Small World Express Tune in Violin Reviews

• Cheap Hunk of Junk. Get the real deal!

  
  By A3GSGZGI0HF47X on 2008-06-02
  I bought this plastic toy violin for the baby room in my daycare. My daycare kids that are age 3 or older have an actual child-sized instrument to use on the music shelf. I thought this one would be good for the toddlers. It is...good for toddlers. I would not recomend this for a child that is 36 months old or older. At that age, a child is happier experimenting with a real violin. This toy isn't as realistic as pictured, either. I was really pretty disappointed by the appearance. What looks brown or burgundy in the photos is actually a bright red. Not realistic at all. It really doesn't look any more realistic than a little tykes toy piano...especially with the light up blinking stars on it. When I bought it I was under the impression that you can choose which note to play, but you can't. The four lines that represent strings are on a one-peice plastic unit that rocks back and forth and plays predetermined notes on a scale..like do re mi fa so la ti da. My 7 year old daughter got her first real violin and began taking lessons with the Suzuki Academy of Kalamazoo just after she turned 4. Now she's playing minuets. Don't buy this junk for your preschooler. Your child deserves better than that. For those of you considering upgrading to the real thing, I can give you some basic sizes to look for. A 1/32 size violin is the tiniest..good for a 2 year old. The 1/16 is the next size..good for a 3 year old. My daughter used a 1/10 at age 4 and a 1/8 at age 6. At age 7, she is using a 1/4 size. My other daughter began using a 1/2 size when she was 8. You can look up measurement charts. Or contact an instructor to assess your child and try on different size instruments. Seriously, though..you can get your child's first realy violin for the price of a toy. I got my girls their first dirt cheap violins from ebay for about $30-$50 with shipping. Sure they weren't the highest quality..best sounding violins. But I can guarantee they were a whole lot better than this plastic one that you're looking at! You don't necessarily want to spend a fortune on your child's first instrument. You don't know how long they'll play..if they'll stick with it..if they'll beat on it. Luckily for us, Santa upgraded them to much nicer instruments from www.Shar.com during their third year of lessons! Yes, young children learn better than older children. So start young. This age is the "window of opportunity." This age is when the language and musical parts of the brain are being developed and "hard-wired." The Suzuki program is available in every state. It's a whole lot of fun for young children. It's an educational and social experience. They do a semi-private lesson during the first year. This means they will spend about an hour with 1 or 2 other children learning directly from their teacher. Then on the weekend, they get together with a whole group of similarly aged children and play the songs together that they've been learning. They also sing songs and play fun games. They get to play solos on stage once a month if they want to and they get to dress up fancy and show off for a packed house full of relatives twice a year for a big concert that includes your child's group as well as groups of children who have been playing for longer. You will have a hard time finding traditional instrument instruction for this age. Many don't want to bother with your child under about 2nd grade outside of school and 5th or 6th grade in school. Suzuki is different. These kids are already well on their way to a college scholarship by the time they're in the fifth grade. Starting early gives them a huge advantage. Plus it's just plain fun! What I really enjoy about the Suzuki program is the ability to see other children playing. You can watch children who have been playing for two years and have a pretty good idea of where your child will be after two years of playing. You can also know what songs they'll be playing by then. It's all predetermined. No secrets. Best of all your child sees other kids playing. They don't feel isolated or different from other kids. They're part of a special community of kids. Early music lessons tend to attract good families and great kids. So you're child is likely to be surrounded by really good people that are good to know. Bottom line. If your child is 2..get them this plastic violin. When he turns three..get him the real thing!
  
  

• Best I've seen

  
  By A2Y5C041JEWTC1 on 2007-01-11
  My 3 year old grandaughter wanted a violin for Christmas. This was the best "toy" violin I saw anywhere. It is a very good size for a small 3 year old. It plays classical music as well as scales and you can control the notes using the bow or just listen to the music. It is not loud and obnoxious. She has enjoyed it greatly and hopefully it will inspire her to someday want to learn to play a "real" violin and continue her music education.
  
  

• Wonderful Toy

  
  By AXU5I4O2HRQ7G on 2008-01-07
  Two of my grandsons received this toy as a gift, at ages 2 and 4. It is so much fun! The adults play it too! You can set it to play scales as you use the bow, and to play tunes at the pace and timing of your bowing. It really sounds like the child is playing familiar tunes and classical music, and gives toddlers a realistic idea of how a violin works. It is made of a good sturdy plastic, and has lasted well.
  
  

• What a great toy!

  
  By A3AJNILILL1R3G on 2007-01-10
  My oldest child plays the violin and whenever she would practice, her little sister would be all over her, trying to take the bow, etc. So I got this toy for her and she just LOVES it! She is only 18 months old and has already figured out how to get her favorite tunes to play as well as how to play the notes herself. This violin is adorable and very easy for little fingers to work. I highly recommend it for any budding little musician!
  
  

• Nice for young children

  
  By A221UJK9GVHJ1K on 2007-05-15
  I got this for my 3 1/2 year old son because he loves music and he told me he wanted a violin. The music is very soothing...not obnioxious and loud like some instruments. He really likes playing it. It is just the right size for him to hold too. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in playing the violin, just to get them used to the music and holding it.
  
  
• Great Musical Toy
  By A122VTG9WONLFB on 2007-04-30
  This is an amazing fun way to introduce toddlers to musical instruments, even the adults play with it. Our grandson loves it and immediately asks for his "violem" when he comes for a visit. It is very sturdy and well made, bright colors and music selections are enjoyable to listen to no matter how often/long the child plays with it.
  
  
• Lots of Fun!!
  By A2Z7OHCAPCW67B on 2007-06-22
  My 2 1/2 year old loves this violin. It's fun, colorful, and plays a wide range of excellent classical musical. My husband and I even pick it up from time to time and play it! :) My ONLY complaint is that it didn't come with instuctions other than the picture on the box, so it took awhile to figure out what all the buttons did and exactly how to play it. We definitely recommend this violin. It's a lot a fun to play!
  
  
• Great toy
  By A2JPHO5TU52B3R on 2008-03-29
  My daughter had the guitar by the same company and memorized every song. After 2 1/2 years of abuse and lots of play, the guitar finally bit the dust. So for her birthday we bought her the violin. She loves it! There are not as many singable tunes, but I love the volume control and it is a good introduction to both violin and classical music.
  
  
• great purchase!
  By A1YXQRDK0J2UFM on 2008-05-14
  We purchased this violin for our daughter's 2 year old birthday. Even at this young age, she is learning proper form in holding the instrument, and she loves the music! She is still chewing on things, though, so we have to make sure she doesn't run with the bow in her mouth!
  
  
• Love it!!!
  By ADUOLRPV6N3HB on 2008-08-03
  We purchased this for our four-year-old and she LOVES it! It is a great and friendly kid sized violin. It has pre-programed songs - meaning no free-play songs. This in no means detours from the fun it provides. Quick shipping from a great seller!
  
  

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