Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube has been one of our son's favorite toys. It was given to him by his grandmother last Christmas and he's enjoyed it ever since.

The toy is basically a five inch cube with rounded rubber corners and a big square back-lit button on each side. Each side is a different color. Five of them each has a a picture and the name of a different musical instrument printed on them - flute, violin, harp, piano, and french horn - and the sixth has an orchestra. There is also an on/off switch on one edge, next to the battery compartment door. The instrument buttons turn each instrument on and off, letting them join in on playing one of several Mozart compositions, flashing as they play each note. The orchestra button will start them all playing, and will switch to the next song if it is in the middle of one.

It's very simple, really, but he loves it. Early on he would roll it around with his hands, pressing the buttons pretty randomly. Now he presses them fairly deliberately, and seems fascinated by the flashing. He's also discovered the switch, which has caused him some frustration when he turns it off and the buttons stop working, but he seems to be picking up on switching it back on. Sometimes he can't quite get it, though, and brings it to one of us to turn on.

It takes three AA batteries. You might not expect that just looking at the size of the battery compartment door, but after you unscrew it the battery case slides out.

I've been trying to figure out what kind of lights it uses - LED or incandescent. I suspect incandescent due to the warmth and spread of the light, and the fact that they seem to have a very brief fade in and out unlike the instant on and off of an LED. That might make for shorter battery life, but I think the light is more pleasing this way. We've only had to change the batteries twice in the last year so it's not bad.