10 Best Musical Toys for Babies 2024

What Is It?

The Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy is an award-winning go-toy packed with fun melodies and a baby-friendly light show. This toy is great for entertainment, education, and sensory stimulation.

Even with its updated design, it is still the budget-friendly go-toy that babies and their moms have loved for more than a decade. This Baby Einstein musical toy is just what you and your baby need for car rides, baby’s day out, or just for playing at home.

Key Features

This on-the-go musical toy is easy to grasp, which is one of the reasons it has been a family favorite for more than ten years. It sports a simple, uncluttered design, about 5 x 5 inches in size, and weighing less than 4 ounces. It is shaped like a modern handset with a retro-style receiver. It can probably be passed off as a baby’s first mp3 player.

The receiver comes with colorful beads to entertain, stimulate, and help babies build fine motor skills. The “screen” of the handset lights up with the music to promote sensory perception. The fun melodies include baby-friendly adaptations of classics by the likes of Mozart, Vivaldi, Chopin, and Rossini.

It includes more fun tunes to keep a baby mesmerized for a long time. The set comes with a child-finger-friendly button on the top with which babies can easily toggle through the tune. Two AA batteries are required, which are included.

How it Works

The melodies are well choreographed. We like that the set does not play the entire song pieces, but rather plays them in segments. Even so, this is only the case when the particular song is very long. It would certainly bore kids if they have to listen to individual song pieces for a prolonged period.

Yet, the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy manages to play a full rendition of each of the included classics. Each song piece plays for an average of 45 seconds, just long enough to hold a baby’s attention before moving on to the next song. Even though it does not play the full songs, Baby Einstein plays a much longer section than similar baby musical toys.

Verdict

The Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy is a great baby music maker. It ticks the right boxes when it comes to the most important features of a baby toy, namely; safety and entertainment.

It is made with polypropylene plastic, which is FDA-approved and accepted as one of the safest. Polypropylene is the kind of plastic that is often used in food containers like those that hold yogurt, cream cheese, and butter products. It can be easily cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth and mild soap.

This is an electronic toy, so avoid immersing it in the water when cleaning. We found that the handle covered in colorful beads might be a little challenging for kids to grasp. But that’s not a guarantee, as some kids will actually love the tactile stimulation of moving the beads.

What Is It?

The VTech Musical Rhymes Book is a perfect baby’s first interactive board book. This musical rhymes book is packed with fun features to educate, stimulate sensory perception, build motor skills, and provide all-around entertainment.

The VTech Musical Rhymes Book can help kids learn to read as they hear the sounds and syllables in words. Even if you already have a collection of interactive books for babies, you will certainly be glad you also got the VTech Musical Rhymes Book. It is packed with more than forty fun songs, sounds, melodies, and phrases.

Key Features

The VTech Musical Rhymes Book comes with two fun modes: Learning Mode and Music Mode. When set to the Music Mode, the toy plays classic nursery rhymes and fun instrument sounds that babies love.

The nursery rhymes include A-Tisket A-Tasket, Little Boy Blue, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Hey Diddle Diddle, Are You Sleeping?, and Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. These are popular classics that have helped children develop reading skills as they listen to the sounds of vowels and consonants.

Also, listening to these rhymes helps babies practice voice inflection, pitch, volume, and language rhythm. The book has six interactive pages for kids to leaf through and learn. On each page is written the lyrics of each of the six songs the book plays. The pages are brightly colored and feature a light-up star that flashes along with the fun sounds.

The flashing light is further triggered as babies press the light-up star. It also has five large buttons that each produce a different kind of musical instrument, including trumpet, drums, and guitar.

How it Works

The VTech Musical Rhymes Book comes with fun play pieces for babies to slide and twist to help them develop motor skills. The instrument buttons on the side of the book also double as piano keys that introduce kids to colors and instruments.

By switching between the modes, the toy can teach kids age-appropriate vocabulary, music, and instrument sounds in a manner that is plenty of fun. The toy is made with BPA-free plastic, so you don’t have to worry about your baby’s health and safety. Parents who worry about uncontrollable noise at home should be pleased to know that this musical book comes with volume control.

Verdict

The VTech Musical Rhymes Book is a highly interactive talking book for babies as well as toddlers. It teaches colors, nursery rhymes, instrument sounds, as well as helps kids develop motor skills. The toy is made for kids as young as six months old and three years old. This VTech rhymes book features highly stimulating pages, and the light-up star cannot fail to draw a baby’s attention.

Not only is this a great learning toy, but it is also highly educational for babies and toddlers. The two required AAA batteries are included for demo purposes, but you will be pleasantly surprised that they can last for more than a month without ever turning off the toy.

What Is It?

This pound and tap bench with slide-out xylophone by Hape is a fantastic baby xylophone concept. For what it’s worth, Hape, pronounced “hah-pay”, is an eco-friendly company founded in 1986. Today, the company is an industry leader in the manufacturing of fantastic baby and children’s sustainably sourced wooden toys.

The xylophone is a versatile musical toy for babies and toddlers. This is an active music toy in the sense that it engages your child’s action to produce captivating fun sounds as opposed to musical toys that play music at the push of a button. It’s a fun and healthy way to introduce babies to the concept of cause and effect and sound recognition.

Key Features

The Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone produces different notes and sounds as kids pound on the colorful balls to make them fall on the xylophone keys. Just about every component of this musical toy has sensory stimulation, educational qualities, and motor skill development.

This xylophone set comes with three balls of different colors. This can help kids practice color recognition. The top of the set has round openings to hold the balls, which can teach kids shape recognition. The included mallet can help babies develop pincers grip as they grasp and pound on the balls. Kids also have the option of sliding out the keyboard by the built-in handgrip as a standalone musical instrument.

Safety First

As mentioned before, the Hape toy manufacturer is an eco-friendly company. Thus, all their products, including the Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone, are made with sustainably sourced wooden materials. Its bright decoration is made with water-based paint, which is accepted as the most eco-friendly and safe-on-your-health option.

Also, water-based paints have better color retention as time passes. This means you can be sure your Hape pound and tap baby xylophone will retain its color for a long time. Another good thing about this choice of paint is that it does not smell as much, and the toy can be easily cleaned with a water and soap solution without worrying about damaging the paint.

Verdict

The Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone is a winner when it comes to multifunctional musical toys for babies. It is also bound to be a favorite for environmentally conscious families. There are no sharp edges on the set, and the mallet is just as light as it is smooth on the skin.

We can’t find anything not to like about this Hape xylophone. Gripping the mallet helps kids build dexterity, watching the movement of the balls promotes hand-eye coordination, and tapping on the keyboard and pounding on the balls teach kids cause and effect, arm movement, and manipulation.

What Is It?

The Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano is an innovative wooden musical toy for babies and toddlers six months to three years old. This mini piano comes with what Baby Einstein calls the magic Touch Technology that rewards babies with fun sound with just a simple tap.

The Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano can be set to two fun modes of play, allowing kids to create unique songs and trigger a series of classical melodies. This toy music maker can help kids make an early start at tuning into different rhythmic patterns and sounds.

Key Features

Although it comes in a standing keyboard design, there are no buttons or keys included. Tapping at the brightly-colored “piano keys” gives kids the illusion of playing the piano, but the electronic devices creates sounds without any keys actually being pressed.

The set comes with three sheets of paper (music sheets) or song cards with color-coded notes to help the little Beethoven or future Martha Argerich make good music. Toddlers can use the song cards by setting the piano to “Freestyle” mode, then play by matching the color-coded notes on the cards to the keys painted on the piano.

All it takes is a delicate touch on the painted keys, and kids are rewarded with fun tunes and sounds. The good thing about the keyless design is that there is no risk of buttons or keys falling off which kids can swallow. The toy is made of part wood and part plastic with an on/off switch, sound control switch, and a large blue button in front of the keyboard.

How It Works

Although the included “music sheets” encourage toddlers to match the color-coded notes on the sheets to the keys on the piano, babies can also play the same beautiful music. All you have to do is activate the “Auto” mode by flicking a switch on the side of the keyboard. This way, babies will “play” perfect music no matter they are not pressing the right keys.

The Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano comes with a volume switch, allowing you to set the volume to low or high when needed. Baby Einstein equipped this little piano with high-quality speakers that produce impressive sounds.

Baby Einstein says all their products are certified by accredited independent laboratories such as Intertek Testing Services (ITS) and Bureau Veritas (BV). This toy is made with BPA-free, phthalate-free materials that are safe for a child’s health.

Verdict

The Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano has everything going for it. The lack of keys on the keyboard is not just innovative but is also easy to clean by wiping with a dry or damp cloth.

This music toy will grow with your child, from infancy to toddlerhood. Babies will have a lot of fun with the piano set to “Auto” mode and then move on to the “Freestyle” mode as they grow. It also has a “Demo" mode that plays more complex songs with the push of a button.

What Is It?

The RenFox Kids Musical Mat is an activity play mat for babies and toddlers. It is an electronic play mat with eight different musical instruments including the piano, violin, accordion, horn, xylophone, oboe, guitar, and flute. It also has nine black keys that play corresponding musical tones.

The mat produces fun sounds as kids touch or step on the large piano keys printed on the mat. The RenFox Kids Musical Mat is a really cool playmat that can be very entertaining for babies and toddlers while helping them develop color and sound recognition.

You can get the RenFox musical mat in single keyboard and double keyboard piano mat designs. Both designs are foldable, making them easy to store or take along on outdoor picnics and family trips.

Key Features

The mat is made for children three years old and up. It weighs about 15 ounces and is suitable for children who weigh less than 120 pounds.

The mat is 43.3 inches wide, 14.2 inches long, and 0.39 inches thick. It is made of high-quality, non-toxic, soft unwoven fabric that is safe on children’s skin and easy to clean. The mat can be set to four different play modes including Demo Mode, One-Click Annotation Mode, Play Mode, and Playback and Record Mode.

When not in use, the mat automatically switches to an energy-saving mode to conserve battery. It also comes with an on/off switch. The electronic features are powered by three AA batteries. The batteries are not included with your purchase, but you can easily get a pack on Amazon.

Who Its For

This interactive mat is best enjoyed together with siblings, and it won’t matter how old the kids are as long as kids with a weight of more than 120 pounds avoid stomping around on it.

Plus, playing together with friends and siblings helps kids develop social skills. The mat can be enjoyed indoors and outdoors, provided it is not exposed to rainfall. It comes with volume control so kids can play with the mat indoors without driving family members crazy. Take note that the different play modes and volume settings are not typical features of many competitor brands.

Verdict

The market is filled with many brands of interactive play mats for kids, but the RenFox stands out from the crowd with its four different modes of play, large size, and adjustable volume. This electronic mat rewards babies’ natural kicking and touching with fun sound and music. Aside from its entertainment and educational value, this mat can improve a child’s hand-feet coordination, vision, sensory perception, and overall body development.

What Is It?

The Ehome Toddler Musical Instrument kit is a complete set of wooden percussion set for kids. The set is suitable for twelve months to six-year-olds. What we have here is a 22-piece percussion set that comes with fifteen different musical instruments. These include shaking, tapping, beating, and blowing musical instruments.

The pieces are made with CPC-approved, high-quality natural wood. The material is lead-free and free of paint, so you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals harming your child. With a set of 22 play pieces included, siblings and friends should have no problem sharing and making fun music together while developing social skills and teamwork.

Ehome includes a tote storage bag to make it easy for kids to bring the set along on family trips and for easy, unobtrusive storage. As the pieces are made of natural wood, they’re easy to clean with a damp or dry cloth.

Verdict

The Ehome Toddler Musical Instruments set is great for home entertainment or classroom education. It can help little children develop an appreciation of music and sound recognition while building fine and gross motor skills.

What Is It?

The WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center brings together in one activity cube the two things that kids love the most; music and lights. What we have here is a highly multifunctional activity cube covered in an array of musical gadgets and light-up gizmos for kids to explore.

If you’re looking for a primarily musical toy that does a lot more, the WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center might just be what you’re looking for. All the six facets of the cube have something for kids to fiddle and play with.

It comes with “drums” which produce fun sounds when babies hit them with the included mallet. It also has other musical components, such as a bear-shaped phone and a working doorbell. This is a highly stimulating portable play center with six sides and fifteen different engaging activities for babies and toddlers.

How it Works

The WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center is a musical toy with so a lot of features to keep kids occupied. This play center comes with many functions and gadgets, including a “magical” mirror and a microphone. A glowing animal appears in the mirror with a mic in hand when the microphone is turned on. This will surely put the little one in the mood for some music.

To hear the songs, kids only need to push the musical notes. You can push the star-shaped button to select a song. Other features include knobs to switch/turn the mirror on/off, a bead course, a moveable car, a steering wheel, ignition switch, gears with beads, a pull-banana, stomp buttons, spin animals, smash buttons, and so much more.

Verdict

The WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center has so many functions that will educate, entertain, and stimulate children’s senses. The features can also help develop a child’s grip and gross and fine motor skills.

Even though the bear-shaped telephone is detachable, it is too chunky to pose a swallowing risk. The set is also made with high-quality, safety-tested materials that do not pose a health risk to children and their families.

Our only concern with this toy is that some kids might find it overstimulating with so much to do on every face of the toy. Besides that, this is a highly versatile playset that offers kids plenty of fun activities to learn and grow.

What Is It?

The HOMOFY Baby Toys Musical Learning Table is a favorite activity table for early learners. Similar to the WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center, this music table is covered with interactive fun features on its face.

Also, this HOMOFY activity table brings together in one toy the music and flashing lights that babies love. The table plays classic fun melodies while introducing early learners to colors. It doesn’t have as many functions as the WolVolk, but its four legs can be detached so the table can be used as a portable play center.

Key Features

While this HOMOFY baby play center is designed as a learning table, its detachable legs make it very portable, especially with the built-in hand grip. You can easily take it with you anywhere or even hang it on a wall through the handgrip.

This also means that the learning table grows with your child, since babies can start playing with the detached activity board on the floor, and then transition to using it in table form as they grow. Plus, in table form, the playset can be adjusted using the built-in fixing strap to accommodate different play settings.

Build Quality

This playset is sturdy, whether detached or in table form. It is made with ABS plastic, a material known for its sturdiness, non-toxic, durability, recyclable, and resistance to corrosive chemicals.  It even includes a tie-rope, allowing the set to be tied to, for example, a baby’s bed frame. By flipping the built-in “page”, kids learn about animals such as birds, elephants, dogs, and the sounds the animals make.

It has four piano keys that play do-re-mi-fa tones. Other features include a mini guitar, a rotatable clock, a large extended giraffe image, and more. These functions draw children’s attention, teach them about sound recognition, help them build motor skills, and introduce them to melodious songs and musical instruments like the piano.

Verdict

The HOMOFY Baby Toys Musical Learning Table may not have as many functions as the WolVolk Kids Musical Activity Cube Play Center but it is still a great activity music toy for kids. It plays music and light up with colorful flashing lights, which entertain, educate, and stimulates children’s sensory perception. On a final note, this musical learning table runs on 1.5V AA batteries, which are included and will last for at least two years before you need a replacement.

What Is It?

If you’re looking for your baby’s first piano set that looks and functions like a proper keyboard, look no further than this toy keyboard for kids. The Conomus Piano Keyboard Toy for Kids is a 24-key multifunctional, multi-angle, adjustable musical electronic for children. It features a piano, music box, drum, music player, recorder, microphone, and other functions.

While the manufacturer recommends this music set for babies as young as 12 months old, we think babies need to be supervised while playing with it as the microphone cord might be dangerous for little children. Other than that, the Conomus Piano Keyboard is great for introducing music and a really neat toy.

How It Works

The Conomus Piano Keyboard Toy for Kids is equipped with a functional and multi-angle adjustable microphone, allowing the little ones to belt out tunes to their heart content. This may be a toy piano, but the intonations are precise.

It comes with 22 demo songs, which kids can play in 4 musical instruments and 8 percussion Instruments. It’s wonderful that kids can enjoy the same song but with different sounds. You can confidently use this as a baby starter whether you are serious about leaning your child towards a music career in the future or just to have fun.

Other components that come with the Conomus piano keyboard include 3-piece feet brackets, a connecting cable, and an instruction manual. The feet brackets are easy to install and detach, allowing kids optimal comfort so that they can focus on the fun of making music.

The required four 1.5V AA batteries are not included but you can easily order a pack online. It has an energy-saving function that automatically switches the piano to standby mode if left unused for more than 2 minutes. Meanwhile, a beeping musical tone keeps reminding you that the piano is on standby.

Who Its For

Conomus marketed this piano set for girls, but we see no reason why boys can’t be the Little Musician. The pink color shouldn’t stop you from getting this for your blossoming Frédéric Chopin, regardless of gender.

As an extra feature, the piano comes with storage slots where kids can stow their stuff. But that’s not all. The included audio cable allows you to connect your phone, MP3, PC, or IPad to the piano for playing music.

Verdict

The size of this Conomus toy piano is perfect for the age group it was meant for. There may be other brands of toy pianos at the market, but not many of them can boast of the Conomus’ array of functions, compatibility, neat design, and features for this price tag. It is also made with durable, non-toxic materials for the safety of your child’s health.

What Is It?

This toy is guaranteed to elicit lots of laughter from your baby while promoting the development of their muscles. The VATOS Baby Hammer Toy proves that Thor’s hammer doesn’t have to look so crude and ugly.

This is a neat interactive music toy for active kids featuring a child-friendly cartoon design, funny changing eyes, colorful beads, music, and light-up function. Both boys and girls will enjoy hammering away with the VATOS Baby Hammer Toy and be rewarded with fun sounds and flashing lights.

The feedback from the hammer with every strike will keep the fun and exercise going for hours. The hammer plays music and songs when your baby presses the button on the hammer’s head. The music, coupled with the hammer’s changing eyes, will keep your baby spellbound.

How It Works

This hammer is not just a tool for babies to vent their frustrations on whatever is nearby. It is an electronic toy that can be set to two modes; Entertainment Mode and Learning Mode. When set to entertainment mode, the hammer produces funny sounds accompanied by a colorful flashing light to stimulate children’s sensory perception.

In learning mode, children are introduced to counting and numbers with every pound of the hammer. Plus, the cartoonish eyes change with every pound of the hammer. Besides pounding the hammer, you can easily attract your baby’s attention by rattling the colorful beads at the bottom of the handle.

Safety

The manufacturer made this toy with the safety of your baby’s health in mind. It is made with non-toxic ABS, BPA-free, lead and phthalate-free materials. Its smooth, chunky handle is safe and gentle on a child’s hands, no matter how rough they play with the hammer. The hammer’s “victims” are safe too, as it is made of soft rubber. You can easily get the required two 1.5V AAA batteries online as they are not included in the box.

Verdict

Babies and toddlers will enjoy pounding away with the VATOS Baby Hammer Toy. We found that little kids enjoy repeating the songs the hammer is teaching them. Plus, it’s a lovely sight watching the little one retrieve their “tool” to help their parents out with the handy work at home.

Besides the musical feature, the best part about the VATOS Baby Hammer is that it can never damage your home furniture, walls, or harm the baby. The soft head and chunky size ensure you don’t have to constantly supervise your child while they are playing with the VATOS Baby Hammer Toy.