Best musical instruments for kids. Find an instrument for every age with our wide selection of musical instruments – buy kids guitar, music piano, keyboard, xylophone, violin & drum sets.
The benefits of musical training and playing an instrument on children’s general well-being and its positive impact on learning other subjects have been well documented.
Learning music offers several benefits including helping in pattern recognition (pre-reading and pre-math skill), learning rhythm (improves math abilities because music is applied math), and vocabulary (the more you sing and RHYME the more your child is likely to pick up on new words).
Here we take a look at various kids instruments and their suitability for children of various ages.
Musical Instruments for Kids
Types of Musical Instruments for Kids
Musical instruments for toddlers (and even younger children) tend to be brightly colored and can be battery operated or acoustic (although you will find more battery operated ones).
These toys are decent representations of real musical instruments, are safe to use, and small in size so that kids can easily handle them,
These instruments give your child the opportunity to explore music and develop their musical side as they are exposed to a wide range of sounds, it enables them to explore musical concepts such as high and low notes, loud and soft, timbre.
Musical Instruments for Kids can be divided into the following categories:
Battery-operated music instruments
These are best suited for very young beginners (infants and toddlers).
These are electronic instruments for kids and come with various built-in sounds, rhythms, and tones which are activated through the various colorful buttons.
Since buttons are easier to press, its easier to produce sound from these instruments.
Similarly, most percussion toy instruments are suited for the earliest beginners, since it is easer to produce sound using these instruments.
Percussion toy instruments for the youngest beginners can be played by striking (using hands, sticks, or mallets), or by shaking.
Some percussion instruments are “pitched” and can be used for playing melodies (for example, the xylophone).
Mini-sized instruments
These instruments are suited for grown-up kids with slightly well-developed fingers.
These are mini-sized versions of real musical instruments (played by adults). So, you will find smaller-sized pianos, guitars, drums, violins, and more.
These are well-suited for serious beginners who wish to take formal music lessons.
Keyboard instruments
Here are some popular keyboard instruments for children:
Mini Keyboards: Electronic mini keyboards with several sounds and styles.
Toy Pianos: Mini-sized toy pianos for young prodigies.
Kids Accordions: Mini-sized accordion instrument for kids
Guitar Instruments
Here are some popular keyboard instruments for children:
Toddler Guitars: Mini-sized guitar instruments for kids, usually with buttons
Ukuleles: Ukuleles for beginners.
Electric Guitars for Kids: Small-sized electric guitars with real strings.
More Instruments
Recorder: A popular instrument for beginners.
Melodica: Wind instruments with keys.
Toddler’s music band: multi-piece band instruments for kids
Foot Piano Mat: Great Party Toy Game for Children
Instruments that are Easy to Play
While keyboards, guitar, vocals, and drums are the more popular instruments, there are many more musical instruments that kids can learn, and some of them are easier to learn.
Most of these instruments are inexpensive, portable, and also commonly taught in schools. Besides, it is also easier to find music teachers for these instruments.
Lot of parents are apprehensive about drums because they think it is going to be noisy; however, you do get electronic drums nowadays that can be played using headphones without disturbing others.
Music instruments such as the recorder, melodica and Ukulele are quite popular among young students.
Related: Easiest musical instruments to learn for kids and adults.
Best Musical Instruments for Kids
Musical instruments for kids are a wonderful way for your little ones to have fun and also learn important skills. Making music with guitars, ukuleles, xylophones, melodicas, mini pianos, drums, and tambourines is a great way to spend an afternoon with your kids, and in the process learn about rhythms and sound. Now its easy to turn a playgroup into band practice with sing-alongs and musical instruments, or you can even give the gift of music to toddlers and children, who can continue to play them for years to come.
With a range of instruments to choose from, you can find one for every age and price range.
Instruments for Kids – 3+ years
Melissa & Doug Band-in-a-Box
These are musical instrument sets (also referred to as music/band in a box) and includes an assortment of instruments (including percussion items).
Remo Kid’s Percussion Rain Forest Gathering Drum
This colorful rain forest gathering drum (includes 16-inch drum and mallets) can be played with hands, sticks, or mallets. Its large in size so multiple children can play at a time. It produces a warm sound with nice resonance.
CoComelon First Act 23 Keys Musical Keyboard
This adorable 11-inch keyboard for preschoolers is easy to use and includes clips of the CoComelon ABC song and the CoComelon Music song. The keyboard comes with a cute handle for carrying.
Kids 6 Years & Older
- Diamond Head DU-150 Soprano Ukulele
- Casio SA-77 Mini Keyboard
- CAHAYA Melodica 32 piano-style keys
- Mendini by Cecilio 13 Inch 3-Piece Kids / Junior Drum Set
VTech is a popular manufacturer of kids musical instruments that makes a variety of useful instruments for kids. Their instruments have good features, are entertaining and are designed to be educational too. They make everything from keyboards, guitars, drums to other electronic musical instruments. Read more on VTech musical instruments
Melissa & Doug musical instruments: Melissa & Doug is a popular American toy manufacturer that makes a range of (educational & developmental) toys for children, including musical instruments & musical toys.
Recommended Melissa and Doug Musical Instruments:
Melissa & Doug Learn-to-Play Piano
The piano is among the more popular musical toys, and Melissa and Doug have a few in their catalog. A songbook is included with your piano to help you start playing simple songs. You can find sheet music for your Melissa and Doug piano if you want to play more songs
Wooden Caterpillar Xylophone
This is a rainbow-colored, caterpillar-shaped Xylophone with one octave of notes and is well suited for the earliest beginners to explore sounds. Kids will like the bright colors and sweet design of this instrument and will love to fit the two mallets on top of the xylophone (like its antennas).
Melissa & Doug Beginner Harmonica
This is a nice instrument to make the kids aware of what a harmonica looks like and how it sounds. It’s sturdy and will continue to produce sound even when dropped. Unlike the harmonicas for adults, you need to blow this one a bit hard to produce sound.
Wooden Recorder
Recorders are easy-to-play instruments, and this one is a wooden recorder which sounds a bit better than the cheaper plastic-made ones.
Lego Musical Instruments for Kids
Some enthusiasts combined their love for music and Legos to make instruments out of lego that are actually playable. Lego bricks is made of plastic and commonly used to make toys, musical instruments, and many other objects.
All you need to do to make your own pocket symphonic orchestra is to go buy a box of Lego blocks. Best Lego toys on Amazon.
Musical Instruments Sound Puzzle
These sound puzzles include various musical instruments and you’re supposed to place the correct instrument on the appropriate picture in the puzzle. When you do that, the instrument makes a sound. Remember these are inexpensive sets so the musical instruments are not going to sound very authentic.
Choosing an Instrument: Detailed Guide
Most parents want their kids to learn a musical instrument but they are not sure which instrument their child should take up.
It would be worthwhile to go through the following steps.
- Understand the different categories of musical instruments and explain it to your child.
- Let your children see the various instruments and listen to them; it’s easy to do it using a computer (you may check on Youtube).
- Finally, let your child decide what musical instrument is best for them. They need to feel comfortable with the musical instrument they have selected.
Learning to play a musical instrument
Once you have bought a musical instrument for your child, you need to get your kids started with music lessons.
Related:
Check out these child prodigies on various music instruments
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
Looking for Kids musical instruments for my Grandchildren. I have 4 grandkids and am looking for a portable piano or a guitar for them to learn. It needs to be a bit sturdy (you know how kids are) and should last at least for a couple of years. No idea what to look for and how much would it cost. But preferably would prefer it to cost less than 100 dollars so that I can get a couple. Any suggestion for a decent kids musical instrument would be appreciated. — ‘Grandpa’
You can go in for any lighted musical toys that make sound. They’re fun to learn and will last few years. There are several models, just choose whatever fits your budget.
It would have helped if you had mentioned the age group of your grand kids. If they are in the 5-7 years group, the lighted music keyboards will be too big for them, and not very comfortable for them to start learning. Not an ideal beginner piano keyboard for that age group.
Casio mini keyboard or a toy piano will be a better and portable option for your kids. For older kids 7-8 years, you should ideally ask them what they would prefer – a piano or a guitar.