Hohner Kids HMX3008B Toddler Glockenspiel

I bought this product for my 12 month old daughter for her birthday. I was looking for a xylophone instrument that would be durable, musically toned, and not be a hazard to my child. I believe this product has met all of those requirements and then some.It has a very nice sound and none of the keys sound off. It all flows and sounds correct in the musical scale. It does not sound overly loud or obnoxious but has a good melodic "ting" sound. The product is not made of wood so I was a little skeptical of how hardy it would be considering plastic and a determined toddler can be a bit risky. I'm very pleased with how it has held up considering I've seen it thrown, stepped on, and pounded. It's been six months and there are no signs of wear and tear. The xylophone is not very heavy so she can carry it easily and at 12 months she was able to drag it around with her as she crawled. The soft plastic screws that hold the keys in place are very safely enclosed on the back side so as to prevent a choking hazard from a child pulling them out or trying to pull off the keys.The mallet did concern me a bit. While it is light and plastic so I don't have to worry about her knocking someone out with it, she can easily fit the head of the mallet into her mouth. This, combined with learning to walk, made me a bit concerned that she would fall down on it with it still in her mouth. As a result, I've put the mallet away for when she is older and not as interested in exploring with her mouth. She is still able to use the instrument fine using blocks and other toys to play the keys.Overall, I am very happy with this product and would buy this again as well as recommend it to a friend.Pros:-musically tuned and sounds pleasant-not too loud-durable-safe for young childrenCons:-mallet a bit too skinny and long as it inevitably ends up in a teething child's mouth (problem fixed by using other toys to play instrument)

cage bells! My first Honer product was the cage bells for my baby. Grandma got us two, one for the parent and one for the baby. The cage bells are very very well made and have held up to a lot. The colors are pretty and the sound is very nice. My 2 kids have enjoyed them from the time they could first hold them all the way till now when they are 3 and 18 months. O, but wait this is a review for the glockenspiel!!! :-() Ok. I really like the glockenspiel and am happy with the purchase. We did our research and looked at many reviews and this is the one you want! It is durable, well designed. Nice rounded edges that are designed to take the impact of being dropped (my 18 month has tested this feature out many times!!!) The keys are well secured and will not fall off like some of the other glockenspiels you may look at that are designed for older children. Has a beautiful sound. When we first got it I could not get it to make a pretty sound, but my husband could! I quickly learned that you want to hit the keys quickly with the mallet. It is all in the flick of the wrist!!! The only negative I want to point out is that the mallet is flimsy, but given the quality of their products, maybe it is supposed to be, I am trying to say, maybe they know what they are doing. I was concerned about the mallet holding up, but it has so far. I wish it came with 2 mallets for my 2 children, but they have learned to take turns after the newness wore off. Some other things work on the keys as well, such as a plastic mixing spoon handle! If this helps, please mark it as helpful!Update (January 8, 2015):It has been almost a year since I reviewed this. I am still overly happy with this product. It is so durable. It has been dropped and well loved, meaning used a lot and still going strong! The mallet (which I had expressed concern over) has held up well. It does look a little warped from misuse, but I explained to the kids (now 4 1/2 and 2 1/2) that you can not bend the mallet and they have been better with it. This is a good quality item! and my kids like playing with it even still.

I bought this for my baby girl for her 1st birthday, and it has been a hit from day one. With a little parental guidance, it took her less than a minute to figure out how to hit the keys with the mallet, and then she was making music! She was so excited and proud of herself, and she hasn't put this toy down since. As other reviewers have commented, unlike to many other xylophones on the market (esp. the wooden ones), this Hohner xylophone is pitch-perfect. (And the notes are nice and clear). My daughter is still too young for us to attempt the structured melodies in the pamphlet that comes with the xylophone. But because the keys are the correct pitch, we'll be able to play actual songs with it when she gets older. At this point, I'm not sure what she likes more ... the xylophone or the mallet! At her age, everything goes into my little-one's mouth, and the mallet is no exception. She takes frequent "breaks" from banging on the keys to chew and suck on the mallet, and I don't have to worry about her doing this because it's BPA-, lead- and phthalate-free. Plus the plastic is pliable and the surfaces are curved, so there are no hard, sharp edges to poke my teething baby in the mouth or to pose any danger if she accidentally falls on the mallet or hits herself with it. (Very common occurrences for a walking/running toddler!). This product has also shown itself to be quite sturdy so far. My baby has tossed the xylophone around, flipped it over, stepped on it, etc., and thus far, it is unscathed. And the mallet has stood up to her gnawing on it and pretty much bending it every which way. Overall, a wonderful, fun toy for teaching baby everything from cause-and-effect and hand-eye coordination, to the pure joy of making music.Grade: A+