If you’re looking to get that first musical instrument for your child, a lot is going to depend on how old your child is. I’ve got some thoughts on musical instruments for school aged children elsewhere on this site, but I’m going to discuss Toy Musical Instruments here.
Assuming the child you are purchasing an instrument for is younger than school age, I’d strongly recommend going the toy route first. Needless to say, a six year old wouldn’t be too impressed with a toy musical instrument, but a 4 year old surely would be, especially with what’s on the market today.
For inside of $25, you can get an instrument that your child will actually be able to play something on. Most are made of plastic, but don’t let that fool you. Some of these instruments are really great, as they have teaching components built right in.
For example:
Toy Musical Instruments: Pretend Play Childrens Saxophone
This particular Saxophone has 8 colorful keys that let the little one play actual notes. The colored keys match up with color coordinated music that is provided with the Saxophone. Your child will be playing “Jingle Bells”, “Oh! Susana”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in no time flat!
This unit is great for children over 3 years old. Small parts make this unsuitable for those under 3 years. 14″ long, so it’s just the right fit.
Hohner Toy Accordion
Here’s another of the quality children’s toy instruments available today. For right around $25, your child can become an accordion in short order! This unit has 7 buttons that produce 14 actual notes, with 2 additional bass buttons and one air release button. (C Diatonic Scale)
This Accordion measures 7″x 5″x 4″ and is great for anyone between 3 and 6 years old.
7 buttons producing 14 notes, with 2 additional bass buttons and one air release button. (C Diatonic Scale) 7″ x 5″ x 4″ (Ages 3-6)
Kawasaki Drum Pad
Is your child begging you for a set of drums? Sure, you can get a cheap set for around $50, but you aren’t sure you want to take that step yet. Why not buy a drum pad so they can see if there really is the interest and ability there before making the plunge for a nice drum kit?
With the Kawasaki Drum Pad, you’ll find out pretty fast if your child has what it takes to move on to a full set. This unit is small in size, but really big in functionality. It’s got a full set of really great sounding drum pads, which include 4 drum effects along with sixteen drum sounds. Your drummer to be will be happy to know that the keyboard includes 30 different backtround rhythms. Something you’ll like is that it has a volume control! It also lights up and has both a classic and an electronic mode. Comes complete with 2 drumsticks.
This requires Six AA batteries – be sure to have extras on hand. With all the features this unit has, it’s a great first drum set to get started with without having to spend a bundle. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Now go get your Toy Musical Instruments.