Help the child read all the words on the garage and explain what each one means.

Ask the child to park a car in a specific spot based on clues you provide. For example, ask him or her to park the car that’s the same color as the word “Gas” (red) in the Number 2 spot. As play progresses, provide more detailed or complex clues (for example: “Park in the spot that is 1 number less than 3”).

Drive one car through the entire garage and ask the child to memorize your route. Challenge him or her to complete the same route from memory. For example: Go up the elevator, park in the Number 1 spot, drive down the ramp, lift the gate, pull into the downstairs garage, drive to the car wash, slide the car through on the conveyor, and gas up on the way out!

Ask the child to find as many details in groups of three as he or she can (for example: parking spots, arrows on the elevator, stripes on the parking booth gate, and rectangles on the gas pump). Repeat the activity with other groups of numbers (for example: four wheels and garage door windows).

Time the child to see how long it takes to drive a car onto the elevator, go up to the second level, lift the parking both gate, and roll down the ramp. Repeat the activity and work on improving speed over multiple tries.

Ask the child to tell a story about one or both of the cars; where were they before parking in the garage? Offer leading questions to encourage the child to use his or her imagination; for example, “The red car certainly needs to go through the car wash. Where do you think it was driving that made it so dirty?”