Keeping a child interested past the first fortnight
Almost every instrument sold to a small child is played intensely for two weeks and then ignored. That is normal, and it is partly fixable.
Leave it out
An instrument in a cupboard is not played. One within reach in the room where the family actually sits will be picked up repeatedly.
This is the single highest-impact thing on this list and it costs nothing.
Rotate the shelf
Putting an instrument away for a month and bringing it back out restores novelty without buying anything. Rotation beats accumulation.
Three instruments rotated feel like more than six left out.
Play badly, in front of them
Children copy what they see adults doing. An adult who picks the instrument up occasionally does more than any amount of encouragement.
You do not need to be able to play. You need to be seen trying.
Short and frequent
Five minutes several times a week builds familiarity better than a long session at the weekend. Attention at this age is measured in minutes.
Stop while they still want more.
Do not make it a lesson
Structured practice comes much later. At this stage the goal is that the instrument stays interesting, not that anything is learned.
Correcting technique on a three-year-old ends the interest quickly.
Match the instrument to the child
Some children want to hit things and some want to make tunes. Buying a xylophone for a child who wants a drum will not change what they want.
Watch what they gravitate to before buying the next thing.
It is fine if it stops
Interest returning at six or seven, on a different instrument, is the normal pattern. The early years are exposure, not commitment.
Nothing bought at this stage is wasted because it did not become a hobby.
What it costs
Across the 22 items currently listed, prices run from $9.99 to $36.99, with the middle of the range around $21.99. That spread is worth knowing before you start comparing, because the cheapest and dearest options here are usually not the same kind of product at all.
Shipping is a flat $5.99 per order and free once the order reaches $45.00, which is set out in full on the Shipping Policy page.
Questions that come up with this
Do you sell adult instruments too?
The floor at 3131 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90031 carries more than this. What we list online is the children's range — percussion sets, xylophones, drums, first guitars and musical toys.
When will it arrive?
One to two business days to pack, then two to five business days in transit within the United States.
What is shipping?
A flat $8.95 per order, free from $55.00.
The FAQ page covers the rest.
Four products that show the range
The least expensive way in: AFKSTL Baby Music Player Toy for Toddlers 6-48 Months – 24 Melodies at $9.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A step up from the basics: MUSICUBE Kids Wooden Xylophone with Mallets – 8-Key Educational Percussion Instrument at $18.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A middle-of-the-range option: VTech Musical Rhymes Book, Red – Interactive Learning Toy for Ages 6-36 Months at $22.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
The most substantial option: Promise Babe Wooden Drum Set for Toddlers 18-36 Months – 9-in-1 Montessori Music Table at $36.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
Where this sits in the shop
Caveman Vintage Music groups its range into 6 sections, so it is usually quicker to start from the group than to scroll the whole shop. These are the ones with stock on the shelf right now:
- Percussion Sets — 6 items
- Electronic Music Toys — 5 items
- Drums and Tambourines — 4 items
- Musical Plush — 3 items
- Xylophones — 2 items
- First Guitars — 2 items
If none of those is obviously right, the full shop lists everything on one page.
Coming in instead
Caveman Vintage Music is at 3131 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90031, open Mon–Sat: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM · Sun: Closed. If you would rather look at something before buying it, call +1 323-505-7777 and we will put it aside for you.
Anything already ordered can be followed on the order tracking page.
Related reading
Other pieces in this journal that cover neighbouring ground:
- Why a tuned xylophone is worth more than a noisy toy
- Starting a toddler on percussion without losing your mind
- A first guitar for a small child: what to expect
- Musical plush toys and the first six months
The full journal index lists everything we have written so far.
In short
Almost every instrument sold to a small child is played intensely for two weeks and then ignored. That is normal, and it is partly fixable. If you want to talk it through rather than read about it, +1 323-505-7777 reaches the shop during opening hours, and the contact page has everything else.