Early Musical Play

Newborn musical toys should start with sounds a baby can make on their own: a light wooden maracas rattle to grip, a fabric ball with a bell inside, a drum that rings as it rolls. Later come rainmakers, xylophones and real rhythm instruments.

Newborn musical toys: rattles, chimes and soft bells

In the first weeks, a baby listens long before they can shake anything on purpose. Roll the pastel animal drum slowly across the playmat and let the chimes ring as it passes; a little later, small hands will reach out to stop it. The grasping ball and the soft chime bell ball give a muffled ring each time they move, never a sharp noise.

The wooden baby maracas are sized for a tiny grip: light, smooth and quick to answer the smallest wave of the arm.

Infant music toys for sitting and crawling babies

From 6 months, the sound shaker egg fits neatly in one hand and the medium rainmaker turns each tilt into a slow trickle of sound. From 12 months, the hammering bench with its xylophone and the push-along lion xylophone link music with movement: tap, walk, listen. From 18 months, the three-sided musical tower and the activity table bring several sounds together in one place.

Putting together a baby music set that grows with them

Rather than one big kit, choose two or three Montessori toys with different sounds: one to shake, one to strike, one that rings. Maracas and a chime ball make a lovely first baby music set. Add the claves, the wooden castanet or the toy trumpet from 3, when your child can keep a beat and blow on purpose.