Gift Suggestions for My Music-loving 2-Year Old

They still have the record player at target - an updated "retro" version of it. I have mine from when I was young and my son loves it!

They recently sold the plastic Fisher Price record play with plastic records at Target (they brought back all these "retro" toys) so check on Amazon, because I am sure it's available. HOWEVER, I had a real Fisher Price record player that played REAL records when I was that age, and I LOVED it. I came all together in it's own plastic case (I think it was a yellowy-orange) and I used that thing all the time. I still have ALL my records from when I was a child, and all that I've collected throughout my life, and my daughter loves them. Records (used, likely) are available on Amazon as well. I think it's a great idea to introduce children to vinyl...hey, they still make and sell record players, so I don't think they're going "out of style" (any more than they already have) anytime soon.

Also, invest in some great CD's. Good classical music could include The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Peer Gynt's Mini Suite (by Greig), Sleeping Beauty, Peter and the Wolf (again...I've got ALL these on record!). Good children's music...I love the "CHildren's Favorites vol. 1-4) by Disney, because they include a ton of good folk songs that children aren't learning anymore (Oh, Susanna, Kookaburra, Reuben and Rachel, etc) and Raffi...best album is definitely Bananaphone. Also, I've found that my six year old LOVES golden oldies from the 50s and 60s, 70s easy listening type music, fun 80s music (oh yes, she knows all the words to "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Our House"), and other random stuff.

get her a full-length mirror for the living room or her bedroom. My son is 3 and loves to watch himself in the mirror. I would bet your daughter would love to see herself dancing too.

How about a Karaoke Machine?
You can find age appropriate songs to put in it, and then all your kids can sing and play together. Its fun for all, even you! You can have dance nights with the whole family.

make her a music video of her own. Go to Youtube, and download a few of her favorite songs using this link, http://keepvid.com/?url=chrome%3A//newtab/ (You copy the url link from the video playing on youtube, and paste it just before the download button)

Download a few videos and burn to DVD

For portable enjoyment, my son loves this toy from Discovery Kids, you can insert a 4/8GB SD Card which will hold her whole collection of MP3's

http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Kids-Musical-Player-Boomb...

Plus side:
USB Cord for downloading songs from your PC
Hours of music in one little device
Easy to carry allong, fits in most handbags
LOOOOOOOOOONG battery life
You can remove the SD card, and there is enough memory on the player for at least 30 songs... so I do night time songs on the player, and keep the SD for his playtime songs
Easy to use buttons.
Digital display lights up when buttons are pressed so you can see in the dark
The player can be "locked" so the kids can't fuss with the buttons
Great sound quality - not stereo, but the sound is great!
Volume control - gets loud, but not too loud.
Turns off when songs are done to save power

Down side:
it is $50 + Shipping
SD Card sold separately - another +- $20
DONT DROP IT!! My son threw his down a few stairs, well I had to get him another one.
You can't put it on random play/repeat.

I got mine from Kohls, Walmart used to sell them.. usually they go on sale around Christmas. Keep an eye out for one. You will not be disappointed. Kids of all ages can enjoy this, and if they look after it, they can enjoy this well into their later years...

in case she likes to sing too, wee sing cds are cute :)

I am not sure where the person got it, but we have this really cute stuffed penquin and in a pouch in the front of it, holds our IPOD..the penquin also has what looks like earmuffs on its ears, but that is where these little speakers are.. you plug in the ipod and , it appears the penguin is playing music it's cute and fun.. plus, you can choose what music you like.. and do it, without your little one having to wear the ipod earphones. also, this way you can control the volume..

It's pricey...but maybe something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Kid-Tough-Music-Player...

You can still buy the little record player you are talking about- for like $40 bucks. I saw it at Target, but I am sure if you search "Fisher Price Music Box" online, you'll find it. I'm thinking of getting this for my 15 month old for Christmas, since it was one of my favorite toys as a kid.

We have a Fisher Price Kid Tough MP3 player that my 3 year old and 15 month old LOVE. It was expensive and is a little heavy, but we've had it for nearly a year now and they play it and dance to it daily, still. We've replaced the batteries 3 times only in the 9 months we've had it- and it is on like 5 hours a day.

here is some free music you can burn to a CD

http://bargainbriana.com/free-music-21-baby-genius-songs

I know you don't necessarily want another instrument, but I got my daughter a drum pad for her 2nd birthday and she has played with it everyday since for 6 months and loves it. She also loves to dance, so I got her some CDs with kid songs on it. She loves the Laurie Berkner band. But we also listen to "adult" music too. She loves Bon Jovi too.

How about chiming bells. She can create music with them. I believe Amazon has some good ones.

Have you ever done a music class with her? This is more expensive than your typical 2 year old gift, but it's such fun. It's called Music Together. It's a mommy and me w/music. I did it with both my boys and they LOVED it. We don't go anymore but you get CDs and we still listen to them all the time.

An inexpensive CD player and some fun CDs! I really like the idea of a music class, something like KinderMusic, too!