why is elc keyboard so popular with children?

[geranium]

This is a paranoid parent question rather than a dig at Xmas present buying.

Ds is 2 and a half and almost every thread I read on Xmas presents says that X is buying an elc keyboard and stool for their 2 year old (plus a pirate ship). It's not the sort of present that had occurred to me for ds and even now I wonder whether he is a bit young to be composing music and, from a selfish point of view, wouldn't the toy be very noisy?

Anyway, I'm now wondering whether my child is being deprived. He seem quite a musical child anyway (inherited from dh and a little from me) so am I blocking his musical creativity? Is this going to hold him back among his peers? 30 years from now will this be held against me?

Seriously, what is the attraction for the children in this? Aren't they a bit young to be composing or do they just bang away at the keyboard/shout into the mic and you hope that eventually prolonged banging will yield a recognisable tune?

Just wondering...after all, I haven't bought the train set yet.

[LIZS]

ds had a Little Tikes one - the keys lit up to guide him to press them in the order and make the melody. He has shown interest from time to time but nothing serious !

[geranium]

what's a troll alert?? I'm newish here

[Hulababy]

Seems a very strange query, sorry. I can't imagine people think that much about presents do they?

However, DD has the ELC keyboard and stool also. Think she got her when she was 2. Didn't buy it to make her musical (she hasn't a chance with her parents) but she just liked it. So do almost every little (and big) child who visit here, right from really little ones.

(Oh, we ahev the pirate ship too - it's fab, as is all the ELC Happy Land type stuff)

[Nemoinapeartree]

LOL its me who has bought the keyboard and pirate ship. WE got the keyboard because ds loves anything musical, everytime we go into elc he will spend at least 20mins plus sitting at the keyboard banging away pretending to sing songs at it. He also does the same on his grandparents piano so to us was ideal present. I am not bothered about the noise from it. I dont expect him to start playing like motzart but it is something that holds his interest. He got a train set for his birthday.

[geranium]

Hulababy, what do you mean people don't think much about presents?? Haven't you seen all these long threads about Xmas presents which have been running recently.

[SpaGlorytoBlog]

LOL stop it with the troll accusations...Go with the flow man!

[geranium]

Interesting to hear all this. Dh and ds do sit together and play the piano but ds always wants to play both parts so maybe a keyboard where he is in control would be good or maybe we should just stick to the piano.

[ENIDeepMidwinter]

hmm

[geranium]

Fastest responses ever to a query of mine. This was a good one!

[ENIDeepMidwinter]

I think you'll find there are plenty of parents who don't have the Elc keyboard on their dcs christmas list

[Hulababy]

I meant how the toys will somehow turn the child into some form of genius, type of thoughts. Certainly I think about what does she like, what does she want, will it last and is it value for money, but not really in the amount of depth you went into int he first post. That's all I meant. But, hey, maybe some people do...

[Nemoinapeartree]

pmsl im sorry this thread has actually made my day [quite easily done for a heavily pg woman!!!] ASking that is like saying why are soo many people buying baby annabel etc for their kids????????

[ENIDeepMidwinter]

lol at the idea of that keyboard turning your child into a musical genius

[ENIDeepMidwinter]

yes, why on earth are so many people bying Barbie stuf for their kids? beats me

[geranium]

Exactly. Enid, you may not be buying this piano for your children but maybe you should be (suggest paraniod emotion here). Are you depriving them of the chance, for example, to bond with their forthcoming sibling through their musical offerings (you're due May same as me, right? )

[Hulababy]

DD is having Barbie as I am hoping she will turn into a some tall, big boobed, no waisted bimbo when she is older. Is that okay?

[Nemoinapeartree]

pmsl ddmt I am sure at her tender age she could more than cope with a baby rather than a doll, obviously you are setting her up to be a super mum. Wonderful life skill IMO