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FTC: Sponsored by Hot Wheels, all opinions are my own.

Television, tablets and cell phones  – oh my! This summer, I was not going to let my kids be a victim to the screen. My boys are at the age where they still should be playing outside, getting dirty,  and using their imagination. However, I knew this year was going to be a challenge, especially with “on demand” and endless games options for them to choose from with the touch of a button, so I had to think back to my childhood and remember what I loved to do on long summer days….. and honestly it was playing in the dirt and mud.

My boys actually had no problem with this thought, especially when I showed them the new HOT WHEELS Monster Trucks I found at Walmart. These trucks provide GIANT fun, they feature bigger and better crashing, smashing and play power with their durable frame and EXTRA large wheels where they can pretend to be just like the big guys at the Monster Jam arenas.  Pull the back to rev ’em up and watch them as they unleash for unstoppable crashing and smashing action! Every package provides stats including name, truck type, strength, unique crash attack and motor-vation for great storytelling fun!

For the last week, my kids have been so excited to wake up, throw on some shorts and head outside to create a “new” track for their Monster Trucks. With a little bit of my help, guidance and suggestion, they figured out how to create a Monster Jam style arena and track for their new HOT WHEELS Monster Trucks. You can easily create one too with just a few items already around your home.

• Dirt
• Rocks
• Sticks
• small Cardboard boxes
• tupperware
• Chalk or cornstarch with food coloring
• imagination

If you have a garden or corner space in your yard with few shrubs, you are ready to start creating. If you prefer your kids to stay out of your garden area or lack dirt space, you can get a small blow up or plastic pool and a few bags of natural soil. (watch out for chemicals and fertilizers). Once you have laid your basic foundation…. now the fun begins.

We liked to create a large mound in the center for the Monster Trucks to perform tricks just like the real Monster Trucks. Then you or your kids can add rocks for the trucks to climb, sticks for barricades and small cardboard boxes (food boxes are perfect for this) for ramps and tunnels. My kids added the idea of them plowing through a puddle, to do this, just grab a small tupperware and bury in the dirt along your track. For fun you can add food coloring.

Use these tips to step it up and make it feel a bit more Monster Trucks arena realistic.  You can “paint” on road lines or design directions to the mound.

To make these you can create a homemade “paint” with items you most likely already have. Below are the directions for the liquid or dry version paint.

Arena Paint Recipes 

For the dry version

Take a few large chunks of chalk and crush them up to dust, either with a rolling pin or mallet.

Tape the bottom side of a flour sifter, to only allow a 1 inch space for chalk to dispense.

Fill sifter with crushed chalk and crank/tap to create chalk lines around your arena.

For the liquid version

Fill a spray our squirt bottle halfway with warm water

add equal parts cornstarch

add a few drops of food coloring

 

My favorite option is the dry version but my kids love being able to squirt the lines themselves.  They both loved being armed with a bottle since it’s an easy option for them.

 

 

You and your kids are going to love these HOT WHEELS Monster Trucks…. in fact, without my teenagers knowledge, I saw him out there playing with his siblings and recapturing a bit of his youth. Find these HOT WHEELS Monster Trucks at your local Walmart or online at Walmart.com. Make this the Summer of imagination and fun!