There’s nothing garbage about these garbage truck toys for kids! Whether your child loves to help taking out the trash (yeah, right!) waiting outside in the morning to wave to the garbage man, they’ll love having a garbage truck of their very own. Like cranes and bulldozers, toy garbage trucks are extra fun: they can be used with props, or outdoors to pick up stones and sand. Explore the list below to find the most best option for your child.

11 Cool Garbage Truck Toys for Kids

Bruder Garbage Truck
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PLAYMOBIL Green Recycling Truck
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Play-Doh Rowdy the Garbage Truck
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Bruder Garbage Can Set
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Melissa and Doug Wooden Garbage Truck
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1. WolVol Friction Powered Garbage Truck Toy

garbage truck toysWolVol’s city sanitation truck has got all of the bells and whistles, from working lights and sounds to moving mechanical parts. It’s the only battery-operated truck on our list, making it extra interactive for a full sensory play experience. The truck features an easy “on-off” switch on the side that’s easy even for little fingers, and a simple plunger to tilt the back cab. Friction powered wheels are fun for little ones: just push down, pull back and watch it roll away as it honks and flashes on it’s garbage run. Batteries included, remove plastic tab to activate.

Features

  • Working lights, sounds and mechanical parts
  • Friction powered
  • Batteries included

Best for: Lights and sounds make this truck a good option for sensory play

Ages: 0-6 years old

2. Battat Garbage Truck

garbage truck toysThis garbage truck for kids is brought to you by Battat, “a 114-year-old family-owned business that has been designing and manufacturing high-quality toys for more than 40 years.” With that kind of experience, you can expect a great product. This garbage truck features a tilting trailer and rear door that opens and closes with a simple lever. It also comes with a removable driver and two “steel” garbage cans. Unlike other plastic models, Battat’s truck has soft rubber wheels that are safe for floors, tables– virtually anywhere!

Features

  • Comes with two garbage cans and removable driver
  • Moveable parts include back cab and rear door
  • Constructed from lightweight, yet tough plastic for durability

Best for: Simple design is appealing to younger children

Ages: 18 months and up

3. Matchbox Garbage Truck Large

Image of Matchbox Garbage Truck

The large 15-inch Matchbox Garbage Truck comes with a garbage can. The large-scale truck is a comfortable size for little ones to push forward or backward, and for loading and unloading garbage.

Fill the garbage can with trash and slot it into the extended arm to the right of the truck. The yellow lever operates the arm, holding the bin and moving it upwards to dump the trash into the truck.

The truck can be used to remove garbage or recycling trash. Realistic sounds accompany it. It makes an engine sound when moving forward, beeps when in reverse, and a creaking hydraulic sound when lifting the garbage can. Press the horn on top of the cab to warn people or traffic that the garbage truck is on its way. By opening the back of the garbage truck, the garbage is dumped.

Matchbox inspires kids to replicate real-life actions. The Recycling Garbage Truck will entertain your kid and teach them to differentiate between garbage and recycling trash.

Features

  • Sideloading recycling garbage truck
  • Cool sounds when the truck moves and loads the garbage
  • 3 AA batteries required
  • Includes the garbage can but not the trash

Best for: Little ones who love Matchbox toys

Ages: 3-7 years

4. Bruder Garbage Truckgarbage truck toys

When it comes to toy trucks, there are few that can top the Bruder name. The German company is known for their highly realistic, durable toys that can handle even the roughest play. Despite being made without screws or glue, the Bruder recycling truck has many moving parts: wheels, grappler arm, screw extruders, and back door. The toy is larger than most models, so it can handle even the messiest clean-up jobs! Encourage your child to take this truck outside to clean backyard debris without fear of breakage.

Features

  • Extra durable: constructed without glue or screws from fade-resistant plastic
  • Large size: Approximately 20 by 10 inches
  • Movable grappler arm and tires
  • Screw extruder system transports trash from the arm to the back compartment

Best for: Bruder collectors; high-quality, realistically detailed play

Ages: 3 years and up

5. Duturpo Diecast Collectible Waste Management Truck

Image of Duturpo Waste Management Truck

The Duturpo Diecast Collectible Waste Management Truck has three color options for your 6-year old to choose from. It’s a high simulation garbage truck at a scale of 1:43 and a great toy as a collectible.

The tilting driving cab opens the hood revealing authentic machine detail. The cab interior is also designed with detail. It’s made from mostly metal and some plastic and designed for durability.

A functional loading arm lifts the garbage can over the cab to load the trash into the garbage truck. The rear door opens upwards to dump the garbage. Included in the package is the garbage truck and the garage can.

Features

  • 8.3 x 2.4 x 3.5 inches in dimension
  • Three colors to choose from
  • Tilting driving cab with detailed interior and engine under the hood
  • Front loading of garbage can

Best for: Kids who collect trucks or enjoy realistic details

Ages: 6 years and older

6. PLAYMOBIL Green Recycling Truck

Image of PLAYMOBIL Green Cycling Truck

A PLAYMOBIL city is truly a never-ending adventure. The toy company offers every type of component imaginable to create an empire; but no city would be complete (or clean) without it’s sanitation workers! This PLAYMOBIL truck includes everything your child needs to make sure they keep the streets free of litter, including a recycling bin and life-like recyclables. The two drivers are dressed in a hardhat, vest and boots, and can sit, stand, bend at the waist and turn their heads.

Features

  • Total of 27 pieces
  • Comes with two garbage men with moveable body parts
  • Includes accessories: recycling bin & recyclables, like cans

Best for: The newest addition to your PLAYMOBIL city

Ages: 4-10 years old

7. Play-Doh Rowdy the Garbage Truck

garbage truck toysThere’s nothing like good old-fashioned Play-Doh to transform a simple toy into an opportunity for hours of creative fun. This “Trash-Tossin'” garbage truck combines the colorful compound with the excitement of garbage day; but there’s a catch. Instead of taking out the trash, Rowdy the Garbage Truck tosses it around as he moves! Kids can create garbage with the included book-style mold, or using the classic spaghetti-press tool. They can also create lifelike replicas of other types of garbage or recyclables (if only to watch them be thrown around and run over by Rowdy).

Features

  • Includes garbage truck, can, shovel, instructions and Play-Doh tools
  • Also comes with four containers of Play-Doh
  • Truck throws garbage into the air when rolled

Best for: Young artists and garbagemen alike

Ages: 3 years and up

8. Tonka Mighty Motorized Garbage Truck

Image of Tonka Mighty Motorized Garbage Trcuk

The Tonka Mighty Motorized Garbage Truck has a motorized front arm that loads the trash can. A lever operates loading and dispensing of the trash.

Another button to the side activates the lighting and realistic blasting of the horn sounds. The accurate detail may inspire your 3-year old to simulate and enjoy interactive play. The garbage is loaded at the top of the truck, and the back opens for removing the trash.

The garbage truck is made from a sturdy plastic material. The batteries are included and already inserted ready for play.

Features

  • 19.8 x 16.4 x 21.2 inches
  • Motorized front arm to load the garbage can
  • The included accessories are the dumpster type of trash can and the batteries

Best for: Kids who love garbage trucks

Ages: 3-years and older

9. Bruder Garbage Can Set

garbage truck toys

This garbage can set from Bruder is just as lifelike as their trucks. Enhance your child’s play options with this four-piece set, whose lids open and close. Your child could fill them with sand, rocks, beads–whatever they can imagine. Luckily, the silver dumpster can be wheeled away for extra-stinky garbage situations! Recommended for use with other Bruder products (but they could likely be combined with other plastic truck models).

Features

  • Includes 4 pieces: 3 small cans, one large dumpster
  • Realistic, detailed design
  • Lids can open and close

Best for: Use with your Bruder Garbage Truck

Ages: 4 to 10 years old

10. Melissa and Doug Wooden Garbage Truck

garbage truck toys

“Whether children imagine the truck hauling away cans and bottles or stinky dirty diapers, this adorable set encourages role play, imagination, and discussion about what happens to our refuse after it leaves our homes.” Manufactured by trusted kid’s brand Melissa and Doug, the majority of the toy is constructed from wood. Kids can remove or replace the garbage bundle from the can, then slide it onto the moving arm at the back of the truck. They’ll tilt it and watch as it falls into the trailer, then it’s off to the next stop on their morning garbage route!

Features

  • 3 piece set, includes truck, garbage bin and garbage bundle
  • Rolling wheels and working back arm
  • Durable and made with non-toxic, safe finshing

Best for: Simple alternative to plastic models

Ages: 3 years and up

11. Green Toys Recycling Truck

garbage truck toys

Green Toys offers families a safe, eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic toys. Their toy recycling truck is made from 100% recycled materials to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. BPA, PVC and phthalate free, it’s especially non-toxic; it’s even colored with soy-based ink. The truck is dishwasher safe, which is ideal considering it’s the only truck on our list appropriate for 1-year-olds! This recycling truck can help you teach your child about separating materials with the three compartments on it’s side (plastic, paper, metal). Go green!

Features

  • Made from 100% recycled plastic and non-toxic materials
  • Sort “garbage” into the side compartments
  • Tilt trailer to spill contents, then start all over again

Best for: Eco-concious families; teach recycling with a 100% recycled-plastic toy

Ages: 1 year and up

2 Comments

  1. Laura Walker says:

    Matchbox Garbage Truck Large is very durable and easy to use. I bought it for my son and he loves it. A simple toy would recommend it to anyone.

  2. Laura Walker says:

    After a period of use, even if my son threw it around the house he wouldn’t break. Very good quality, worth using.

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