Music appreciation can start in early childhood and carry on into later years. Given this interest, It’s unsurprising that more and more kids are interested in learning to play a musical instrument. As reported by news outlet SWNS Digital, almost 91% of American children have expressed interest in learning an instrument. Currently, more than 47% of families have children taking music lessons. But beyond instruments and musical education, parents can foster an interest in music using musical toys.
Why choose musical toys?
Music has a positive impact on the development of children. As noted in a study on preschool classrooms in the US, using music in the classroom brings some benefits, including:
- Promoting self-regulation and self-learning
- Improving language and literacy
- Building confidence
Although younger children may not yet have the discipline or coordination to play an instrument, being able to cultivate a passion for music can help them reap its benefits later on in life. If you’re looking for ways to let your child have fun or pick up a new hobby, here are some musical toys parents can get for children of all ages:
Musical fountain
Many toddlers enjoy bath time. In the tub, they can sense the warm water on their skin and splash, pour, and even blow bubbles throughout the session. Aside from talking to their child, parents can enhance bath times by incorporating musical toys. With our waterproof Musical Whale Fountain, you can delight your toddler by automatically playing different melodies or allowing them to play each colorful whale like the keys of a piano, which shoots out water upon each press. Toys open up opportunities for imaginative play, boosting your child’s interactivity and creativity with their environment.
Harmonica
There’s no better way to play the blues than with the harmonica. Best for older kids, our Harmonica Set – Learning Music Made Easy! provides a guide on using the harmonica, clearly explaining the basics, from holding to reading musical notes and tunes. To better motivate your child to play the new instrument, you can encourage them to learn how to play their favorite songs. You can start with pieces coming from their favorite movies or TV show songs, with Scribd’s Disney songbook providing plenty of crowd favorites like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Part of Your World.” These can serve as pieces your child can impress friends and family with, spurring them on to master the instrument.
Piano Dance Mat
For more active children, music can be a great way to dance and let them release some energy. As shared on the parenting site Washington Parent, dancing to music not only improves physical fitness through flexibility and coordination but also builds life skills like discipline and focus. Big toys such as our Giant Piano Dance Mat especially benefit from these traits, as children have to follow color-coded songs to play a tune perfectly. They can even change the instrument to their preferences — be it a trumpet, guitar, violin, or harp to produce unique results.
Xylophone
The percussion xylophone is an iconic musical instrument that has been adapted into a widely used toy piece. Nowadays, the children’s xylophone hosts a variety of colors and is usually made of metal keys and a wooden body — unlike the first toy xylophone, which was fully wood. First released in the early 1920s for under $1, the Pressman Toy’s xylophone become a popular toy for young children and, today, a famous antique item. The xylophone is perfect for learning more fine motor skills through gripping the mallet and hitting specific notes.
Looking for gift ideas for creative kids? Shop our Creativity range for musical and other creative toys.
Guest post by J Benedict
