle of hybrid spray wax, along with a soft-touch microfiber cloth. For pro detailers, a one-gallon bulk jug is also available. The manufacturer states that the quick wax formula is safe to use on just about any surface, whether it’s paint, metal, glass, or plastic.

The spray wax applies easily using the included cloth, and leaves a slick, shiny finish with increased UV protection. Another plus is that Car Guys products are made locally in the U.S. and the manufacturer promises a robust money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied for any reason.

Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax

When it comes to paste wax applications, this Turtle Wax formula is one of the oldest and most proven options available. It has a harder consistency than most others, which means it requires more time and elbow grease in application, buffing, and removal. An electric buffer like this model is a wise pairing with this wax.

That also means that the wax provides durable and long-lasting protection from dirt and scratches. The manufacturer claims that it lasts for up to a year on the surface of a car’s paint, although we don’t recommend waiting that long between washes for a car you drive regularly.

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40 Best Toys for 6-Year-Olds That Let Their Creativity Shine

Our 6-year-old testers loved playing with these DIY kits, games and coding toys — and they all make great gifts!

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

But that doesn't meant that all toys geared towards 6-year-olds are created equal — or that kids will like whatever you throw at them. To help separate the best of the best, the Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys with toy experts, parents and, most importantly, 6-year-olds themselves, with winners earning a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award . This year, these rose to the top as the best toys and gifts for 6-year-olds in 2024.

Our Top Picks

• The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination Picture Book , $12 at amazon.com
• Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint RC , $20 at amazon.com
• 3Doodler Start+ Essentials , $39 at amazon.com
• Crazy Forts Master Builder , $60 at amazon.com
• Wonder Workshop Dash Robot , $180 at amazon.com

Whether you're looking for gifts for 6-year-old boys , gifts for 6-year-old girls or gifts for any other elementary schooler in your life, these are sure to be a hit!

Just My Style Tinsel Hair Stylist Studio

Now kids can get in on the "fairy hair" trend without a trip to the salon. This kit comes with nine bundles of tinsel strands that are each 10 inches long, so they can be cut to fit. It also comes with some other fun add-ons, like hair beads, elastics, clips and hair pins. Good Housekeeping kid testers say they loved the way it looked! Ages 6+

Tightrope Game

This game involves balancing marbles on twisted rubber bands, which means it tests players' logic and hand-eye coordination. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say this game is truly a challenge and is great for those who like to flex those problem-solving muscles. Ages 6+

Crazy Forts Master Builder

Let them build something they can actually crawl inside with this fort-building set. It comes with rods and connectors, plus plans to help them make structures like an igloo or a rocket ship if they don't want to come up with their own designs. You do have to provide the sheets to drape over them. Ages 5+

Skillmatics Storybook Art Kit

This kit helps kids realize their dreams of writing their own illustrated stories, and it includes helpful items to get them started, like prompts, suggested vocabulary lists, stickers and markers. Kid tester especially loved filling out the "about the author" section. It comes in different themes, including adventures , animals , space and unicorns and princesses . Ages 5+

Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint RC Car

This car may be small, but kids will be wowed when it drives up the wall and even onto the ceiling! And yet, it won't damage the paint on the walls. Ages 4+

The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination

With this picture book, kids are deputized to be come special agents of imagination, sharing their creativity and stories with the rest of the world. The Good Housekeeping Institute testers were won over by the incredibly detailed illustrations. "My kids especially loved the labeled map of the imagination office,” one parent reviewer said. Ages 4 – 8

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

Hello Kitty Dreamland Sleeping Plush

It's Hello Kitty's 50th anniversary this year, and what better way to celebrate than adding another plush to a collection. This one is really big — 18 inches — which makes it perfect for snuggling up to at night. "It's so cute, big, soft and huggable," one kid tester said. In addition to Hello Kitty, there are friends available, like Kuromi and Cinnamoroll . Ages 0+

Fingerlings Adopt Me Animals

This toy combines two of their favorite things: Fingerlings and Roblox's red-hot Adopt Me game. Kids can now collect their virtual friends in real life. You can get either a puppy or a bat dragon , and each one has the 40-or-more reactions and sounds that Fingerlings are known for. Ages 5+

3Doodler Start+ Essentials 3D Pen Set

Introduce them to the world of 3D printing with this pen set. It creates plastic that hardens immediately but is not hot to touch! Kid testers really liked it, and even their parents noticed how much time they spent engaging with it . One note: Keep the end of the stylus clean, so it won't jam up. Ages 6+

Fun With DIY Puffy Charms

For kids who like to personalize everything, this kit comes with what they'd need to make more than 130 puffy stickers. They can then use them to make charm bracelets, decorate notebooks, dress up shoelaces and more. Ages 6+

Dash Coding Robot

Using one of five free apps, kids can code Dash to hurl LEGO bricks like a catapult, get it to act like an animal or drive like a delivery truck. As kids grow and really get into coding, they can do more advanced things using coding concepts like loops, events, conditions and sequences . Ages 5+

Marching Band Two-Sided Puzzle

You get two puzzles in one with this jigsaw set: One side features an illustration of a marching band, while the other is a grid of the instruments used in that band, so they can show off their musical knowledge. It comes with 100 pieces, which makes it a good challenge for 6-year-olds. Ages 6+

LEGO 100 Years of Disney Animation Icons

Disney fans and LEGO collectors will both thrill to this Seal-holding set, which lets them make Disney-inspired LEGO art that they can hang on their walls. Builders can actually make 72 different characters from the included pieces, and they can make a nine-face collage for the wall and three individual plates for others. Then, they can swap out and re-build whenever they like! Ages 6+

Tech Deck Sk8 Crew 2-in-1 Transforming Ultra Sk8 Bus

If the Olympics got them all fired up about skateboarding, keep up their interest with this play set. This bus opens up to reveal three different ramps that kid can send the figure through, using the skateboard as a fingerboard. Kid testers like the colors, the build of the ramps and the fact they they could store the pieces inside to bring to relatives' houses. Ages 5+

Good Housekeeping Kids Cook!

The experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute test kitchens have developed more than 100 simple recipes that kids can try at home. They'll be whipping up everything from smoothies to lasagna based on the easy-to-follow instructions. Ages 6+

Sonic Tornado Biplane with Action Figure

Kids can take their Sonic adventures off of screens and into the real world with this airplane play set. The propeller spins, the wheels move and the plane plays music from the Sonic series at the push of a button. They'll be so excited to receive it in the run-up to S onic the Hedgehog 3 this December. Ages 3+

The pieces of this DIY set are actually plastic tiles that interlock , kind of like a 3D puzzles, and building them can help improve fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. The kit also includes LED string lights to make each creation glow in the dark. Each single kit (sold separately) can make three different projects, and when they're done, they'll love displaying it in their room. Ages 6+

Iggy Peck's Big Project Book for Amazing Architects

For kids who like art and engineering, this is an activity book with a city-planning twist. Modeled after the character in Iggy Peck, Architect , the activities encourage kids to think big (imagine a new cityscape, or what dwellings would look like on Mars) and small (design building details, like a gargoyle). Ages 4+

Genius Starter Kit

Pair this kit with a tablet to bring game pieces and play to life. No Wi-Fi is necessary to start playing the included games , you just need the app, the IRL tiles and pieces and a child who's ready to learn. They can play five games and improve their skills in numbers, Tangram puzzles and words at their own pace, since the games are designed with beginner and expert levels in mind. This kit is for the iPad, but Osmo also makes kits compatible with Fire tablets . Ages 6+

Pixicade Unlimited Mobile Game Maker

Kids step into the role of video game designer with a set that melds the real and virtual worlds together. First, kids draw out their levels — including characters, obstacles, hazards, goals and movable objects — on paper with markers. Then they can scan their drawing into an app that'll turn it into a playable level, which they can then tweak and add power-ups. Good Housekeeping Institute testers were amazed to see their creations come to life! It's for ages 6+, but kids younger than 10 probably need adult help. Ages 6+

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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