Electronic music toys: getting past the demo button
Most electronic music toys have one setting that gets used and several that do not, and the difference is worth understanding.
Demo mode versus play mode
Almost all of these have a mode where the toy plays a tune by itself and a mode where the child produces the sound. Only the second is doing anything musical.
Children default to the demo button because it is easier. Showing them the other mode is worth doing deliberately.
DJ and mixer toys
Mixer boards suit older children who want to make something rather than press something, and they hold attention well past the age other music toys stop.
They are loud. Check the volume control before it comes out of the box.
Learning tablets
These teach words, numbers and sometimes languages alongside sound. The music is often the least significant part of what they do.
Judge them as learning toys rather than as instruments.
Interactive books
Sound books bridge reading and music, and they survive being read hundreds of times. For that repetition alone they are good value.
Check the pages are board rather than paper for younger children.
Screens are a separate decision
Some of these have small screens and some do not. That is a household decision, and it is worth knowing before it arrives.
Nothing we list here requires an internet connection or an account.
Battery life
Electronic toys eat batteries, and a rechargeable set pays for itself quickly on anything used daily.
Toys with an auto-off function last considerably longer between changes.
Balance with acoustic
A house with only electronic music toys teaches pressing buttons. One acoustic instrument alongside changes what the child is doing.
A wooden set and one electronic toy is a better mix than three electronic ones.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Most electronic music toys have one setting that gets used and several that do not, and the difference is worth understanding. 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.