Parents often try to introduce various things to children at a young age to help develop their creativity and understanding of how things work. The most common toys or instruments given to children are music-related. While there are toys which are designed to allow children to play instruments, some parents give their children real instruments they can learn. The most popular of these instruments is the harmonica. One of the greatest things about getting a Harmonica for your child is that it is a relatively Inexpensive Instrument.
With that being said, breaking the bank is not something you need to worry about when it comes to buying a harmonica. However, if you are indeed considering getting your child a harmonica, there are a few things you need to remember before doing so.
1. While children would love harmonicas, it is important to consider the age of the child you are giving the gift to. It is best to give it to a child if you can help them learn to play it as they need to be closely supervised on how to play the harmonica.
2. Teach your children to play the harmonica with a clean mouth. Make sure they are not eating anything as cleaning the harmonica of crumbs can be very difficult. Others will also be able to use the harmonica after your child because they won’t have to clean the harmonica before using it.
3. Do not buy a poor quality harmonica for your child. Children can get easily frustrated if the harmonica you give them does not work. Get a decent starter instrument for your child.
4. Consider giving your child a diatonic harmonica as this is a good beginner’s harmonica for children. Giving them a diatonic harmonica, instead of a chromatic, will also assist you in purchasing advanced harmonicas as your child gets older.
5. Give them a harmonica which plays in the Key of C. Doing this will help them play simple tunes easily. They will not become frustrated easily as to which reed holes to blow first. They also do not need to deal with learning sheet music and can just learn to play by ear.
6. Harmonicas are good for children who have respiratory problems because harmonica playing is actually a good breathing exercise tool. Several medical studies proved that playing a harmonica is good treatment for those who need to build up their lung capacity. However, before you give one to a child, it is best you ask the pediatrician for approval.
7. Monitor and guide your children as they play. Children may get frustrated learning the harmonica, but if they are monitored by their parents and taught properly, the child will greatly enjoy playing and learning.
How we Picked Harmonicas for Our List
Each of these harmonicas has some level of reputation. Some are shinier or prettier than others, and some have proven to hold up well with lower maintenance requirements. We made our move in picking some of the nicest, low cost, kid-friendly harmonicas on the market so that your child might be able to learn a thing or two about music.
I remember having a harmonica as a kid. I either played it super aggressively, or let it collect dust on the shelf. With that mindset of how I played when I was 7, we worked to grab harmonicas that might be fitting for that age group, or even younger. Most importantly, these harmonicas will not break the bank. Each is under $20, and many are below double digits.
So whether the harmonica is for your own child, a family member, or a friend, these are all suitable for toddlers and children.
The Top 10 Best Harmonica for Toddlers
Swan 10 Hole 20 Tones Harmonica Key of C Blues
Made with high-grade materials, this Diatonic Swan Harmonica is a great candidate for a toddler’s first harmonica. It is made with a copper reed plate and a stainless steel cover plate. It is sturdy enough to get the job done and stay together as long as you have it.
The Swan comes in the Key of C, as we recommended, but can also be purchased in multiple other keys. For those who may want to help the child learn, there is an instruction manual included, which can help identify good starting points for playing. Additionally, the harmonica also comes with a plastic box as a dust cover for your new harmonica.
Buy on AmazonKids Clearly Colorful Translucent Harmonica
This harmonica is a wonderful sight for kids. Not only does it have a sturdy plastic covering, but it is slightly transparent. This shows off some of the internal components of the harmonica, which are pretty cool even for adults.
The internal parts are sturdy enough to hold up through the use of a child. Maintenance, such as cleaning and whatnot, is not as important for these kinds of harmonicas, since they won’t lose much quality of sound.
Once again, another harmonica in the Key of C, which is ideal as a beginner’s harmonica. This model in particular is recommended for ages 3 and up, which is a very young age to start! If your child is up to the challenge, this harmonica is waiting for them!
Buy on AmazonAnwenk Harmonica Key of C 10 Hole 20 Tone Diatonic Harmonica C
Anwenk is a harmonica brand that usually slips by unnoticed. They have quality harmonicas that are low cost, and overall surprising for how little you pay for them! They have a great amount of pride in making instruments to play happy music. This is especially easy to do with this harmonica because, which you probably have guessed, is in the Key of C.
Materials for this instrument are metal; a copper plate and a stainless steel cover. A plastic comb means less moisture from playing with get absorbed and stay inside your harmonica. This is an assurance that maintaining it will be very easy.
Buy on AmazonClearly Colorful Translucent Harmonica in Blue
Just like the other translucent harmonica listed above, this one is a slightly transparent, plastic covering that reveals the reeds and internal components of the harmonica. This is nearly identical to the one above, but this one is guaranteed to come in the color blue!
As you can probably guess, it comes in the Key of C, and is perfect for young musicians-to-be. Ages 3 and up with love playing with this instrument and learning how the harmonica works.
Buy on AmazonSmall Fish Harmonica for Toddlers, Kids, and Adults, Musical Instrument for Beginners
The Small Fish Harmonica is an instrument made with kids and beginners in mind. The holes are large and make it easy to play, and it is slightly scaled down to make it a bit more suitable for children.
Despite being crafted for kids, it has a professional presentation. It comes in a beautiful box with a cleaning cloth and a protective cloth sleeve. A set up like this really makes you feel like you’re getting a fancy harmonica, but it doesn’t cost nearly as much. This truly is a tremendous first harmonica for all ages all the way down to toddlers because of the size and ease of playing.
Buy on AmazonKoogel 2 PCS Translucent 10 Hole Harmonicas Educational Toys
The Koogel 2 Piece Set is an amazing deal, considering how these two harmonicas hold up compared to the rest on the list. The cost for both is lower than many of the others, but the quality is nearly the same. This is an ideal purchase for those looking to grab two harmonicas quickly.
The bright colors will grab your attention and the sound will draw you in as these harmonicas play just fine. These are one of the few that recommend an instrument for ages as young as three years old.
Buy on AmazonARTHOMES Blues 10 Hole 20 Tones Standard Harmonica
The Arthomes Blues Harmonica is a great choice for kids, as well as adults. It’s a high quality piece with a smooth finish that allows the player to blow easily on all holes. The air tight design provides a rich, quality sound with responsive play ability. It comes with a case and a mini keychain harmonica.
Buy Now on AmazonMelissa and Doug Harmonica
Known for creating quality toys for children, Melissa and Doug also offer a harmonica that will help nurture your child’s creativity and imagination. Your child will not need to exert effort to make music because this instrument is designed to play beautiful music with just one blow. It is also perfect for any musical occasion your child could want to bring it to.
Buy Now on AmazonEastar Captain Blues Diatonic Harmonica 10 Holes C Key Beginner Harmonica for Kids
Eastar made a harmonica that has the most wonderful sound of nearly all beginner harmonicas we have heard. That harmonica is the Captain Limited Edition Blues Harmonica. It has a sleek look with a great limited edition logo on top that is absolutely stunning.
It plays smoothly and is proclaimed as “suitable for stage playing.” This tightly packed, well made instrument is one we wish didn’t slip through the cracks as much as some others because it really is a wonderful instrument.
The only reason it made an appearance so low on this list is because it may not be as suitable for ages 3 & 4, but more-so for ages above. Nevertheless it is a sturdily built harmonica that will outlast most beginner harmonicas. And for that reason, we were thrilled to include it on our list.
Buy on AmazonThe Very Hungry Caterpillar Harmonica
One of the greatest kid’s books of all time has a harmonica. You hear it right: The Very Hungry Caterpillar has a matching harmonica! It has an adorable aesthetic to match the theme of the book and is designed for kids age 2 and up. It is large enough where it isn’t much of a chocking hazard, though it’s always best to keep a careful eye out.
Tiny musicians will love the playful look of this instrument as well as the truly great sound quality that comes from it. As childish and simple as it looks, it produces surprisingly good sound. This is one that you can keep around for a while even if it busts just because of how pretty it is.
Buy on AmazonBottom Line
These harmonicas are wonderful little instruments that are still cheap and colorful enough to be considered toys, yet they actually produce great sound. For a kid learning to play, they will not even notice that you didn’t get them a professional level harmonica!
The Best Harmonica Techniques for a Beginner to Practice Playing