Babies need to develop a sense of cause and effect, and pull toys like this one are a great way to help them understand the world. Made by favorite stuffed animal maker Jellycat, this little elephant plays soothing music when little fingers pull on the ring. This toy would make a great new baby gift–for your own child, or someone else’s. You can purchase one for $14 at ronrobinson.com.

I love the colors, the patterns, the sweet animal figurines—the overall look of the Little People Musical Zoo Train. Fully equipped with animal sounds and music, it does seem like something that would delight a young child. We are definitely fans of trains in our house and have several already. My youngest son loves to push buttons to see his toys light up, move, and play music.  Especially popular are those that play music and move forward on their own. Found at ToysRUs.com and many other places, this train is $17.99 and a good option for baby’s second Christmas.

We love Kathe Kruse toys at our house and have collected quite a few of them over the years. I just came across this cutie, which I think would make a perfect gift. Measuring 9″ x 5.5″, this little guy sleeps in a cozy bed complete with a music box (which is snuggled inside layers of organic cotton stuffing for safety). When curious babies pull on the toy, the music begins. You can purchase one of these musical dolls for $49.95 at blueberryforest.com.

I’m always a sucker for mermaid-themed clothes for my girls. They bring back fond memories of my 80’s childhood and my favorite Sea Wee dolls. This embellished Musical Mermaid Swimsuit by Rhonda Sutton is one of the cuter mermaid items I’ve seen recently. I love the intricacies of the design–from the shimmering fins to the detailed instruments the mermaids are playing. This suit is available in sizes from 2T to 6X and retails for $41. You can order one at MyPrincessCloset.com.

The Winnie the Pooh Musical Crib Light Projector actually does just as it promises; it helps our son fall asleep all on his own. We think that it is not the dreamy images that make him sleepy, as suggested by the manufacturer, but the spinning shapes and the loud “white noise” it makes while turning. It is not a quiet sleep tool at all but, luckily, that has turned out to be a positive as opposed to the expected negative. There are several sounds and music options on the projector, but since we ended up with two, I generally use the music while letting him watch the toy during play time and do without the music at sleep time.

You can choose to have the projector on with music or without it or you can have music only or lights and sounds or lights and images. It automatically shuts off after 10 minutes, which seems to be plenty of time to put baby to sleep and not too much overtime so batteries are wasted. Attach it to the crib or set it on a dresser or table or other surface; it works either way. Buy it for $29.98 on sale at netkidswear.com but if it works as well for you as it does for us, call it priceless. However, be warned—the images are not clear; they are fuzzy, “dreamy” pictures of Pooh and his friends.

The Cotton Tale Sun Dots Musical Mobile by Cotton Tale Designs plays Brahms Lullaby. I like the covering over the mobile neck. It takes away that “metal” look and blends in with the soft to the touch mobile ornaments. The soft pastel colors and simple design are conducive to helping baby sleep.

This mobile is also available in a sailboat motif. You can view this item at babyearth.com, where it is currently on sale  for $35 (down from $50).

I hadn’t thought of this toy for children until I was on my favorite mommy board reading up on what other mamas were giving their babies for Christmas. Rainbow Musical Hand Bells could surely keep a child occupied for priceless minutes at a time. Children will be completely occupied finding different sounds, rhythms, sequence of colors, and countless other variations with hand bells. They could even learn to play a song or two; these bells by Schylling come with song sheets. Have fun learning to play the bells with your child or leave them to figure it out with each other or with friends. Either way, it’s fun family or friend time but valuable learning time as well. I spotted these at SeeFred.com for $33.

TLJ

Here is a great little stocking stuffer for the infant on your holiday shopping list.  Handcrafted from wood and dyed a deep and appealing red with all natural vegetable dyes, this little egg shaker is sure to delight.  Babies will enjoy exploring the wonderful sounds that this shaker makes. It is designed for babies age 6 months and up.  Older children will no doubt enjoy making music with this toy as well.

Each shaker is made by Channapatna artisans in India.  Earthentree Toys donates a percentage of their profits to support these artisans.  You can purchase one of these shakers for a very reasonable $6 at Chulamama.com.

One of the best gifts my son received the year of his first Christmas was this Learn & Groove Musical Table from Leap Frog. He was 9 months old, the perfect age for this developmental toy (the recommended age range for the Learn & Groove Musical Table is 6 months to 3 years). This toy stimulated my son’s musical interests, with over 40 learning songs. There are plenty of lights, sounds, buttons to push, levers to slide, and things to open and close. It also teaches children the numbers from 1 to 10, colors, and opposites, in both English and Spanish. The table’s legs are removable so that it can travel and be stored easily.

My son played with this toy nonstop until he was about 3 years old, so it was well worth the price. It’s currently on sale for $32.99 at LeapFrog.com.

If you need an excuse to get your toddler to stay in the bathtub longer (which is the opposite of my problem), Alex has created the Tub Tunes Symphony Set. This set includes a drum, flutes, and a xylophone, to make tub time a musical time. The set also comes with laminated sheet music (so it won’t get wet - they thought of everything!) and mallets for the drum and xylophone.

Children can also hear how the water changes the sounds of these immersible instruments. This musical gift is recommended for ages 3 and up, and is available at PeppyParents.com for $29.95. Although I love the idea of this musical set, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing it for my son, or I’d never get him out of the tub!

I really like the bright, fun colors of the Musical Toy Box Bench by Levels of Discovery. The colors, patterns, and pictures draw your attention. Your child will enjoy discovering its fun musical activities. The backrest combines an eight-note xylophone with 2 wooden mallets and 2 spinning bell drums.

You can store additional musical instruments under the lid, which has slow-closing metal safety hinges to protect those little fingers. This is a fun item that will serve more than one purpose, which gives you more options in storage and fun activities for your child.

The bench is 13 inches high, and the toy itself measures 28 inches high. It is 32 inches long and 16 inches deep. You can purchase one for $169.96 at  allchildrensfurniture.com.

The Bola Musical Pregnancy Pendant is an innovative idea used during pregnancy and after baby is born. As it hangs low enough for baby to hear its gentle chiming (as mama moves around) in the womb, it is said to calm baby after birth as well, because of its familiar sound. Available in an array of designs, colors, and finishes, I like the simplicity of the egg shaped silver plated version. Easy to match to any outfit and certainly a conversation piece, it’s priced at $35.99. Consider it as a sophisticated piece for yourself or as a gift from babysbestdesigns.com.

In my opinion, anything portable is fantastic. If I can easily take it with me and it will keep my kid occupied while I’m out, I’m all for it! That’s why I love the adorable Clip and Go Musical Mobile. This mobile directly attaches to the stroller or car seat for easy portability and is specially designed to stimulate your child with different sounds and colors that helps them develop better motor skills. They offer 2 types of mobiles: 1 for 0-3 months and 1 for 3 months +. They both help develop the baby’s hearing and sight as well as teach them association. How can you go wrong with a toy that lets you go shopping without a cranky kid and teach them at the same time? I love it! You can get one at babyscholar.com for $25.00.