When I was a kid, my favorite thing to play with was a toy police car. It was a pretty small toy car, and simple by today’s standards, but I loved it. Basically, it would go forward on batteries, loudly blaring its horn and flashing its lights until it hit a wall. It wasn’t a radio controlled car, a toy gas car, or any of the other sophisticated toys available nowadays, but it did have all the essential components for childhood play: it was loud, fast, and had flashing lights.
Toy cars come in all kinds of different styles nowadays, but some things never change. There are still the toy car geeks who love nothing more than putting together model automobiles. My dad was such a collector. His study, in fact, was so filled with toy cars that he periodically had to clear them out and put them in storage so that he could get work done there. He actually first taught me how to make toy models. At the time, I wasn’t so into it. After all, what kid wouldn’t rather have a readily assembled, premade toy car than have to put one together from a kit? Still, it was a good exercise for me. It taught me patience and perseverance, and when the car was finally finished, I have to admit that it looked great. Although I never became as passionate about putting together model cars as he is, I’m still glad for the experience.
Nowadays, the most popular thing with kids is toy race cars. Once they reach a certain age, they won’t stop asking for rc cars. Back when I was a kid, only boys liked toys like this, but nowadays the girls like them too. I remember the toy car that I got for my birthday. It was a pretty simple vehicle. It would go forward until you pressed the button, which would make it go back and turn. Nowadays, there are some pretty sophisticated radio controlled cars being sold. They are fully functional, and some of them can go so fast that they are a little bit dangerous. Nonetheless, with proper supervision they make great toys.
Of course, a toy car isn’t just a toy for older kids. My little one has a ride-on racer, slickly painted and decked out with a bell that she can ring. She peddles that thing everywhere she can and, if I don’t watch her like a hawk, she is halfway down the block before I can catch her!
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