Way back when I was about 17, I was looking through my uncle's records (yes, those giant vinyl things) and found a copy of Joy Division's Peel Sessions. He gave me the record in a fit of decluttering and my musical world was forever changed. I might have also mentioned our family's fondness for Playmobil (I can't help it, I love tiny things). What does a morose-yet-revolutionary band have to do with a blog about children's products? Well, because with Playmobil, all things are possible -- these little guys can even make non-Joy Division fans thrill at a play of their 1979 "Transmission."



Want to animate your own favorite music, kids' or otherwise, through the magic of Playmobil? Well, first you'll need some instruments.

Here's a Playmobil Circus Band set that would be great for some sort of Polyphonic Spree type band or a Playmobil School Set School Band that has a guitar, bongo drums, xylophone, and maracas. Looks like Playmobil discontinued their more "traditional" rock 'n roll type musicians and instruments but the thief in this Playmobil Police Set might make a good rocker -- his clothes and mutton chops are made to order!

If Lego is more your thing, you can try these custom musical instruments for Lego minifigures. There's also a Lego female pop star minifig, or a rocking disco DJ or maybe you'd rather a Lego rapper?

I could easily see a group of preteens spending a Saturday afternoon perfecting their stop-motion craft with projects like this:



Of course, you'll also need a way to make those stop-motion videos. Jeremiah has been playing with the iTimeLapse Pro - Time Lapse videos and is getting ready to introduce it to Z for some Lego animating. (Z is into video making these days - she got an iPod Touch for Christmas and her favorite thing recently is turning the camera to self-portrait mode and recording hours of videos of herself singing, dancing, or talking.) Pair it with a good iPhone or iPod Touch tripod.

but this one (which we can't embed) takes the prize for its amazing timing, down to the drumbeat, in a Lego rendition of Metallica's "One."

What band's music would you most like to see played by your kids' favorite toys?

(Hat-tip to Daddy Types.)