TDmonthly’s Charitable Kid Looks Back

Schoenhut's bright red, wooden, 25-key tabletop is the perfect choice for a toddler's first piano. Both fun and educational, it is an ideal instrument for developing eye-hand coordination and encouraging musical creativity. Chromatically tuned, the lovely chimelike notes are produced by little hammers striking precision-ground, German steel music rods. The tone never changes nor will the piano ever need tuning. Schoenhut's patented Learning System, with its play-by-color teaching method, makes playing simple and fun. A removable color strip fits behind the keys to guide small fingers from chord to chord. The chart also works on adult keyboards, since keys on Schoenhut toy pianos are of corresponding width. This teaches children proper finger placement from the very beginning. The accompanying Songbook contains a collection of familiar tunes. This Learning System has been specially designed to build a child's confidence and develop basic playing skills. It comes in red and white. Launch date: 2005.

The perfect instrument for a Junior Rock Star who is not quite ready for a full-sized drum set. It delivers great sound and incorporates the same features as a professional drum set. The Tom, Snare, and Bass Drums have adjustable height, angle, and tilt, allowing the set to "grow" with your child. Made of rugged hardwood shells and sturdy chrome-plated steel hardware, this exceptional product is from Schoenhut, celebrating over 135 years of producing high quality musical instruments.

This could be a first guitar for kids and a travel guitar for players of all ages. It includes eight dot position inlays, 1/4 pin pickup, and a silkscreen logo. No assembly is required. Launch date: August 2009.

The Schoenhut Twinkle Tunes Piano Book features an eight-key piano keyboard incorporated with an illustrated songbook containing 12 familiar tunes. The metal sound bars produce chime-like tones, the same as those on toy pianos by Schoenhut. The piano book is easily portable so it can be taken along to grandma’s house. Launch date: August 2009.

This dynamic, new line of 44-key baby grand and upright pianos, launched to coincide with Schoenhut’s 135th anniversary, features true piano sound … without the use of electronics. The mid-sized piano is less intimidating for small children who want to learn to play the piano. This line is not intended to replace Schoenhut’s vintage models that feature chime-like tones, such as those originally developed by Albert Schoenhut in 1872. Rather, the introduction is in response to requests from customers for a “new” sound. It’s available in black, white or red. Launch date: January 2007.
— If parents wish to start their kids on the piano before they’re ready for the real baby grand, this stunningly beautiful instrument with authentic piano sound is the way to go. It received a TDmonthly Top Toy 2007 award for innovation in mechanics and design within the category of musical instruments for children, as well as its ability to grace any space while furthering a young child’s music education.

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Toy Fair 2007

Inspired by the beauty of a full-size concert grand, Schoenhut® Piano Company offers this exquisite miniature 37-key replica. Complete with opening top to release the lovely chime-like tones, this smaller version is designed for a child with serious musical aspirations. Each piano in the series is custom built from solid maple and ½-inch multi-ply birch, stained in mahogany or painted in your choice of white or black, with the interior hand finished to match the selected exterior. The hinge is designed to raise and lower gradually, so as not to slam down on little fingers. Chromatically tuned, the sound is produced by little hammers striking precision-ground, German steel music rods.Schoenhut's patented Learning System, with its play-by-color teaching method, makes playing simple and fun. Available in Mahogany, Black or White.

Kids can celebrate the magic of music with this handcrafted guitar that can be used for guitar classes, private lessons and study, or for play in a child's first “amateur band.”  A quality instrument is always beneficial when beginning the study of music, especially when the student is young. "This guitar is easy to play, tunable, and will help to keep a child pursuing one of the most rewarding pastimes in history: making music," Manager Kristy Schaffer of Schoenhut told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2008.

This versatile little piano grows with the child. The main unit, decorated with a whimsical animal's head, is perfect for toddlers because it sits safely and squarely on the floor within easy reach of little hands. Later on, the sides with the animal's body can be attached, conveniently raising the piano to a comfortable height for an older child seated at the bench. Included is Schoenhut's® Learning System, with a removable color-coordinated strip that fits behind the keys to guide small fingers from chord to chord. The accompanying songbook contains a collection of familiar tunes. Schoenhut toy pianos are famous for their lovely chime-like tones. The keys are spaced correctly for a full-sized piano, which teaches proper finger placement and affords an easy transition to a large piano.The piano is 19-3/4" H x 16" W x 10-3/4" D and the bench measures 8" H x 8" D x 11" W. This product weighs 17 lbs. Launch date: February 2008.

At 25 inches high, this beautifully constructed, lightweight instrument is an excellent choice for a child's first harp. The design of its curved sides and spacious box, along with a range of 15 notes (from C to C), permits playing a wide variety of music in haunting, melodic tones. Fully tunable by way of zither pins and a zither pin wrench (included).