B. toys – Meowsic – Interactive Cat Piano – Toy Piano & Microphone – Musical Instrument For Toddlers, Kids – 20+ Songs, Sounds & Recording Feature – 2+ Years

This came in the mail today for my 2.5 year old's Christmas present, and I can't stop playing with it (while he is napping). We ordered it through Amazon for $24.99, and it was fulfilled through Target. The age right on the front states 2 - 6 years old, so the reviews talking about this 'not being a stepping stone to a real piano' and 'not being able to play chords, or 2 notes at once' is ridiculous. This is not meant to be a 'starter' keyboard for someone who wants to play piano. It is a giant cat face, for goodness sakes! It is super cute, very durable, and it is hilarious to play with. It has like 20 songs that kids can sing along to, you can change the type of music (blues, samba, rock, etc) and use the tempo keys to slow or make faster. The microphone pulls out, and then there is a button to make it retract. It has simple buttons that my 2 year old will figure out very easily - they are large and clear (play, record, volume with arrows, the button for the music to play, etc), all very big buttons with clear symbols. So if you are looking for something that you can play chords, or adult piano songs, or introduce your child to the piano, then find something that is not shaped like a giant cat with keys for teeth. If you want something fun that your young child can play and experiment with music and sound, and also has the added 'meow' feature that turns all your songs into cute 'meowing' songs, then this is definitely what you are looking for.Update 8/29/2011...nearly a year later, and my kids both still play with this almost every day. I admit, the songs with the girl singing are obnoxious to me (the kids don't mind), so I try to direct them to using the songs-with-music-only button. They love to sing and talk into the microphone a lot too. It has been dropped, thrown, stepped on, thrown down stairs and jumped on, and it still works great, with only a few battery changes needed so far too.

I've been wanting one of these for a long time, and I am so glad I finally got it. The goofy piano grin and meow sounds are exactly how I was hoping they would be.If I had to complain or make suggestions, it's that it would be nice if it had better volume control, or barring that, perhaps a headphone jack. I might enjoy occasionally annoying people with it, but I don't always want to. Oh, and some advice on cleaning it properly would be nice, too - the soft-feeling material that makes up most of the cat's face is, um... kiiiind of a dirt magnet?Regardless, it's a silly, fun toy, that'll give most any kid (or very silly adult) a lot of fun.(If your kid doesn't know how to play, and you want to hear less random sounds, maybe invest in one of those piano/keyboard learning books that starts with dots/chord names, rather than leaping straight into reading musical scores. The chord names are already on the keys, so it's pretty easy to know where to stick the dots.)

My daughter has one from a thrift store, it's so popular at our house we had to buy our niece one for her birthday! It's not super loud and annoying, the cat mode is hilarious!

If your little one responds enthusiastically to to music, then you definitely want to consider purchasing the B. Meowsic Keyboard. I purchased this in 2010 for our 14-month old grandson's Christmas. Once the toy was turned on, our grandson was hooked. He often spent as long as an hour playing with the various options the keyboard offers.If the large yellow button on B. Meowsic's left cheek is pushed, the toy plays one of 20 familiar children's songs. They are ones you will probably remember the words to - B-I-N-G-O, Hokey-Pokey, The Farmer in the Dell, etc. and you will be able to sing along much to your child's delight. If you don't remember the words, there is a booklet which contains the words to each song included with the toy. Further, the toy allows one to push any one of five buttons on the left paw; the songs then sound as if bells, the banjo, or one of the two other instruments are playing. The fifth button is a cat's meow and adds nothing musical to the song, but does add an annoying - to adults - meow accompaniment to the song. The annoying cat theme is carried further if one pushed the orange cat's face on the keyboard's right cheek; this results in a cat singing one of seven kitty-themed songs set to familiar tunes. Beware, you may find yourself infected with an "ear worm" as a result. Fortunately, B. Meowsic's blue nose s a "stop" button which immediately squelches the song... Keys on the right paw create different musical rhythms when pressed; the ice cream cone is a microphone which actually works!One of the things I liked best about B. Meowsic was the fact that the keyboard contained two full octaves - and, that the sharp/flat keys actually worked. The keyboard is small enough and the touch delicate enough so that younger fingers can easily "play" music. Additionally, one can play chords on this toy which adds another dimension to the child's musical exploration.B. Meowsic is a sturdy toy. Our 14 month old grandson weighs 25 pounds and repeatedly walked across the keyboard as he played with it. He also attempted to carry it several times, and because it is a rather large toy,he sometimes dropped it. B. Meowsic continued to perform without any problem. Finally, this toy goes into a sleep mode if it is left on, but is not being played with - this does help save on batteries.In closing, if you are looking for a toy that is fun, has educational value, and is sturdy - you should consider B. Meowsic. It can be used easily and enjoyed by children who are younger than the age suggested as appropriate. You won't regret making the purchase and your little one will be captivated!DECEMBER 2011 UPDATE: This is one of the best toy investments available. Even after a year, our grandson plays with B. Meowsic regularly and enthusiastically. It has helped him understand that playing a keyboard does not require banging with a fist or both hands. He treats B. Meowsic like he does the big piano, playing with one finger touch. We love it - and you will, too!

My nephew loves it. The sounds has a good quality, the size is perfect for toddler 👌