We have been supplying musical instruments to the public since 2016 - our large range of musical instruments are great for many types of people, from aspiring musicians, music teachers to mindfulness practitioners. But we decided to make this post to spread awareness around the safety standards of our musical instruments for children.
All of our products and musical instruments are not suitable for anyone under the age of three years old because kids tend to put non food items in their mouth as they explore the world around them. This is a concern with our instruments as usually they contain small parts that are either visible or inside our shakers and this could pose as a choking hazard.
Please always follow our Good Practice Guide (click here to download).
We are a retailer but are open for B2B and what we have found is that similar music stores have sold instruments and have had incidents with trading standards regarding the dangers for those under the age of three years which is why it is the best time to ensure you are aware of this.
The items on our website are classified as musical instruments and not toys.
We have recently starting adding safety warning disclaimers to all of our products stating that: "The products on our website may contain small parts that pose a choking hazard, may have sharp edges, or may be heavy and fragile. It is not intended for use by children without adult supervision. Use with care to avoid injury. Handle and maintain the product responsibly to ensure safety. Buyers are responsible for ensuring safe use and care of the product. This is a general guide and it is not a substitute for proper supervision."
Below we have outlined some of the potential risks and reasons why we think that are products are not suitable for children under the age of three years but would also recommend that anyone under 16 years old should have parental guidance for safety reasons. In these examples we only included a few products but each product may come with its own set of risks.
The cas cas shaker
Risks Identified
The wooden shells could shatter under certain circumstances, releasing small parts, which could pose a choking hazard to under 3s. The risk was identified during the course of independent testing to Toy Safety standards EN71-1.
Action
Stop using immediately with children under the age of 3.
Djembe drum
Risks Identified
The string handle may in some cases be longer than the permitted length for closed loops and pose a potential strangulation hazard for children under 3. The risk was identified during the course of independent testing to Toy Safety standards EN71-1.
Action
Stop using the item immediately with under 3s.
Seed shaker
Risks Identified
The seed pods could become detached or shatter under certain circumstances, posing a choking hazard for under 3s. One incident has been reported of a two year old choking on a seed pod, fortunately with no injury. There are a variety of seed pods and instruments that could potentially be affected.
Action
Stop using immediately with children under the age of 3.
Thunder drum
Risks Identified
The glue on the tip of the spring could become detached and pose a choking hazard for under 3s; if pulled hard, the spring may become long enough to pose a strangulation hazard for under 3s. The risks were identified during the course of independent testing to Toy Safety standards EN71-1.
Action
Stop using immediately with children under the age of 3.
We were not told or forced to write this safety warning but did so because we believe that it is the right thing to do to ensure your, health and safety and that is our main priority. If you have any questions or concerns at all about any of our instruments, please contact us.
