Forrest's Fine Gallery of Musical Toys
Nothing captures the magical weirdness of how we think about music quite like musical toys.
This post is an imaginary toy store meets cabinet of musical curiosities meets lit review. I’ll be collecting, tinkering, and distilling principles from these toys—and I’d love your thoughts. Do you know a toy that belongs here? Do you want to play with any of these toys? Is there one that sparks delight, horror, or an insight? Leave a comment!
Rainbow Ball Run
by KiwiCo
Placing a ball at the top transforms you into a miniature god, setting the universe in motion. With each twist, the rhythm shifts as the ball navigates subtle wrinkles in the machine. The world is divided into segments, each announcing itself with a plunk plunk. But do the plunk sounds change?
My imagination wants to hear an ascending, marimba-like melody as the wooden ball drops to each new level. But wait, what should I expect as it moves through two different shades of green, then three shades of blue, then grey, then lavender? And why ten levels?
The run is made of cardboard and plastic. But the ball itself is beautiful, solid, heavy wood. Holding this ball, wielding it, and letting it loose on the world… that’s where the action is.
Woofer (2011)
by B. Toys
Pure genius. In a single gesture of imagination, before even hearing how it sounds, or knowing how it works, I have become this instrument, and together we have become music. I’m forever a little changed.
And yup, switching to “howl” mode and hitting the whammy bone brings me right where I wanna be.
But hitting… really anything else… takes me into muddied waters. Different strings play the same sound, then the same string plays different sounds, the lowest sounding note comes out of the highest, smallest button. It’s at best a kind of puzzle, but more likely, we’re headed off leash into sensory overload.
Luckily, bopping Woofer on the nose stops whatever other nonsense is going on—a satisfying lesson in cause and effect—and I can get back to howling on that whammy bone.
Fruit & Veggie Instruments Set
by Gigglescape
Saxoflute
by Quercetti


Dynamic Pixel Piano
by Hape
The Cartesian dream. Introduces baby to a grid-based, clearly intelligible world, including rainbow mechanical piano rolls, level meters, and even pixelated animals. Music is all about sensory stimulation, and each brightly colored flashing light gives baby a dopamine hit that helps lay the groundwork for a lifelong love of screen time.
Then again, the wood veneer case subtly evokes the curvature of a grand piano. Hand-drawn animals play amidst flowers, budding leaflets, and butterflies. Maybe this is the real world. Maybe this is what captures baby’s imagination—what feels natural against the glow of the screen. A first lesson in dissonance.
Piccolo Carousel Bells (2012)
by B. Toys
Odyssey Stacking Music Set
by Hape


Hippo Pop
by B. Toys
Lyra da Vinci
by Wood Trick
Countless hours of skilled engineering, paired with countless more hours of focused and meticulous assembly eventually unlocks an exquisite and arcane musical experience. That is, if you’re one of the very few who manage to make it that far. Why does this feel so familiar…
Learn & Groove Jazzy Saxophone and Strum & Count Wooden Guitar
by Leap Frog


Soundbops
by Soundbops


Happy Apple (1972)
by Fisher-Price


Oval Xylophone
by PlanToys


B. Meowsic (2010)
by B. Toys
An instant classic. But, like its cousin Woofer, does this cat really need any features at all beyond its perfectly distorted meow sound? Then again, the paw holding the microphone does cover all five musical styles that cats care about. And I definitely want to press the little nose and cheek buttons—so cute—no matter what they do.
It’s an unusual move to start the keyboard on “A.” Less unusual to end it on “C,” although a traditional 88-key piano also ranges from A to C. May you never look at a piano again without seeing that Cheshire grin.
And, bonus track: if you leave it on, after a couple of minutes, it purrs, says meow, and drifts into catnap mode.
Mini Meowsic and Mini Woofer
by B. Toys


The Music Set
by Lovevery
Crazy Combo Horn (1984)
by Fisher-Price


Pat Bells
by PlayMe Toys
Wind Chimes
by KiwiCo
Peaceful Planet Wind Chime Ball (1999)
by Fisher-Price




“Soothing sounds & enchanting forest friends!”
Musical Collection
i-Jammer
by Cinco Toys
The i-Jammer, e-Bumper, and Oh-Hungee aren’t real toys. Then again, maybe they’re a bit too real.
Glockenspeil Xylophone
by MiniArtis


Neutral Color Xylophones
by Various makers




Wooden Contour Xylophones
by Unknown Maker


Do-Re-Mi Textured Tunes
by Sassy
Hammer Xylophone
by Concert Joy
Pound and Tap Bench
by Hape
Electric Keyboard
by Toymazing
Otomatone
by Hamee
Xylopipes
by Quercetti


The Learn To Play Light Up Harmonica
by Hammacher Schlemmer
Crocodile Piano
by Battat Toys
Krankie Lo-Fi Crank Music Box
Croco Pop Piano
by Battat Toys
Beat Box Music Creator
by First Act
Magical Musical Thing (1978)
by Mattel
Digital Drumsticks
by FAO Schwartz


Rainbow
by Naef
Mini Piano (1980s)
by Electron Echo
Xylomatic (1970)
by Luis Congost
Pop! Pop! Piano
by Mirari
DJ Mixer Toy Music Player
by First Act


KidiJamz Studio
by VTech


Magic Touch Piano
by Hape and Baby Einstein
Piano Xylophone and Shaker Set
by KiwiCo
Saxaboom (1997)
by Kawasaki



Rock 'n Roller Piano


Xylofun Music Machine
by Smartivity
Wooden Musical Instruments Playset
by Coco Village
Montessori Wooden Music Instruments Set
Daniel Tiger 7-Piece Musical Instruments Playset
Branded Music Mats
Munyu Munyu Do Re Mi Fa Cats
by Takara Tomi
Blow-a-Tune (1949)
by Kenner Products


Baby Piano
by Toymazing
Jump n Jive Spin n Play
by Hunson Trading


My First Drum Set
by Toymazing
Toy Piano
by Schoenhut Piano Co.
Loch Karten Orgel
by Company


We once had that dog guitar !! 😂 We got rid of it and then another one showed up some time later!
1. You really have all these toys? Na' 2. Did you add my Piccolo Bells after we spoke or it was in your gallery the whole time?