From Truck to Golf Cart Glory: My DIY Cozy Truck Makeover

You know that moment when you start a project that makes total sense in your head—but not so much in real life? Yeah, that’s how I ended up transforming a Little Tikes Cozy Truck into a mini golf cart for my child’s “Hole in One” first birthday. Was he even old enough to use it? Absolutely not. But it was on theme, it was cute, and honestly, I was too committed to the vision to back out.

So here’s how it all went down. Step one: take everything out of the box and immediately question your life choices. There are so many parts. I separated everything by color—because if I didn’t, I just knew I’d end up painting the wrong piece green and regretting it forever. I set everything up on cardboard outside, partly to have a flat surface and partly because I didn’t want my driveway to become a permanent art project.

For paint, I used Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover Paint + Primer in Gloss White and Gloss Hunter Green. The coverage? Amazing. The smell? Aggressive. The aftermath? My hands were very green. Like, “am I turning into the Hulk or just bad at this?” levels of green. So yes—wear gloves. Learn from me.

I tried to be patient between coats, but as a mom, “patience” is kind of a myth. I definitely rushed it a little between layers, which meant some spots didn’t dry perfectly. Still, it turned out adorable. Just… maybe give yourself an actual drying window if you want your sanity intact.

Then came the fun part—assembly. Which, of course, meant scratching some paint and realizing touch-ups were inevitable. For spots near color edges, I used a sponge brush so I didn’t wreck the other color. For everything else, I just went full send with the spray can.

In the end, it was messy, hilarious, and so worth it. The golf cart turned out perfect for the “Hole in One” birthday photos, even if my toddler wouldn’t actually be able to drive it for another year. Sometimes motherhood is just about committing to the aesthetic, even if it means green hands and paint fumes.

Watch the process!