Can Children Play with Noisy Toys on Shabbat? Halachic Guidelines Explained

Is it permissible to let small children play on Shabbat with toys that make sounds — such as a doll that rattles or a toy that makes noise when shaken?

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In Jewish law, it is forbidden to intentionally produce musical sounds on Shabbat. For example, one may not knock rhythmically on a table, blow a whistle, or use any musical instrument on Shabbat. The only sound permitted is singing or humming naturally with one’s voice, without instruments.

It is, of course, strictly forbidden to use anything that operates with electricity on Shabbat. The discussion here concerns only simple mechanical toys that produce sound without electricity, such as a rattle or bell.

Toys That Produce Musical Sounds

Since it is forbidden to make musical sounds on Shabbat, it is clear that one may not use a tambourine, even if the sound is produced merely by shaking it, without striking it. A tambourine is considered a musical instrument, and therefore using it on Shabbat is prohibited.

For the same reason, children should not be given musical toys, such as a whistle, toy drum, or musical rattle, on Shabbat.

Parents are also obligated to educate their children to observe the sanctity of Shabbat and to refrain from actions that constitute its desecration. If the Torah commands us even to allow our animals to rest on Shabbat (“so that your ox and donkey may rest”), then certainly we must not encourage children to violate Shabbat in any way. (See Chazon Ovadia, vol. 3 p. 101; vol. 4 p. 119.)

Toys That Only Make Noise, Not Music

Several prominent halachic authorities of recent times, including Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchat Shlomo I:35) and Rabbi Ben Zion Abba Shaul (Or LeTzion II:26), wrote that toys which merely make non-musical noises — such as a doll with a bell, a toy car that rattles as it moves, or other toys that make random sounds, are not considered musical instruments.

Since these sounds are not tuneful or melodious, and there is no intention to make music, they are permitted for young children to play with on Shabbat.

Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach further ruled that wind-up toys, such as cars powered by a spring mechanism, may also be used by children on Shabbat, provided they do not produce sparks or involve electricity.

Examples of forbidden toys:

• Musical instruments or toys that produce melodic sounds, such as:

  • Drums

  • Whistles

  • Tambourines

  • Musical dolls or electric sound toys

Examples of permitted toys:

• Toys that make non-musical sounds, such as:

  • Rattles or bells on dolls

  • Toy cars that make noise when moving

  • Wind-up mechanical toys (without electricity or fire)

These may be given to small children on Shabbat (before bar/bat mitzvah age), and such toys are not considered muktzeh when used for children’s play.

Adapted from “Halacha Yomit,” based on the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef