Tools:
New & Notable Toys: Musical Toys
Check out these new and noteworthy toys.
Sound Choice Large Display Rack by WESTCO EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS
 Our carefully selected Sound Choice brand products are positioned to be retail and customer-friendly. We focus on providing affordable quality musical instruments for the retail setting to encourage the exploration of music in the home or educational environment. Comes with rack and sign. 5/18/2015
Lil' Symphony Band in a Box by KIDKRAFT
 Let the music begin! Our Lil’ Symphony Band in a Box puts four fun musical instruments into one convenient package. Includes 2 cymbals, 1 recorder and 1 tambourine. Made of composite wood materials. 9/22/2014
Cowboy Guitar by SCHYLLING
 Play tunes at the campfire or a melody on the range with our Cowboy Guitar! Made of wood Features 6 nylon strings, a slotted neck, plastic tuning pegs, and detailed tuning instructions. Decorated with a western scene. 7/31/2014 (Price: $24.99; Age: 8 and up)
Princess Electronic Piano by SCHOENHUT PIANO COMPANY
 Schoenhut recently added versatility to their product line by introducing a collection of electric toy pianos painted with adorable characters. Rave reviews from visitors at Toy Fair 2014 proved the popularity of these instruments.
Whimsical and appealing for children, these unique and fun instruments will provide hours of musical enjoyment. Included in the selection are a Dog, Elephant, Bird, Alligator, Lady Bug, Zebra and Princess. The 25-key piano sits safely and squarely on the floor within easy reach of little hands...a great choice for beginners. 4/30/2014
Make Your Own Music Box Kit by KIKKERLAND DESIGN INC.
 Turn the crank and hear an old tune. The charm of a music box still lingers to this day, and now the mechanism that creates the music is available for you to compose any song you wish. Our Music Box hole punch is a music makers delight. Create your own melody by punching holes in the music paper strips provided. The Happy Birthday melody is included for you to get started. For musicians, crafters and lovers of music this is a must have item. The kit also includes a instruction booklet to help you get started. 4/28/2014
Happy Harp by HAPE
 Play a favorite tune on this sturdy strummer sized for small hands and big voices. Includes playing and tuning tips and 5 songs plus a blank page to write your own songs. 4/28/2014 (Price: $39.95; Age: 3 and up)
Hohner Kids Wood Ukulele by HOHNER
 With over 100 ukulele models in our professional line, the Hohner Kids soprano ukulele features all the right materials to provide you with that real tropical sound right out of the box. All wood body, nylon strings, and geared tuners. 2/11/2014
ELC Carry Along Keyboard by INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS LLC
 This mighty music maker (with an easy-carry handle) lights up as kids rock. Jam on a 24-note keyboard with a choice of 8 instrument sounds, 4 percussion sounds and 8 different rhythms. It even records and plays back compositions. Approx. 7'L x 15'W x 2'H. Made of plastic. Requires 3 'AA' batteries (included).
— Andrea Scartozzi from Hardware Toys in Paoli. Pa., told TDmonthly in a December 2012 survey that they sold 6 of this keyboard during the holiday season.
TDmonthly recommends looking at Schoenhut for similar, high-quality musical toys and instruments. 1/7/2013 (Age: 3 to 5)
Confetti Ukulele by Janod by JURATOYS US CORP
 The Confetti Ukulele is thoughtfully made of wood with blast-from-the past construction and quality. Fun, tune-able sound and a size that’s just right for a budding musician.
— In a December 2012 survey, Katie Rook, owner of Be Beep A Toy Shop in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly that they sold 40 of these ukuleles during the holiday season.
TDmonthly recommends looking at Schoenhut for similar, high-quality musical toys and instruments. 1/7/2013 (Price: $24.99; Age: 3 to 8)
Xyloba Orchestra by ETA TOYS
 Orchestra is the Advanced Level Xyloba with 96 parts. Xyloba is a creative marble run for building and composing at the same time. Xyloba develops motor function and spatial imagination, and facilitates a creative approach to music. 11/15/2012 (Price: $299.00; Age: 5 and up)
Wooden Kazoo by WOODSTOCK CHIMES
 The kazoo measures 4.75” in overall length and comes individually boxed in a pegable four-color window gift box. The kazoos are sold as a 24-piece, four-color point-of-purchase display. The kazoo is handmade in a small Western New York factory which has made kazoos since 1916 and uses similar tools from that time. The packaging, also produced in the Western New York area, proudly features the U.S. Flag on the box and display. 11/5/2012 (Price: $4.00)
iDrum by DREAM CHEEKY
 Using Bluetooth®, this seven piece drum kit connects wirelessly to an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad. The free Dream Cheeky Sound System app lets users jam along with their favorite music, in one of many styles. Users can even record and play back their drum sessions, or learn how to drum along with pre-programmed songs. On top of all that, there are more free games in the Dream Cheeky Arcade. While the possibilities are infinite, the iDrum is compact enough to take it with them anywhere. But don’t be fooled by its size; it can withstand a right good smashing. Launch date: August 2012. 10/10/2012 (Price: $69.99; Age: 8 and up)
Zither Heaven Red Ukulele by ZITHER HEAVEN
 The quality and solid construction of a Zither Heaven ukulele puts this instrument in a class of its own. While reasonably priced to appeal to beginners and children, experienced musicians of all ages enjoy playing the Zither Heaven ukulele. The precise action and proper placement of the bridge enables chords to be played at the bottom of the neck as well as the top of the neck without losing its tune. The red ukulele features a 15-inch vibrating string length. The neck is made of solid hard maple with nylon frets and nylon strings. Zither pins are used for the tuning keys. Launch date: February 2012. 9/7/2012 (Price: $56.17; Age: 6 and up)
The Learn To Play Baby Grand Piano by HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER
 This is the child-sized baby grand piano that teaches aspiring pianists to play with visual digital aides and a built-in metronome. A 3" LCD panel above the keyboard displays animated piano keys, left and right hands, and a metronome. As one of the 12 lesson songs plays through the piano's speaker, the correct animated fingers and keys illuminate on the LCD to indicate which of the actual keys the child should play. Aspiring musicians can customize the lessons to practice playing with one or both hands and the metronome adjusts from 16 to 400 beats per minute, allowing song tempo to be tailored to a pianist's skill level. The piano can record and play back original compositions, it has 30 demonstration songs, and can play eight different background drum beats. The piano requires less than 3' sq. of floor space and its 37-keys provide a more manageable teaching tool. Requires four C batteries. Includes sheet music for the 12 lesson songs. Stool not included. 22 1/3" H x 28 1/2 W x 17 1/2" D. (9 lbs.) 8/23/2012 (Price: $99.95)
AIR GUITAR by PRINCESS INTERNATIONAL INC.
 Virtual Strumming with No Strings Attached. Play the Air Guitar by pressing on the chord buttons & strumming in the air. Connect to an iPod & play along with favorite songs. Infrared sensor detects your hand motions. Plays all chords in major, minor, sharp, flat & 7th. Play along with 10 preset songs. Built in speaker. Earphone jack for private playing. Connects to an external amplifier. Connect to any music player to play along. Free play mode. Runs on 2 ‘AAA’ batteries (not included). Size: 8 ¼” x 3 ½” x 1 ½” Weighs: 6 ozs. Launch date: January 2012. 6/25/2012 (Price: $19.95; Age: 5 and up)
Playful Xylophone by P'KOLINO
 This playful melody maker develops an early interest in music while teaching shape & color recognition. As individual pieces, these colorful blocks allow children to arrange and rearrange to create their very own melodies. When the music is done, nest the blocks together for a quick and easy clean up or stack for a beautiful display. 4/13/2012 (Price: $29.99; Age: 1 and up)
Thunder Tubes by TROPHY MUSIC COMPANY
 It's a 7" long x 2-1/2" dia PVC tube with a resonant head at one end attached to a 17" long x 3/16" dia extension spring. Kids shake it, scrape it, wiggle it, use their palm to muffle it and they generate creaks, deep warbles, rumbles, weird heterodyne-ish gong effects, wa-wa's, rude noises, and, yes, realistic thunder. A perfect musical companion to a cuica and rain stick - and good, clean fun around the house.
4/6/2012
Bontempi Showtime Stage/Table Microphone - Red by THE ORIGINAL TOY COMPANY
Adjustable microphone stand with light effects, 10 demo songs, 2 sound effects and volume control. Requires 4 AA batteries, not included. Retail box packed.
— In a December 2012 survey about bestselling musical toys, three out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that microphones were their bestselling musical toys. 2/24/2012 (Price: $45.00; Age: 3 and up)
Glammerati LumeFX Megastar Microphone by IMPERIAL TOY LLC
 Little Pop Stars will have hours of rockin’ fun as they bling while they sing with the Glammerati LumeFX Megastar Microphone. The Glammerati LumeFX Megastar Microphone includes an amplifier and features 3 KIDZ BOP hit songs. Every pop star will surely shine as the light up handle sparkles for every magical performance, whether it’s with friends, mom and dad, or just practicing alone in front of the bedroom mirror. The built in crowd cheers will boost confidence and the record and play back feature sets the tone for the making of a superstar. Launch date: Summer 2012. 2/13/2012 (Price: $19.99; Age: 5 and up)
Meowsic Keyboard by BATTAT INC.
 This keyboard encourages interactive play with lots of buttons to press and plenty of musical choices for singing, playing, and recording. The Meowsic Keyboard comes with a book of lyrics and a small book of favorite kid quotes posted on the B Quote Gallery. Has a record button with instant play back, five instrument sounds and five beat choices, as well as a 20-song playlist that includes seven cat-themed songs.
— As of 1/6/2012 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 60 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of songs to choose from; Includes black keys as well as white keys. Cons: Some parents very strongly believed that the pre-recorded songs sounded terrible, and that the songs sung with "meow" instead of regular lyrics were intolerably annoying; a few reported that certain keys wouldn't work simultaneously.
— In a 2012 survey about musical products, two of 13 retailers told TDmonthly that the Meowsic Keyboard from Battat was their top seller in the category. 1/9/2012 (Price: $29.99; Age: 2 and up)
Sesame Street Let's Rock Elmo Guitar by HASBRO INC.
 Preschoolers can put on a rockin' performance with the Let's Rock Elmo Guitar. Packed with fun features, the Guitar includes three preschool tunes, three modes of play, light-up keys and a fun whammy bar. For even more rockin' fun, the Let's Rock Elmo Guitar also interacts with the Let's Rock Elmo character, which is sold separately, who magically knows when you have the Let's Rock Elmo Guitar and plays along with you to the Elmo's World song. The guitar comes with instructions. It includes 3 AA batteries. 11/17/2011 (Price: $24.99; Age: 2 to 4)
Laser Band by PlayAbility Toys LLC
 The Laser Band is a laser-activated instrument from PlayAbility Toys that lets children and adults experience the joy of creating and playing beautiful music. The Laser Band allows everyone a world of musical opportunities with small arm and hand movements that break the plain of a laser beam. Launch date: October 2011. 11/3/2011 (Price: $209.95; Age: 3 and up)
Wowwee Paper Jamz Pro Mic by WOWWEE GROUP LTD.
 WowWee Paper Jamz are affordable and innovative instruments that provide an instant rock star experience and open-ended play. The creative blend of technology and play is made possible with Active Graphics Technology circuit-embedded paper, which allows kids to play like a pro by simply touching the paper surface. With cutting-edge technology, this Paper Jamz Pro microphone lets anyone sound like a pop star. USB cable included. For ages 8 and above. Batteries 3 x “AAA” (not included). 10/19/2011 (Price: $39.99)
High Seas Symphony by MELISSA & DOUG
 Strike up the band with this toddler-safe set of wooden rhythm instruments for kids 18 months and older. Four friendly, easy-to-grasp instruments jingle, shake and clack. The instruments promote fine motor, auditory and creative expression skills while instilling appreciation of music and movement.
— In a January 2012 survey, Jen Fairclough, assistant manager of Magic Box LTD in New Orleans, La., told TDmonthly that they sell six of this item each month, making it one of their top-two best selling musical products. 5/2/2011 (Price: $19.99; Age: 2 and up)
Air Picks by OHIO ART CO.
 All picks contain guitar riffs of three iconic rock songs that play with the flick of the pick. Each pick has a whammy bar button and an attached carabiner clip. Assortment includes Rolling Stones, Classic Rock and Rebel Rock picks. Peg-ready, footed clamshell package. 2/24/2011 (Age: 6 and up)
T-Pain's Auto Tune Microphone by JAKKS PACIFIC INC.
 This microphone was developed in conjunction with the eponymous hip-hop artist, notorious for his auto-tuned jams. The hand-held wireless microphone plays three different beats to sing over, and records your voice. It features pitch-correction. Launch date: Fall 2011. 2/22/2011 (Price: $40.00)
Rockin' Sounds Drum by MANHATTAN TOY
 Soft drum features numbered circles that make different drum sounds and say the number or color with every touch. Bottom of drum features opening with Velcro-like closure that provides access to sound device. Lanuch date: January 2011. 1/26/2011 (Price: $30.00; Age: 2 and up)
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