If you are lucky enough to be the Mother or GrandMother of boys then chances are you’ve heard of Hot Wheels cars. Frequent adverts show amazing tracks where cars swerve and dive with ease. Now Mattel have taken Hot Wheels one stage further with the introduction of wall tracks. I think it’s safe to say that these are going to grace many a Christmas list, but do they deserve too?

I received the Hot Wheels Starter Set and Daredevil Curve Set to review. With my husband on hand we set about assembling the array of components. First we taped a large design template onto the wall, this has notches either side which guide you to the placement of your wall brackets. These are attached using 3M Command Strips which are removable (although not reusable) and do not damage your plaster work.

As we had two sets we headed to the Hot Wheels website for advice on joining them together.  They have a selection of useful videos which take you through assembly step by step. Within 15 minutes the track was on the wall!

Our three children were eagerly waiting in the wings, ready to play. I must admit that I half expected it to fall off the wall as soon as they started, but thankfully it stayed put. There was a lot of squealing, giggling, jumping up and down and general enthusiasm. The only problem we encountered was the cars shooting off at speed and having to be retrieved from under cupboards.

It’s hard to explain the sheer joy this toy has brought my children, my daughter included. There’s little ramps which they can control to change the direction the cars take. Pretty soon the cars had been named and they were inventing little make believe stories using them. The day after assembly I came downstairs to find my two eldest had crept out of bed and were playing quietly in their pyjamas. It seems to have completely captured their imagination and provides hours of happy contented play. The only problem it seems, is getting them to stop playing with it occasionally.

I had several reservations about this toy, first I wondered if it would break quickly due to it’s plastic construction. Second I wondered if I had a bare expanse of wall large enough to accommodate it. Thankfully all of these lingering concerns have been answered. The plastic has survived some very vigorous playing and has slight flexibility which makes it very durable. As for wall space, the track can be adapted to make it work for pretty much any wall (as long as it’s not wallpapered).

Would I recommend this product?

Definitely, it’s wonderful for the kids and it’s rather wonderful for Mum & Dad too due to the peace it provides!

I honestly think this could be one of the ‘must have’ toys for Christmas 2011 so buying early might be a good idea!

It’s also great to have an engaging toy that doesn’t involve sittng in front of the TV or computer.

Can it be improved in anyway?

I’d like to see even more track configurations either in the packs or on the web, this may come in time of course.

Details

Starter Set RRP £29.99

Daredevil Curve Set RRP £16.99

Available at all good toy retailers online and instore.