Toddler Car Wash- An Easy Outdoor Activity

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Does your toddler love water?  Do they love being outside?  Then this Toddler Car Wash is something they will enjoy!

My twin toddlers love being outside and playing with water.  What better way to play outside and do a “real” life activity that encourages imaginative and sensory play?  That’s where this easy toddler car wash becomes a great activity.

My twins are at the age where they want to do everything adults and their big brother and sisters are doing.  It’s so good for them so I want to give them opportunities to express their independence and give them autonomy. But that needs to be done in a safe way where they can feel successful.  This is where the car wash becomes a perfect activity for that.

Between 18-24 months is when most toddlers will start to do pretend activities.  My toddlers have watched their siblings wash my car so they definitely know what car washing is- and one reason they loved this activity.  They were doing something “real.”

This toddler car wash is perfect when the weather is nice out, because they can also cool off with the squirt bottle, but not get soaked (unless they want to!).  Plus, our cozy coupes were in need of a wash!

Your toddler will gain so much from doing this activity.

The Activity Encourages:

• Fine motor skills
• Hand-eye coordination
• Sensory and Imaginative Play
• Independence and Autonomy (having control over what they do and how they do things)
• Focus

Supplies Needed:

• Squirt bottle– I used dollar store ones (they are small and cheap)
• Washcloth and/or scrubbing brush (you could use two washcloths, one for washing and one for drying)
• You could add a bowl with some bubbles (bubble bath or dish soap would work well) for them to scrub their cars
• Outside Riding toy- or any outside toys really! (We used our cozy coupes)

I gave them each a squirt bottle, washcloth, and vegetable scrubber from the dollar store.  A second time we did this I also gave them a bowl filled with bubbles to scrub the dirt off their cars.

I love squirt bottles for this activity because they don’t get a lot of water everywhere and they’re small.  Also, it’s not a “toy”, so my toddlers love it.

With the squirt bottles, my twins were independent for a long time with this activity because their water lasted a long time (as opposed to dumping water out of a bucket- which they love to do).

After I handed them the supplies they were off busy washing their cars.

My toddlers washed their cars for around 30 minutes.  This activity kept them occupied and so engaged!  The cars didn’t really get washed, per say, they mostly got a mud bath in the end, but my toddlers had so much fun while doing this activity!

This activity was an idea all of their own.  I simply let them play with their squirt bottles outside and they thought it would be a good idea to wash the cars!  They were pretty dirty.  So I handed them a rag and scrubber and they had an awesome time cleaning their cars!

Did I mention there is No Prep for this Car Wash Activity?

One reason I love it even more.

Also there’s hardly any clean up, just the mud and water that lands on the kids, and the dirty washcloth (depending on how messy they get washing).

When will your toddler wash their car?

My toddlers had so much fun “washing” their cars like mom and dad do.   I hope your little one enjoys this easy, fun, and “real” activity for that warm day outside!

If you like this, check out my Toddler Milk Jug Shaker Activity.