My son received this as a gift for his 1st birthday and it was the biggest hit at the party with the other toddlers (9 months-2 years) as well as parents.  A few parents said "this is so much nicer than the toy drum my kid has."  I like this drum because it sits off the floor so the sound is good (versus a djembe, which needs to be on its side to play). The sound is really good with bare hands or with the mallets. He also likes to roll it around on its side, and that is fine too. It says this toy is for 3 years and up, but it seems safe for a one year old. The only small part I noticed were two staples holding the ribbon around the top of the drum together. They are really tight in there, and I don't think a kid could pull them out, but I'm sure those can be removed, since glue is also holding the ribbon. The mallets might also be dangerous for babies (if they put it in their mouth or poke themselves in the eye) but the mallets aren't needed to play the drum. The face of the drum seems a little thin, so I hope it holds up to the abuse my son is sure to give it. I think that it will. Overall, this was my favorite toy. Beats any battery operated toy any day.  It teaches fantastic coordination skills. I highly recommend.