This weekend, like many families, we were thrilled to catch Disney•Pixar’s latest movie, Cars 3, at the cinema. The excitement in our house was palpable, especially for my son, a huge Cars fan. To keep the movie magic alive at home, we surprised them with the Just Play Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool and the Just Play Cars 3 Transforming McQueen Tool Kit, both fantastic finds available on Amazon.
As parents, we’re always thinking about how to make summer break both enjoyable and enriching. The “summer slide,” that potential dip in learning during vacation, is a common concern. While summer should absolutely be about fun and play, it’s also a perfect opportunity to weave in learning without it feeling like a chore. Play is crucial for development, and during the school year, free playtime often gets squeezed between academics and activities. Luckily, you can seamlessly integrate learning into playtime. Here are four engaging ways to keep your child’s mind sharp and foster growth through play, using the exciting Disney•Pixar Cars 3 toys as a perfect example!
1) Ignite Imagination with Toys Designed for Creative Play
My son had a fantastic school year, so rewarding his efforts with Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 toys felt like the perfect treat. His eyes lit up when he saw the Just Play Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool and the Just Play Cars 3 Transforming McQueen Tool Kit! What I appreciate most about these toys is their versatility in encouraging imaginative and creative play. Toys that can be used in numerous ways and truly captivate children are invaluable. With the Just Play Cars 3 Transforming McQueen Tool Kit, my son spent hours taking McQueen apart and reassembling him in different configurations. This type of play cultivates creative and flexible thinking. Furthermore, both the Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool and the Transforming McQueen set are excellent for developing fine motor skills. The Cars 3 Mobile Tool Set includes tools like a socket wrench, spare tires, and screws – everything needed to get Lightning McQueen race-ready. The Transforming McQueen Tool Kit expands on this with even more tools and pieces to build, tune, and customize Lightning McQueen, allowing kids to change tires and swap spoilers for varied aerodynamics.
2) Make Screen Time Meaningful and Schedule Smartly
Before summer vacation began, we established a screen time schedule. We limited daily screen time to one hour and implemented a system to earn that time. Before turning on tablets or TVs, our kids need to complete activities like getting dressed, making their beds, engaging in a creative pursuit, being physically active, reading for 30 minutes, doing chores, feeding pets, and spending quality time with a family member. To ensure screen time is also educational, we have curated a list of educational apps and online games they can choose from. As a special weekly event, we enjoy a family movie night, and this week, seeing Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 was a highlight! We aim to select movies with positive messages that encourage reflection and meaningful discussions. We loved how Cars 3 highlighted mentorship and the rewarding feeling of helping others. This is a value we emphasize at home, and Sebastian is learning the importance of supporting and assisting others, especially his sister, who sometimes needs help with fine motor skill tasks. The movie also sparked a surge of pretend play and imaginative scenarios with their new Cars 3 toys!
3) Boost Social Skills Through Collaborative Play
Playtime is an ideal setting for promoting social skills and strengthening family bonds. Often, when we think about learning, we overlook the crucial social skills children develop, especially in school. You can continue nurturing these skills at home by creating opportunities for your children to play together or with friends. My son and daughter enjoy playing together, and summertime offers ample chances for them to share and interact. My daughter particularly enjoys the Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool, and both kids play with it collaboratively. Sebastian often guides Ariane on how to use the tools to change McQueen’s tires, and they love recreating scenes from the movie or inventing their own scenarios. Ariane often takes on the role of Mack, while Sebastian becomes Lightning McQueen.
4) Combine Playtime with Reading for Enhanced Learning
Make daily reading a part of your child’s summer routine. Offer books on subjects they find interesting and provide a mix of fiction and nonfiction choices. Seize any chance to encourage reading. My son was so enthusiastic about his new Disney•Pixar Cars 3 toys that he readily agreed to read the instructions. This was not only great reading practice but also helped him learn to follow directions and fostered a sense of independence! Whether it’s a book, comic, instructions, or road signs, encouraging your children to read anything and everything they can get their hands on helps expand their vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.
Amazon is truly the Ultimate Pit Stop for Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 toys and merchandise. If your children are Cars enthusiasts and excited about Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3, explore some of our top picks:
- Just Play Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool
- Just Play Cars 3 Transforming McQueen Tool Kit
- LEGO Juniors Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 Race Building Kit
- Disney•Pixar Cars 3 Crazy 8 Crashers Smash & Crash Derby Playset
- Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 Apparel
- Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 Bedding
© 2017 Disney/Pixar
Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz
Paula moved from her native Guatemala to SW Florida with her husband and two children and together they are discovering what it means to live life between two languages.Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
