Veronika loves zooming toy cars around the playroom, so today we made up a new way to stage a “race” at home.

I marked a start and finish line for our race track with strips of masking tape, then set out a few cotton balls (our cars!) and straws.

Veronika was immediately interested in all the materials, and it was time to start our engines. I showed her how to huff down into a straw, which is great practice for kids.

Together (because she couldn’t do it alone yet), we raced our cotton balls from start to finish.

Preschoolers will probably want to make it a true competition, racing their cotton ball against a parent or caregiver!

Veronika soon wanted to add her toy cars to the race. Whoops, she couldn’t use the straw to move the car, but she tried. Which was faster: little red car or mommy’s cotton ball?

A race to the finish!

Don’t be surprised if all the materials are just as exciting as the race. Veronika loved playing with leftover cotton balls, making this a sensory game in addition to the imaginative play.

Overall, you probably can’t expect a true race against a 2-year-old, but you will have silly fun.