How young is too young? My sister is adopting a little girl and I have a desire to get her something. I suppose the ideal whistle would be in a high key to fit her hands. It would be flashy looking to appeal to a child, and quiet enough to appeal to parents. A Susato would probably work on the first two requirements. Maybe a high G?
Gee, a Susato in high G. You must really hate your sibling. Or her dog/cat. Can you say SSCCRREEEECCHH!!! ?
How ‘bout a nice, colorful Sweetone or Meg? Bright colors for the child, forgiving tone and not too loud for the listeners’ ears, and easy on the pocketbook since she’ll probably tire of it quickly, anyway.
Years ago, before rainbow-hued Sweetones and Acorns were available, I gave my nephew a bright orange whistle. Lately, I’ve been badgering my sister to find it. Yup - one of those elusive Perris. Serves me right, since I bought it mostly because I figured that in Michael’s hands it’d be even more obnoxious than a toy drum.
How old is the child? I wouldn’t give a whistle to a child younger than four or so, and even then I’d caution that it should be used only under supervision. Little kids just don’t use instruments the way you’d want them to. A fipple could come off with chewing, for example, and cause a choking hazard. Or a child could be walking around with it in her mouth, take a tumble, and end up with a serious injury. And, of course, much before four or five, the kid isn’t going to be able to actually learn play it.
If this is a baby or a toddler, I’d strongly advise waiting a few years before getting a whistle for the child.
Redwolf
if the child is really little i would suggest a kuzoo. one of those nice fat plasitc kind… most kids can hum well enough
Good call on the kazoo, Fopah. My kids also like harmonicas.
For the reasons specified by others, I wouldn’t give a whistle to a preschooler. A five year old could start with one, under constant supervision. Never allow them to walk around with the whistle in their mouth.
I gave my five year old a non-tunable Dixon soprano D. Non-tunable because the tunable can be taken apart into two pieces, so it will be taken apart into two pieces, and one piece will undoubtedly be lost. Dixon because they’re pretty easy on the ears, and they’re made of plastic, which I think less likely to cause an injury than metal.
Or. you could sit down and have some good uncle/niece bonding time and teach the little monster to whistle… no… i mean with lips, i remember i learned pretty young, not sure how young but i was whistling before i was 5 yr.
I’d suggest not a whistle but a NA flute in a high key.
The fingering is generally easier than whistles.
I prefer the idea of a child having contact with natural wood rather than plastic.
Pentatonic scales are easier to master, as it’s hard to go foul harmony.
As an object/toy, it is appealing to children, and… can be pretty flashy, if you ad beads and feathers 
Finally: it may be a “high” key (up to F) but they’re relatively quiet, AND you just can’t overblow them (no second register to speak of) which should keep some of the pets in the house 
For instance, see http://www.highspirits.com/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=12
Thanks for the advice everyone. I hadn’t thought of the safety hazard!
My sister will be doing an “orphanage tour” in the Ukraine and will be adopting someone who is too old to be adopted by a local family. Some parts of Europe and Asia have a large numbers of children like this.
I have no children of my own. I can hardly wait!
Ukraine is a mess, indeed. A sad proof that progress is not irreversible…
Thanks for getting one out of it…
On a lighter mode, check also this cheaper instrument, wood again (I AM definitely partial..) which also has the advantage that it can’t overblow (i.e. go shriek). In the line, see first the Junior Diatonic model, which doubles as a cute necklace.
http://www.hindocarina.com/Ocarinas.htm
Watch out: I’ve seen some sold on eBay at a higher start price than if bought direct from the manufacturer (same goes for those Borg NA flutes, btw).
Thank you Zubivka,
That’s what I will get her.
Dwight
Hi!
Ocarinas are great, and a few kazoos and a harmonica should always be around in every household. Flutes is to be considered a high risk instrument as kids have a hard time to sit still while playing. I have three kids (5, 3 and 2) and when they have free access to my flutes and whistles the most wanted ones are some homemade overtone flutes. They love to play along by them selves (not getting any instructions from “Mr Knowitall”), and as these flutes are pentatonic with no finger holes they are very easy to improvise on. You’ll be amazed of some of the wonderful things they’ll create. Our 5 year old likes to get one in G and play along to some blues tracks on CD, sounds really cool. All you need is a bit of time some electrical tubing or a garden hose.
You can check out Soundwell’swebsite to get the idea. It’s very easy to make your own, especially if you have one or two whistle heads to spare.
Two clips:
Rubber snake and Guitar
Trad. Scandinavian
/MarcusR
I hope my other post didn’t offend any of our European friends. My office works with low-income children in the US. I can honestly say that we have our problems too!
The reasons for the foreign adoption are a bit too long to put on this site. The bottom line is that a girl without a family will soon have one. And, a family without a girl will soon have one.
I can’t speak on behalf of all Europeans, of course, now I’m half French (garlic) and half Ukrainian (chili pepper), which at least qualifies as European: spicy, not boiled. And sure, Continental too, as them knnnigggets will sure point out. 
So, I European may be touchy/edgy, but not that bad. A kid may have a better opportunity with you, is all which counts. It can’t be worse, anyway, than these post-Soviet orphanages where they breed professional warriors.
The worst with the elder kids of these “formerly developed” countries, is each year went worse for over a decade. Being borne in poverty may be less painful than seing it settling in year after year.
Give us news of who this kid is, and please post her pic in the Cutie pies.
Please do it.