If you have little ones in your life, you probably know the aisles of the closest toy store like the back of your hand.
From Barbie dolls to backyard swing sets, there’s really no limit to the awesome toys available for kiddos today.
That said, for my money, some of best toys around are still ones that you can pick up for free, or for cheap, and transform using a little DIY creativity and elbow grease.
Take, for example, these ubiquitous plastic playhouses, which you can often get at a yard sale for a few bucks and turn into a totally top-notch kids’ hideout with just a coat or two of paint.
Lately, we’ve even seen these teeny-tiny home makeovers expand into another area, as enterprising parents take the opportunity to soup up little plastic cars to park alongside their kids’ miniature dream homes.
These itty-bitty vehicles can often be found on the cheap at yard sales or as hand-me-downs. They run Fred Flintstone–style — on foot power alone — but look as polished as Mom’s SUV with a little TLC and imagination!
Check out a few of our favorites below.
Thumbnail Photo: Facebook / Flickr
This car may not look quite like a classic Crown Vic, but it's definitely rocking the same color scheme!
This little tot seems prepared for a future with the boys in blue, thanks to his adorable miniaturized cop car.
We love how his enterprising parents have even stenciled "POLICE" on the side, and added a sticker bearing the emergency number 911.
One mom went the superhero route with her kiddie-car transformation in homage to DC Comics' Batman.
Admittedly, his little car doesn't look quite as intimidating as the Batmobile we remember from the comic books and movies, but it is downright adorable!
This little tot looks cute as a button in his black-and-yellow car, and we're happy to have this little superhero-in-training!
For an awesome kiddie-car look, why not go for this super-cool shark design?
To get the look, all you need to do is paint your car a deep marine blue, and don't forget plenty of pointy teeth to properly capture this fearsome sea creature.
We also love how these parents created the illusion of waves by tying plastic bags dyed ocean-blue around the wheels!
If you love New York, this might just be the kiddie-car design for you!
There are few vehicles in the world as famous or as photogenic as New York City's famous yellow taxi cabs.
With a yellow-and-black motif and an official NYC transit sticker, your little one will be carting people from Times Square to the Empire State Building before you know it!
If your little one has a bit of a sweet tooth, consider a car design that's just as sweet as your baby is!
This adorable motif is inspire by the pretty pastels of a delicious cupcake, complete with polka-dot sprinkles.
We especially love the frosting and cherry decorating the roof; this car looks good enough to eat!
If your tot has an endless obsession with bulldozers, backhoes, and wrecking balls, you can stay on-theme with this adorable kiddie-car transformation.
Pay homage to John Deere, the classic company that makes so many of the tractors and earth-movers on the market, with a green-and-yellow design fit for the industrious little one in your life!
We bet you could even find a little shovel attachment to really sell the theme of the car.
This Minnie Mouse transformation is perfect for a kiddo with an abiding love of all things Disney!
To achieve this look, you just need to paint the frame and roof of the car black, then add a red-and-white polka-dot pattern to the chassis of the car.
A pair of beribboned mouse ears set on the roof of the car complete the adorable picture.
Every kid I know wants to be just like Mom and Dad one day.
This car conversion might just be the easiest way to make that dream a reality.
Simply match the paint color and pattern of your kid's car to your own, as this minion-obsessed family did!
Lots of major movie and TV franchises make for a good jumping-off point for these kiddie-car transformations.
If you have a munchkin at home who loves the crime-fighting, pizza-loving turtles of TMNT, for example, you can easily give them the reptile-inspired vehicle of their dreams.
Just create a black-and-green color scheme — don't forget the shell — and throw in a colorful bandana to coordinate with your kiddo's favorite Ninja Turtle.
Just about every kid I know went through a dinosaur phase.
Fortunately, it's super-simple to cater to this particular childhood obsession.
Just paint your kid-car in shades of green, and make sure to add some cool, pointy scales going down the "dino's" back!
If you love these tiny car transformations as much as we do, make sure to SHARE with a parent or grandparent in your life!
