If your kid really enjoys playing with vehicles, it can be really hard to model language.

Because it is so mechanical, all I do is drive and drum and crash, etc. If left to his own devices, my son will tip bins repeatedly so the mechanism of a bin lorry will tip bins and I’ve seen other kids zoom calls and that’s fine. It’s great that they can play alone but when we join in we want to be modelling lots of language.

A good way to do this is think of what would the people do in this vehicle. So you can join in and do the same as them and zoom but be zooming to places that people would go. And add some role play.

So this morning when I was playing, here’s some of the things I was doing:

• Oh I think I’m running out of petrol. I need some more. Can you pump the petrol in for me please? How much does it cost?
• Uh oh… my tyre’s flat. I need to go to the mechanic.
• The trains broken down. We need to go pick up all the passengers.

There’s always more words when you’re role playing what people would do.

More ideas to add language to vehicle play:

Pretend you’re a bus driver picking up passengers. “Where are you off to today?”

Be an ambulance rushing to help someone. “Oh dear, someone’s had a fall. Let’s go help them!”

Be a garbage truck worker sorting recycling. “This one goes in the paper bin - do you see any more paper?”

Once you start adding people, places and little problems to solve, the language just starts to flow naturally.

Tiny Town can help spark language through play

Our Tiny Town Messy Mat was designed with exactly this kind of play in mind, and we’re incredibly proud that it won the 2024 Pretend Play Product of the Year!

It has all the practical features of our classic Messy Mat (hello, easy clean-up), but with the added bonus of a detailed, engaging play scene. Roads, buildings, parks, and other little landmarks create a rich environment that naturally encourages vehicle play with purpose.

It sets the stage for endless storytelling, role play, and conversation, helping you turn every “zoom” and “vroom” into a chance for connection and language development with your little one.

Watch the reel here