15 Best Xylophones For Babies And Kids
You should start teaching your child to play an instrument while they are still young since they have a greater capacity to build habits and learn new abilities at this age. The greatest baby xylophone will introduce children to musical concepts such as notes, rhythms, scales, and octaves, making music a tangible language from an early age.
It may look like your youngster is only banging on the mallet, but after some time, they will develop a more refined musical sense. Children can improve their imagination, dexterity, motor abilities, sensory skills, hand-eye coordination, and more by playing with a xylophone.
But picking the right xylophone is essential, as you don’t want to be left with something that seems cheap and won’t keep your child’s attention. Here are some of the best xylophones for infants, both in terms of sound quality and longevity. Just keep on reading!
15 Best Baby Xylophones
Best Child-Safe: Hape Pound & Tap Bench With Slide Out Xylophone
Get out the xylophone and a wooden mallet and let your kiddo experiment with different sounds and notes by banging on the balls and letting them fall on the musical keys. The xylophone is an excellent tool for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, arm movement, aural recognition, musical exploration, and more.
Problem-solving, spatial, matching, critical thinking, and an appreciation for cause and effect are all bolstered by this activity. You can rest assured that your child will have hours of fun with this xylophone thanks to its safe design, high-quality construction (it’s made of wood), and cheerful rainbow finish. Here’s a quick look at the product in the form of a video.
Pros
- Consists with long-lasting components
- Non-hazardous and child-friendly coating
- Paint that is water-based
- Perfect for getting your kid into music!
Cons
- The sound could have been better.
- Possibly too much weight for some
Best PVC-Free: Skip Hop Explore & More Fox Xylophone
There are eight colorful keys on this adorable fox-shaped xylophone for newborns, and toddlers may tap them with the included mallet to explore their musical talent and express their imaginations. The whole spectrum of musical notes is represented by these eight keys, which also serve to hone dexterity and inspire originality.
The mallet’s attached string encourages kids to produce music everywhere they go and keeps it from going missing. Your little one can also use the mallet and string to pull the wheeled xylophone around the floor. Fox xylophone is 13x6x4in with mallet hidden under belly.
Pros
- PVC- and phthalate-free
- Reduced weight but yet robust construction
- The fox is bobbing up and down.
- Possesses rolling convenience thanks to its silky wheels.
Cons
- The xylophone’s width could be larger than anticipated.
- It’s possible the tune’s a little off.
Best Non-Toxic: Rolimate Hammering & Pounding Xylophone
An ingenious four-in-one toy, this set features a tap table, three bright wooden balls, six colorful wooden blocks of assorted shapes, a wooden hammer, and a xylophone with two xylophone sticks. The eight distinct notes of the xylophone will help develop their musical ear and inspire their imagination. As they pound the bright balls, it encourages tactile growth and the included shape sorter teaches children to distinguish between different forms.
Children’s minds are sparked into action by the wooden blocks’ numbers and designs. The natural beech wood construction ensures your child’s safety at all times thanks to smooth surfaces and rounded corners. Watch this video to get an idea of the product’s benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
- Faded-proof, water-based paint
- Environmentally safe; does not include any harmful substances like BPA, lead, or phthalates
- Eco-friendly
- Accepted by ASTM and EN71
- An autism-friendly sensory toy
- Free of burrs
- Easy to stow up and compact
Cons
- A ball could break.
- Potential need for a supervising adult
Best Versatile: Ohuhu Baby Xylophone
This toy xylophone can be used in a variety of ways to help introduce your child to music. To help kids learn and have fun, it comes with eight nursery rhymes and ten classical pieces. Sound effects from a xylophone, trumpet, guitar, piano solmization, and color words are all included in this convenient package.
The brightly colored keys are a fun and useful way to teach kids about the alphabet, numbers, and even animal noises. This xylophone features a five-level whac-a-mole game, two song/music modes, a jazz drum, and three different drum sounds. This xylophone is an entertaining and educational toy. Your youngster will learn to count, recognize animals, and keep time to music.
Pros
- Includes a volume knob
- Featuring two places for drumsticks
- Includes a base stand for playing at the perfect height
- Promotes original thought
- Vivid hues
Cons
- You might not be able to count on the durability of every button.
- After some time, the keys may become loose.
Best For Learning: Fisca 3-in-1 Musical Instruments
This cool musical instrument contains a keyboard, a beat drum set, and an electronic xylophone. Child-friendly xylophone features glockenspiel, xylophone, animal (7 animal sounds), and 1-through-8 number modes. The play mode of the beat drum set allows you to play it like a jazz drum or a djembe, while the music mode offers three different drum loops and nine different songs. In addition, there’s a whack-a-mole game with five more challenging settings.
The piano keyboard features eight color voices in addition to the standard piano, solmization, trumpet, and guitar voices. This musical toy is a great method to let kids exercise their imaginations, imitate sounds, and discover the world around them while also improving their visual and cognitive abilities. It also aids in the development of a child’s ability to distinguish musical notes, numbers, instruments, colors, animals, and animal sounds.
Pros
- Premium plastic construction.
- A lack of sharp corners and other imperfections
- Promotes Education
- Simple to put together
- Is an excellent present for kids.
Cons
- In some cases, drumsticks may be significantly shorter than anticipated.
- Some animal noises can be quite amusing
Best For Enhancing Creativity: VTech Zoo Jamx Xylophone – Green
You may help your child learn music while befriending this caterpillar. This cute caterpillar features three game types and multiple difficulty settings. It has eight illuminated bars that can be used to play a variety of musical tones and tunes. Your youngster can learn to play by watching the caterpillar perform a song and then imitating it, or by following the lights on the keys note by note.
The included mallet allows them to tap the keys and make up their own tunes. The caterpillar xylophone for children has a head that can be moved from side to side and plays both classic and contemporary tunes. The caterpillar may be pulled along with the mallet, allowing your child to enjoy the music wherever they go.
Pros
- Introduces familiar tunes for group singing
- Encourages original thought
- A plethora of game tiers
- Various hues are obtainable.
Cons
- Possible lack of sufficient rope length
- The battery life may be short.
Best Odorless: Kidwill Baby Xylophone
This versatile toy serves as a number maze puzzle, a pounding bench, and a musical xylophone. Your youngster can refine their musical abilities and auditory perception by tapping the toy xylophone’s eight notes with the mallet. On the flip side is a whack-a-mole game with 10 hamster pegs that pop up and down; four hammers and two mallets are included so that your youngster can play with his or her pals.
This is a great way to improve hand-eye coordination, build muscle tone in the upper arms, and practice fine motor skills. The mental exercise and practice with numbers that comes from solving a number maze puzzle is invaluable. This present is perfect for any occasion because it is built with your baby’s little hands in mind.
Pros
- Crafted from the finest wood
- Robust and long-lasting
- To a silky conclusion
- Non-toxic
- Effortless, odorless water-based paint
- Finely detailed designs and prints
Cons
- Inadequate mallet storage
- Perhaps splinters can be caused by wood.
Best BPA-Free: Top Bright Wooden Xylophone For Kids
This xylophone for toddlers features eight brightly colored keys and is tuned to perfection. Your infant can make wonderful songs on this piano because each key corresponds to a specific note. Your child can enjoy playing the xylophone for a very long time due to its sturdy hardwood construction. There are three classical music sheets included to have your young musicians playing some easy and enjoyable tunes while also learning about rhythms, octaves, and intervals.
In addition to helping youngsters to detect and match colors, it also improves fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, muscular development, and dexterity. This xylophone is very safe for your youngster to play because it is made of natural wood and the metal keys are attached securely.
Pros
- Mallets crafted from plastic
- Straight and unbroken
- ASTM-certified
- A place to keep mallets
- Solid wooden foundation
- Lacking odor, bisphenol A, lead, and phthalates
Cons
- Sometimes there is inconsistency in the sounds.
- Sticks’ thinness is debatable.
Best For Fine Motor Skills: Baby Einstein Magic Touch Xylophone
This adorable xylophone has two play modes—instructor mode and freestyle mode—to help your child find their musical voice. In the freestyle mode, your child can tap out original compositions with the mallet, while in the teacher mode, he or she can learn the connection between cause and effect through play.
With its magic touch technology, your infant can easily play soothing music. Any kid would really love the bright lights and over 30 different songs and sounds that come with it. An additional perk is that there are three volume settings to choose from, so you can find the sweet spot for your listening experience.
Pros
- Intuitive edging
- Mallet affixed on its end
- Validates precision motor abilities
- Simple controls
- Absent of phthalates, lead, and PVS
Cons
- Perhaps splinters can be caused by wood.
- Possible shakiness
Best Eco-Friendly: Musicube Xylophone For Kids
Perfect for kids over the age of three, this percussion set features a xylophone, a harmonica, two music cards, and two wooden mallets. The beginner’s xylophone includes eight brightly colored keys in C major, providing a terrific sound and a realistic playing experience. Rather than losing track of two separate mallets, this one has a wooden base that conceals a storage compartment for both of them.
For safety, we’ve used plastic nails to secure the keys to the hardwood foundation. Also, they have padding to dampen vibrations and improve the quality of the audio. It’s ideal for fostering development in areas like gross motor abilities, mental agility, and eye-hand coordination, and it also encourages imaginative growth as kids try out various sounds and techniques. Additionally, a diatonic 20t ten-hole harmonica is included so that youngsters can form their own small band with the xylophone.
Pros
- Using eco-friendly plywood
- Finely tempered metal keys
- Comes with a pair of song cards
- Lacks sharp corners
- Chemically inert and approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials
Cons
- Stick’s durability might not extend to being break-proof.
- After some time, the keys may become loose.
Munchkin Dingray Xylophone Musical Bath Toy
This musical toy can be used in or out of the tub, making bath time more enjoyable for both you and your baby. It’s a musical instrument that looks like a stingray and has keys you can tap with a mallet. It’s made out of a tough but pliable material, it has five bright keys, and it floats on water so you can play with it anywhere.
With this xylophone, your kiddo can make some great music and noises. The toy xylophone is great for developing your child’s hand-eye coordination while also inspiring their imagination and musical skill. Let your kid be a kid while still encouraging his or her imaginative and emotional growth.
Pros
- Fosters mental growth
- Keys made of metal that won’t rust
- Super-secure for your infant’s health
- Boosts Motor Learning
Cons
- A stick’s end might not be capped with a ball.
- They could be less than anticipated in size.
Best Lightweight: Basic Fun Fisher Price Classic Pull-A-Tune Xylophone
This can be a traditional pull toy or a toy xylophone, depending on your child’s preference. Eight colorful keys with red wheels and a yellow mallet make up its classic look. For your child’s protection, the keys are fastened with plastic screws. It’s great for kids from 18 months to 2 years old because it fosters imagination and musical development. It’s a great first instrument because it will provide your child with hours of soothing music.
Pros
- Rust-proof
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Substances which do not cause harm
Cons
- A shorter pull cord is possible.
- It’s possible that the song’s tune won’t be what you expect.
Best Portable: DeXop School Bus Xylophone
This seven-keyed, brightly colored xylophone includes a school bus design and is perfect for introducing your child to musical rhythms and scales. The bus also comes with plastic mallets that can be safely stashed away. Through musical play, your infant can practice their developing artistic and motor skills. This infant xylophone doubles as a form sorter, with seven brightly colored blocks of varying shapes that your little one may use to fill in the bus’s matching holes.
The blocks are large enough that they won’t cause a choking hazard while still being simple enough for a child to grasp. The front bead pattern is meant to pique interest and heighten awareness. Your infant can take the bus anywhere they like thanks to its smooth-rolling wheels and a rope that attaches to a mallet so that they may listen to music anytime they please.
Pros
- Straight and unbroken
- Strong and secure
- Built with sustainable resources
- Simple to stow
- An Operating Bus Door
- Suitability for kids on the autism spectrum
Cons
- Beads might not be very durable.
- It’s possible the string is too short.
Best Convenient: Manhattan Toy Beats To Go Wooden Xylophone
Indulge your baby’s natural curiosity about sound and rhythm with this wooden instrument. To encourage your child’s imagination, this musical instrument set include a xylophone, cymbal, drums, washboard, and two drumsticks. Your child’s fine and gross motor abilities will improve as they experiment with the different instruments. Your little one can make beautiful music on the toy xylophone’s seven brightly colored keys. This wooden toy has a carry handle, an elasticized compartment underneath to hold the drumsticks, and three legs for stability when used as a table.
Pros
- Paint that is water-based
- Toxin-free coating
- Safety-checked to the max
- Perfect for giving on any special occasion
Cons
- Containing a number of minute components
- Some may find the volume to be too high.
Best ABS Plastic: Oprala 2-In-1 Piano Xylophone
This child-friendly xylophone in green comes with a mallet and may double as a piano. Each of the eight keys is a different color, and they are all numbered. Babies will be captivated by the computerized cartoon symbols and vivid colors of this infant instrument. Your child will be able to quickly learn to differentiate between them, which will help them develop a love of music.
Your infant may practice hand-eye coordination, musical understanding, and auditory acuity by using the mallet to make sounds on a xylophone or piano. Color recognition, fine motor skills, sensory engagement, linguistic skills, the ability to keep time, and musical aptitude are all boosted as a result.
Pros
- ABS plastic, which is a safe material.
- BPA- and lead-free
- Innocuous and risk-free
- Created without sharp corners or edges, or with a rounded design
- Fosters decision-making autonomy
Cons
- They could be less than anticipated in size.
How To Choose The Right Xylophone For Babies
Size
The size of the xylophone you choose will depend on the age and size of your child. A large xylophone will have a more robust sound and feel, while a little one will be more subdued but still capable of producing a wide variety of tones. Larger xylophones, while more robust and producing a fuller, more robust sound, are also more expensive and cumbersome to transport.
Volume
This is based on the xylophone’s physical dimensions; a larger instrument will produce a louder tone. If you’re looking for something calm, this might not be the best choice for a young youngster. You’ll need a large xylophone if you want to compete with the loudest xylophones.
Material
Wooden xylophones survive longer and sound better than their plastic counterparts. Toys that are made of high-quality materials are less likely to break or become damaged from frequent use, which is especially important considering how roughly kids may be with their toys. It’s important to make sure the xylophone’s keys and sticks aren’t loose and that nothing is sharp or jagged. Remember that the xylophone does not have any little or loose bits that your child could choke on if they were to play with it.
Range of the xylophone
Smaller children’s xylophones often only span a single octave and are therefore smaller in size. Bigger xylophones can reach as high as 3.5 octaves. If you think your child might be interested in the xylophone in the future, you should acquire them one that has more than one octave of notes so they can learn to play a greater variety of songs.
Stimulation
To keep your baby entertained and stimulated, look for a baby xylophone with a lovely, playful design and lots of vibrant colors. A good musical instrument for your infant should also feature letters on the keys so that you can begin teaching your child to read music right away. Kids can learn to play songs on the xylophone with the help of song cards included with some models.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child someday have a career playing the xylophones?
It’s possible for your youngster to acquire an interest in music on the xylophone, but it’s better to think of it as a beginner’s instrument. It’s an easy way to get started with music, and it might just spark your interest!
Will playing the xylophone help my child learn music?
Absolutely, that’s the case. It’s a great tool for getting students familiar with the layout of a piano and learning the fundamentals of music. It’s simple to pick up and play, so kids stay interested and involved while learning about tones, pitches, and keys.
Should I pick percussion or drums for my baby or child?
Rhythm and coordination of sounds are the foundational skills a kid must master before they can create a musical sound, therefore percussion instruments are a great place to start. A little drum set is a great way to keep your kid interested if they’ve already shown an interest in music.
