5 Best Toddler Drum Sets & Toy Drum Kits

Best Toddler Drum Sets & Toy Drum Kits

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Bashing a set of drums can be highly beneficial for toddlers. It will give them a platform to let out their frustrations as well as introduce them to the world of rhythms and coordination. It’s a fun activity that most toddlers will happily gravitate toward.

Standard drum sets are too big and overwhelming for a toddler to play on, so you should find a good toddler drum kit to get for your child. Thankfully, there are some great drum set toys out there. Here’s a list of five of them.

What are the Best Toddler Drum Sets?

Image Recommended ProductsProduct Features Price
Best realistic set
Mendini by Cecilio Kids Drum Set
  • Authentic drum shells
  • Snare drum, tom, bass drum, and cymbal
  • Includes pedal, drum sticks, and a throne 
Best large set
EMAAS Kid’s Jazz Set
  • Full 5-piece drum set
  • Deep shells with different tones
  • Large bass drum
Best interactive set
Wolvolk Electric Big Boy Drum Set
  • Electronic sounds
  • Includes everything your child needs to play
  • Includes a few music tunes and beats
Best for babies
VTech KidiBeats
  • 3 drums and a cymbal
  • Includes a pair of sticks
  • Electronic features
Best portable set
Tabletop Electric Kit
  • Electronic mat with images of drums
  • Includes a pair of sticks
  • Includes all the electronics needed

How I Tested and Selected the Best Toddler Drum Sets

Over all my years of playing and teaching drums, countless people have asked me what drums would be good for their very young kids. While full-sized drum sets are ideal, they’re just too big and dangerous at such a young age. 

So, I’ve done quite a bit of research into what kinds of drum sets would work well for toddlers. I’ve tried many of them out, but I’ve also asked for opinions from drummer friends who own them for their kids. 

When testing these toddler drum sets, I firstly check for fun factor. I look at the colors and features to get an idea of how much fun a child would have when using it. 

I’ll then look at sound and build quality. I’ll play a few different patterns on the kit to see how all the parts sound, and I’ll play quite hard to see if those parts can handle a good bashing. 

Lastly, I’ll make sure that anything I recommend is affordable, as I mostly recommend cheaper options for parents, considering that they’re kids may not use the drum sets long term. 

Toddler Drum Sets & Toy Drum Kits Reviews

Best realistic set

Mendini by Cecilio Kids Drum Set

One of the best junior drum sets with the closest resemblance to a full kit. It has two authentic drums, durable hardware, and it’s loads of fun to play.
Sound Quality
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
Features
4.0
Durability
4.5
Value
4.0

    Mendini by Cecilio Kids Drum Set Review

    The Mendini by Cecilio Kid Set is the ultimate drum kit for toddlers. It’s the most resemblant of a full acoustic set, so it’s a great toy to get a child who has drumming potential. 

    It has a proper snare drum along with a tom, bass drum, kick pedal, and a cymbal. It also comes with a sturdy drum throne.

    It’s the perfect starter drum kit for a child. It has bright colors along with authentic drum tones. The drums can even be tuned as they have lugs and authentic drumheads.

    Tuning drums is when you tighten the tension rods around the hoop to make the drumhead tighter. As it gets tighter, the drum starts to sound higher-pitched. 

    Out of all the toddler kits, this one definitely had the most playability and authenticity compared to a proper kit. 

    It’s a good investment to make for a toddler. It’s durable and it’s loads of fun to play on, and they’ll likely feel far more comfortable playing a big set when they get to that point. 

    Pros

    • Most resemblant to a full acoustic set
    • Can be tuned to sound different
    • Has a proper snare drum

    Cons

    • Expensive for a toddler drum set
    Best large set

    EMAAS Kid’s Jazz Drum Set

    A relatively large toddler drum set that resembles a standard 5-piece kit. All the shells are plastic, so the drums are quite durable. The toms also offer different tones, giving a toddler variations of sounds to play.
    Sound Quality
    4.0
    Build Quality
    4.0
    Features
    4.0
    Durability
    4.0
    Value
    4.0

      EMAAS Kid’s Jazz Drum Set Review

      This EMAAS Kid’s Jazz kit has a close resemblance to a standard full drum set. It’s a fantastic toddler drum kit that will get children accustomed to how drums are laid out before they jump onto a full-sized kit.

      With this set, you can already start training a toddler to recognize and identify different types of drums and cymbals. They’ll be able to tell you what rack toms and floor toms are and how they’re different to snare drums and bass drums. 

      It’s a bit bigger than most junior drum kits as it comes with 4 drums, a bass drum, a cymbal, a chair, and a pair of sticks.

      The drum shells are large enough to have tones to them, getting your toddler accustomed to how different drums sound as they play. These tones aren’t the best, I must admit. You can only get so much tone out of a plastic shell. However, there’s enough of a difference to keep toddlers interested. 

      Everything is made of plastic so that it doesn’t break, even the drumsticks. The bass drum pedal also resembles a standard bass drum pedal which is great.

      Overall this is an excellent value toy drum set that kids will love playing on, as it produces realistic drum sounds and it is very durable too.

      Pros

      • Good for older toddlers, as it’s larger and a bit more durable
      • Resembles a standard 5-piece acoustic kit
      • Has proper tone variations between drums

      Cons

      • The drums tend to fall if your toddler hits them too hard
      Best interactive set

      Wolvolk Electric Big Boy Drum Set

      A vibrantly colored electronic drum set with a few drums and a microphone. It lights up and plays music tracks, which is enough to keep most toddlers occupied for hours on end.
      Sound Quality
      3.5
      Build Quality
      3.5
      Features
      4.5
      Durability
      4.0
      Value
      4.0

        Wolvolk Electric Big Boy Drum Set Review

        The Wolvolk Electric Big Boy set is a small and vibrant drum kit perfectly designed for very young children. It has two drums, a cymbal, a microphone, and a bass drum. On top of that, it comes with a pair of sticks and a drum chair.

        This kit has several bright colors that light up to attract small kids to it. It’s loads of fun to play on for any child from 1 to around 3-years old.

        One of the coolest things about it is that it has a few music tracks on it along with a few beats. Toddlers can entertain themselves with those for hours.

        The included microphone allows them to sing while playing the drums, making them feel like the next Phil Collins. You’ll have to explain to them who that is!

        When it comes to toy drum kits that interact with whoever is playing them, I’d say that this is one of the best. It just seems to keep toddlers occupied for a lot longer than the standard drum set toys.

        I have a niece who loves playing with this specific drum set. She always gets so excited when I’m around so that she can show me her drumming skills. 

        However, it’s not as durable as many would like it to be. So, you just need to supervise your toddler when they’re playing to make sure that they’re not hitting too hard. 

        Pros

        • Very interactive
        • Included mic is a great feature
        • Batteries last a long time

        Cons

        • Not the most durable set, especially when older kids play it
        Best for babies

        VTech KidiBeats Toy Drum Set

        A small drum set toy that a baby or toddler can sit in front of. It has several electronic sounds and a few interactive modes, which are great for keeping busy and developing good coordination.
        Sound Quality
        3.5
        Build Quality
        4.0
        Features
        4.0
        Durability
        4.0
        Value
        4.0

          VTech KidiBeats Toy Drum Set Review

          The VTech KidiBeats is a fantastic little junior drum kit for toddlers to play around with. It’s very small and has your toddler sitting in front of it to play the drums. This design allows toddlers younger than 1-years-old to have a go as well. It has 3 drums and a cymbal.

          When babies start to sit on their own around six months of age, this drum set works perfectly as a percussive toy that they can have fun with. 

          It has a few onboard tunes to keep them entertained. This includes 9 melodies of different musical styles. There are also a few interactive modes that will let your toddlers play games with the kit. The follow-along feature is a personal favorite.

          This isn’t a kit intended to replicate a big drum set. Instead, it sits neatly in front of toddlers, allowing them to play rhythms while they’re sitting on the floor.

          If you’re looking for more authentic toddler drum kits that will make transitioning from a toy to the real thing easier, this isn’t the drum set for you.

          Pros

          • Has wonderful interactive modes
          • Good for babies or very young toddlers
          • Has volume settings

          Cons

          • Very small
          Best portable set

          Tabletop Electric Drum Kit

          A unique mat to place on a countertop. It has pictures of drums printed on it, with each one producing the corresponding sound when you hit it. It’s great to get toddlers learning how real drums sound.
          Sound Quality
          4.0
          Build Quality
          4.0
          Features
          4.0
          Durability
          4.0
          Value
          4.0

            Tabletop Electric Drum Kit Review

            This Tabletop Electric Kit is a fairly unique option on this list. It’s a mat with pictures of drums that you place on a table. It’s fully electronic, so all the drum pictures make the related drum noise when you hit them with a stick.

            The great thing about this particular kid’s drum set is that you get to hear the proper sound of drums when you hit them. Most other kids’ sets have a plasticky sound to them. It’s not ideal for learning to play drums normally, but it’s a fantastic toy for training a child to recognize how certain drums sound.

            Since all the drums are clearly laid out in front of you, it’s incredibly easy to play. You’ll find that it will entertain a toddler for hours on end.

            I’m incredibly surprised at how responsive all these pads are. It basically acts as a really affordable electronic kit. 

            The only problem with this drum kit is that it has a few cables that need to be used. There will always be a bit of a risk when your toddler plays with it, so you’ll need to be on standby to make sure that they’re careful. 

            Pros

            • Extremely easy to set up and use
            • Has real and authentic drum sounds
            • Great for toddlers of all ages

            Cons

            • Doesn’t feel like playing a real acoustic kit

            Things to Consider When Buying a Toddler Drum Set

            Size

            Drum sets come in all shapes and sizes. So do little toddlers. So, you need to choose a drum set that is small enough for your toddler to play on, but big enough for them not to break.

            This choice will largely depend on their age and how tall or short they are. Bigger drum sets like the Mendini by Cecilio Kids Drum Set are typically a better option as your toddler will grow into them eventually.

            Visuals

            The more exciting a toy looks, the better the chances are that a toddler will love it. The same is true with a drum set. If you’re getting a set for a very young child, it’s better to get one like the Tabletop Electric Kit, the VTech KidiBeats, or the Wolvolk Electric Big Boy Drum Set that has appealing visuals with lights and vibrancy.

            Older children may not need all the lights, but they’ll still want the vibrancy. So, get a kit like the EMAAS Kid’s Jazz Set that is exciting to look at.

            Included Accessories

            You should make sure that you get a kit that comes with everything you need to play the drums. This includes sticks, pedals, and a drum chair. If the kit doesn’t come with those things, you’ll need to buy them separately and that will increase the cost of what you’re looking to get.

            Most toddler drum sets include everything you need, though. It’s the larger drum kits that you need to look out for!

            Final Thoughts

            Playing on a toddler drum set is something that all young kids should try out. It’s incredibly fun and it will keep them occupied for hours. Thankfully, baby drum sets come in all shapes and sizes with varying levels of pricing. 

            There are so many good sets to choose from, so choose wisely and surprise your toddler with one of the best birthday gifts ever.

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