Helping kids develop an ear for music is one of the great joys of parenting. Ever since my girls could utter their first words, we’ve been introducing them to the different sounds and singers whose music delights our listening ears. My 7-year-old knew her Billy Joel from her Frank Sinatra even as a preschooler, while my 3-year-old is just beginning to identify a saxophone vs. a trumpet. We’re not surprised then that Symphony in B., a new musical toy that we saw at Toy Fair last week, has taken center stage. Following a shape sorter concept, mini maestros can place any combination of up to six miniature musical instruments (from a total of 13) in their corresponding slots, select the type of music they’d like to hear and let the serenading begin! Mix and matching everything from a clarinet to a sitar makes for unique composing. If you’re looking to playtime more educational, this toy is the perfect excuse to turn music-making into a learning experience. As each instrument sounds, it lights up to help kids pinpoint woodwinds from brass, percussion from strings. Before long, your kids will know their “Piano Man” from their “Ol’ Man River,” too.
In a Nutshell: Ready to move past pots and pans? Help your kids graduate from the School of Rock to something a bit more sophisticated will be like music to your ears.
