Hellobee Boards

@spaniellove: R has this walker and it's nice and loud. We got it on Black Friday last year for $18 at BRU. She got it for Christmas at 6 months old and still loves playing with it (more than walking with it).

http://www.toysrus.com/buy/baby-toys/early-development-toys/sights-sounds/vtech-sit-to-stand-learning-walker-80-077000-13148122

@spaniellove: my parents found an off brand version of a set like this http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Band-Set/dp/B00020V4Y4/ref=sr_1_11?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1406316316&sr=1-11&keywords=musical+instruments If you search for musical instrument toys pn amazon there are tons! I personally dont love the stuff that lights up and plays music either, but lo really loves music and his eyes just light up when we play them together!

Baby Einstein tag along tunes is still a favorite at my house. Dh says it's the best baby purchase we've made

@Smurfette: I forgot about that! R loved it!

I have to second the Mozart cube. I personally like the music and so do other parents we've been around. And in terms of longevity, C got hers for Christmas at 10 months and still loves it at almost 18 months. We also gifted it to a friend's baby and she sent me a picture of him at 3 weeks mesmerized by it.

C also has one of the musical push walker things and still loves it. She started playing with just the buttons a year ago before she could even sit up on her own and now looooves to push it around and dance to the music.

ETA we don't have many toys that make music and I had the intention of not really having any at the beginning but seeing how much she loves them cancelled that idea. She also has this talking picnic basket that's had staying power in the last year and one of those vtech dogs that sings and talks. Both were gifts and my SIL finds the dog creepy. We will see what she thinks now that my niece is 4 months old and getting more responsive to toys!

No clue about toys, but happy that J can hear a tiny bit!!

Our EI suggested tambourines, cow bells, NYE horns/noisemakers, filling old pill bottles with pennies/pebbles/whatever and covering with duct tape, etc. we have a whole "sound box" with random stuff that makes noise! It doesn't have to be just store bought toys, but if you are in the market for store bought stuff, watch for where the speakers are. It makes a huge difference in the volume if the speaker is on the front, it's so much easier to hear! When LO reacts to sounds, his EI points to her ear and says "good listening"! Even now, if LO hears something unusual, he will point to his ear lol.

My LO was also crazy about the recordable books. We had everyone record a story for him!

LO loved this guitar too

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005A3LYQG?pc_redir=1405533292&robot_redir=1

We use this in the car, it was a life saver!
http://m.target.com/p/baby-einstein-music-and-discovery-travel-mirror/-/A-13951115?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=13951115&CPNG=Baby&kpid=13951115&LID=9pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13951115&kpid=13951115&gclid=CMySj-3A478CFZBAMgodqm8A7A