Ask Kytka Archives:  March 2003

Q:  I would like to buy a pentatonic kinder lyre — I have seen several,and was hoping someone could give me some feedback….

Choroi has one for $200, Nova Natural has one for $160, I’m sure they can’t all be the same???

I plan on playing it myself (but it would be okay if my 4 yr. old wanted to play with me) Thanks for your feedback.

A:  Several parents respond and share their experiences. Remember to use the comments feature below and share your experience as well.

1) We have a kinder lyre purchased from Mercurius. It it beautiful and has great tone. It was also less than $1oo.00. Hope that helps.

2) Last December, my father said he would like to give our daughter something special for her first birthday.  I researched the various kinder lyres and chose the Hermes from the Rose Lyre Workshop. The price is $175 –it’s not the least expensive, but I was very moved by their Mission Statement, their history, and the loving care they offer in creating instruments that truly nourish the soul.

They have a beautiful website here.

Each evening, after our daughter has been in the tub for five or ten minutes, my husband will lie down on our bed and begin playing the kinder lyre. When she hears the music she gets a big smile and begins to say goodbye to her bath. After a few more minutes, I sing goodbye to the bathwater with her and she lifts the lever to let the water out. I bring her out of the tub, wrap her in a towel, and cuddle her close. I bring my cozy bundle into our room, gently lay her down in our bed next to her father, and begin singing our goodnight song along with the sweet music her father is playing on the kinder lyre.

The gentleness of the kinder lyre helps all of us return to a calm, peaceful place and give the most loving farewell to the day. Our little one then takes the kinder lyre, plays it a little and hands it to me. I play it a little too, then put our beloved kinder lyre back into its special felt bag and together we say a blessing for the kinder lyre. She then brings the kinder lyre out of its bag and hands it back to her father,who serenades us with ethereal tones as we put on diaper, undershirt and pajamas while singing the traditional evening blessings in Hebrew. We close with kisses and hugs all around (for father, brother, and whoever else maybe visiting), and I bring our sleepy little girl into her room and set her down gently in her crib. She’s calm and happy, and easily drifts off to dreamland most every night that way.

We’ve been doing this bedtime ritual for almost a year, now, and she sleeps from 7 pm to 6:30 am most every night.

Having the kinder lyre join our family has been a precious gift for all of us. The joy and care that went into creating our kinder lyre at the RoseLyre Workshop blesses our whole family and our entire being every night.

3) I am so very touched and moved by what you described as your night time rhythm, using your kinder lyre, I have to say, I have no more doubts! I was thinking it was silly to buy this for my daughter as she turn s1 this month, but after reading your post, I can’t wait to buy a lyre for her. Thank You!

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