We got a Together Tunes Block for Christmas.  At first glance, it's not certain what you should do with it.  The gift-er thought it would be a great toy for Buddy, but maybe not until he started walking.

Still unsure of how to use it, I pulled it out of the bag and set it in his room.  The cube plays songs that go with interactive pictures on each side, such as "The Wheels on the Bus," "Pop Goes the Weasel," and "If you're Happy and You Know It."  But it only plays the tune for the picture that is on top.  So, if the child is crawling on the floor, he/she cannot see the picture for which the song is playing.

But, when the cube is rotated, the song changes according to the picture.

At first Buddy did not pay this toy much attention. He seemed to just watch as BG played with it (funny huh?).  However, soon, Buddy started pulling himself up on things to stand up (yes, he's only eight months old!).  That's where the "Together Tunes Block" comes in.  He will pull himself up on it and then just bang on it as he would on a table.  And each time he bangs, the song plays...  The block is soft, so when he falls over or under it, he doesn't get hurt.  It's sturdy to keep him standing up but is also light enough that he can push it off himself when getting back up.

Neurosmith makes this as well as other cubes.  I recommend this toy for anyone with almost-walking aged babies.  It's good for blocking things you don't want the baby to get, it's a good learning tool, and it comes with a plastic carrying case (akin to a comforter bag) for future storage.

If you've used this toy before, I'd like to know how you like it.

Buddy sure gives it a thumbs up! 

Thanks, M, for a great gift!