Disney Mickey's Musical Mat Review

Review of Mickey's Music Mat Keyboard

Manufacturer's Recommended Age: 3+
My Recommended Age: 1-4
I paid: $9.99 (at Walgreens before Christmas)
Overall Recommended? Yes, with caveats (see below)
You Need to Know: It's much smaller than pictured; takes 3 AA batteries (not included)

  

We got our 17-month-old this Mickey keyboard mat for Christmas, and it's been a lot of fun for her! But - let me say, I think the picture on the box (in the above link) is misleading and makes the toy keyboard appear bigger than it actually is. See my picture below, where I included my (average-size female) hand for size perspective. The mat actually measures approx. 31 1/2" by 14". Reading reviews on other sites, a lot of buyers are understandably upset about the misrepresentation. However, I only paid $9.99 for it, and also bought it for a young toddler, so it didn't bother me.

The box says it's for Ages 3+, but I'm sure that's just choking-hazard related, as they probably have to be extra careful that toddlers don't pry open the battery compartment and eat them or something (it takes 3 AA batteries, not included). There's really no reason at all that a 1-3 year old couldn't play with this! My toddler daughter can easily unfold it and turn it on and off (by pushing a simple button) on her own. I'm sure 2-3 year olds could enjoy it too, but due to its small size, it might be harder for older kids to step on just one key at a time.

The mat is made of a plasticy vinyl, with the battery compartment/speaker attached at the top. There are both free play (playing your own music by stepping on the keys) and memory (copying their tune, kind of like Simon) and it can also play a few pre-set tunes on its own. It seems to work fine on most floor surfaces (we tried it on hardwood, carpet an tile). It's very lightweight and folds up easily into thirds, although the battery compartment is heavy and unwieldy when folding.

My little one enjoys stomping on the keys to make music, and that's about it. It was definitely worth $10 for us, but do be aware of the size if you're considering purchasing it.

REAL LIFE PICS:

PROS:

• easy to operate
• lightweight
• fun for little Mickey fans
• can wipe down to clean

CONS:

• size (particularly the misrepresentation) and the small key size 
• the placement of the battery box isn't ideal in terms of folding/storage. I'd also have appreciated a velcro strap or some way to secure it when folded up
• as you can see from my pic below, it's a bit of a magnet for dust/crumbs!

RECOMMENDED? Yes, I would recommend it, especially for young Mickey fans, and if you can find it for around $10-$15.