Best Gifts Ideas Music Lovers Of All Ages (Yes, Even Your Moody Tween)

This award-winning toy has it all: bright colors, music, and sensory stimulation. What it doesn’t have? Battery-powered sounds, lights, or screens! While it’s normally $30, you can get this highly-reviewed instrument for 55% off, so get one for all the babies and toddlers on your holiday gift list!

Oh, happy day! You can now turn a musical moment into an excuse for physical activity by gifting this insanely cool keyboard play mat. Kids can turn up the volume, stomp out songs, swap their instruments (piano, trumpet, violin, flute, saxophone, banjo, guitar, and a xylophone), and even record a true masterpiece. It requires four AA batteries to activate the 24 touch-sensitive keys. Our favorite part: You won’t even have to leave the home to reap the benefits of this toy. Simply set the gigantic keyboard playmat in the kids’ room and watch them squeal in delight. (We think the kid rocking the cool shades in the photo above has the right idea.) Beyond playtime, it’s also great for birthday parties. 

Got a singer in the family? Your child will love belting out tunes from Disney’s Vampirina. This portable boombox set has a real working microphone and connects to most MP3 players (allowing you to listen and sing along to anything on your playlist). Little girls will especially get a kick out of this toy. She’ll feel like a BIG kid stowing this boppin’ boombox to her next gig — er — birthday bash. Whether she’s “pretending” to audition for The Voice or just wants to sing along to her favorite songs from the popular vampire series on Disney+, what better way to develop confidence at an early age?    

This set of toddler musical instruments from Ehome (22 pieces) will help your L.O. develop rhythm from day one. The array of inspirational instruments, ranging from a recorder to maracas, will get them movin’ and groovin’ to the beat in no time. Here’s an idea: If you have multiple little ones or a big neighborhood of kids, start an instrumental parade! Ultimately, the purpose of these instruments (besides having fun, of course) is to help kids develop their music senses. Whether it involves shaking a tambourine or using a mallet to tap on a xylophone, the process of playing an instrument will develop an awareness of cause and effect. 

Uh-oh, noisemaker, right this way. While we’d normally recommend steering clear of “noisy” toys, this one just may be an exception. (Plus, it’s not like they’re old enough to go play any house shows yet… these drums can be safely set up right at home.) How rad does this VTech KidiBeats Drum Set look? Thankfully, these are just toy drums and not the real deal. It comes with three drum pads and accompanying cymbals that make their own unique sound. As you know, sensory development is so crucial when they’re young, so you might as well get them started ASAP. In addition to a freestyle mode, these drums (bright orange drumsticks included) also have a follow-along mode in which they can play along to nine melodies from four different music genres. Oh! And we can’t forget. You’ll be happy to know that there is a volume control. If it’s been a long day, and the last thing you want to hear is damn drums in the background—or worse, you just put your other sleeping baby down for a nap—don’t hesitate to adjust for quieter play.  

One of the silliest (so duh, one of our fave) games on the market for kids is Spontuneous. Let it rip with this board game that inspires belting out tunes from start to finish. It’s the perfect gift for the aspiring American idol or choir junkie. Here’s how the game is played: Once you hear a word, you “spontuneously” burst into song and sing the first thing that comes to mind. And yeah, you basically just keep doing that to make your way along the treble clef-shaped board. Remember, mamas, no talent whatsoever required to play (don’t fret if you can’t hit those high notes!). The kids will be laughing with you, not at you. Perfect for family game night or a rainy day, it’s guaranteed to keep kids of all ages occupied for hours. 

If your greatest goal in life is to raise a little musician, then run, don’t walk, to snag this Band-in-a-Box (contains a tambourine, cymbals, maracas, a clacker, tone blocks, and a triangle) from Melissa & Doug. Anything that’s educational and keeps the kids happy is good in our book. If you’re sick of your kids spending too much time on their tablets, then this instrumental set is just the thing to bring forth imaginative thinking. Even children who are easily bored will be able to put their creativity skills into practice through clapping, clanging, and tapping. Once your child feels comfortable playing with the instruments on their own, they can try harmonizing with a friend. 

Okay, so this gift is more for the parents, but any budding rock star will look adorable in this set of music-inspired body suits. They’re made of 100% cotton and are perfect for both boys and girls!

Know a kid who’s obsessed with stories, fairytales, and all things Disney? The Toniebox starter set is the gift that keeps on giving. It comes with one character Tonie plus a customizable one for storytelling, music, and screen-free fun. (Ps. Additional Tonie audio characters make great stocking stuffers and future presents.)