Make Merry Music

Team Mom recently sent some delightful toys from the Parents® toy line out to Mom bloggers like me.

Now, when my boys were younger, Parents® Magazine was just a staple in my house because it was full of good, sound, practical advice. All of their toys, in my experience, are good quality, and of course they're SAFE (100% phthalate free).

Here's the toy I received, though it is really an entire musical band, the Critter Conga!

The Critter Conga is a huge plastic barrel full of musical toys, with the friendly face of a spotted leopard on the front. The top of the barrel also does double duty as a jingly tambourine, and inside are all kinds of musical instruments, all with cool animal themes. Retailing for $39.95, it's intended for kids from about 18 months on up, to foster a love for music and encourage kids to use their imagination. If your child likes animals, too, then they will especially love this toy.

Inside are two Snake drumsticks, a crocodile cabasa and clacker (the jaws snap, or you can twist parts of the croc to make clicky sounds), an antelope whistle, giraffe maracas, an elephant whistle, a monkey rainstick, and another bird whistle. I was starting to wonder what was up with the whistle, and then I read the directions, and get this: the bird whistle actually warbles like a real bird when you pour water in the top. Isn't that cool? I'm an adult and that blew me away.

Plus, remember the big barrel they all came in? Your child can use that as a conga drum when you put on the tambourine top. Let them whack away with those snake drumsticks! : )

All of the animal instruments are brightly-colored and very inviting to curious kids. I'd highly recommend Critter Conga to any parent with toddlers, or even young elementary school children. It's a great toy for a rainy day. You can find the Critter Conga online, at specialty stores with educational children's toys, or at your local Costco store.