Musical toys are more powerful than you might think!
Music is well known for supporting growing children's cognitive, social and motor skills. It also encourages creativity and helps us express our emotions. And its benefits do not end there: music can improve relationships between parents and children too.
A note for parents
Research by Wallace and Harwood at the University of Arizona, USA, published in the Journal of Family Communication in 2018, found that parents who share musical experiences with their children tend to have good relationships with them. Sharing musical interests can help parents and children feel in tune with one another, depending on each family's communication, coordination and attentiveness.
Furthermore, to support children's mental well-being, they should not frequently be left to withdraw into solitude. Playing music offers children an opportunity to socialize by playing in a group and to learn about the culture of making music.
Coordination (Coordination) means doing things in sync. Playing music or listening to songs with your children, such as dancing or singing together, already involves coordination. These activities let us release stress and feel happy, and may bring parents and children closer while helping them see more of who each other really is.
One of music's main benefits is that it stirs emotions, allowing us to express feelings held deep inside. This explains why sharing musical experiences can help us understand and empathize with one another. Music can therefore make families more sensitive to other members' feelings, and understanding those feelings helps build bonds.
If you want a good relationship with your children as they grow into teenagers, try playing soft background music for them now. This lays the groundwork for sharing music without needing to play an instrument yourself. Even listening to music in the car while traveling counts as sharing a musical experience. The gentle, beautiful melodies of Hape's Rotating Music Box can also help soothe babies.
Musical activities for children
Sharing musical experiences does not mean teaching children to play an instrument. It means enjoying time with them through music, such as listening to songs together. You do not have to stick to children's songs either: your child might enjoy rock or energetic EDM. When you are in the car together, turn on the radio and start singing along. It can be wonderfully funny!
At home, turn up the excitement and fun as you dance with the children using the DJ Mix & Spin Studio mixer (read more: Hape's DJ Mix & Spin Studio musical toy), with 18 additional fun effects. Or create background sounds, use the slider to adjust the beat, and come up with a little dance routine to perform together. This activity often keeps children entertained and moving, and you can join in by dancing to your little DJ's music for even more fun.
Musical toys are ideal for sharing fun family moments. Giving children musical toys is a great way to introduce them to the world of music, whether through drums, maracas or tambourines. Free play with parents also supports children's language, emotional and social development, as recommended by HealthyChildren.org (AAP).
For more focused skill practice, try giving your child a piano to explore, such as the Deluxe White Grand Piano. With 30 keys and real electronic piano sounds, it lets children discover piano sounds and beautiful melodies through their own fingertips. This fun instrument awakens their inner artist and is a musical development toy that helps children enjoy music.
To practice several skills at once, choose a toy that combines multiple instruments. For example, Mighty Mini Band is a table featuring a drum, xylophone, cymbal, scraping board, clapper and drumsticks. Ready to join the concert?
Or, if your child is getting into Rock n Roll, form a rock band with a lead singer, one or two guitarists, a drummer and a keyboard player.
If you do not have that many members, a single harmonica can still create exciting music: Teach Yourself Harmonica.
This wonderful first harmonica comes with guide lights that teach little ones to play five songs!
A roundup of 5 musical toys parents and children can enjoy together
- Music boxes and musical mobiles: Gentle sounds help soothe babies and are suitable for bedtime, such as the Musical Cloud Light.
- Drums, maracas and tambourines: Help children practice rhythm and tap along to songs with their parents from toddlerhood.
- Children's music mixers: Toys such as DJ Mix & Spin Studio let the whole family dance and create rhythms together.
- Children's pianos: Let your child try pressing keys and playing simple songs with you. Read more about Hape's Magic Touch Piano.
- Multi-instrument sets and wind instruments: Musical tables combining drums, xylophones and cymbals, or children's harmonicas/ukuleles (see the Learn with Lights Ukulele).
Safety precautions: Choose musical toys according to the age guidance on the box. Watch out for small parts, such as beads inside maracas or small beaters, which pose a choking risk for children under 3. Avoid playing music or toys too loudly near your child's ears. Find more ideas in 4 Ways to Introduce Your Toddler to the World of Music.
Ready to step onto an exciting stage and share special feelings and plenty of fun? Take on a role and give these musical toys a try.
For parents and caregivers looking for a way to strengthen their relationship with their children over the long term, music offers another approach. It could be the beginning of getting to know one another better. Believe it or not, it might change your relationship with your child forever.
If you are looking for an excellent developmental toy, ‘Hape’ is a great choice. We have a wide range of wooden toys that support children's development at every age.
Thoughtfully designed around children's learning, they help children practice important skills such as seeing, listening, observing, fine motor control, problem-solving, imagination and creativity, while also encouraging integrated academic learning through STEAM.
Their durable designs and sturdy materials focus on supporting children's development, with child safety also a key consideration. They feature non-toxic colors and FSC quality-controlled wood. Their strength and durability give them a long useful life, and they are environmentally friendly.
These qualities have helped Hape become a global wooden toy brand, meeting ICTI, CCIB, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001:2008 standards.
It is easy to see how Hape wooden toys can enrich these activities and help keep little ones away from screens.
What matters most is sharing happy moments as a family, because where there is love, there is a complete home! What activities do you enjoy with your child? 😁
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Reference: Wallace, S. & Harwood, J. (2018). Associations Between Shared Musical Engagement and Parent–Child Relational Quality. Journal of Family Communication.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/default.aspx