Genuine question. How old are the kids in question? I’m pretty surprised that a Novation Circuit Tracks doesn’t fit the bill here. Can’t you just set it to a key and jam away?
My drunk roommates when I had a circuit sure made some awful beats on it!
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Thank you for this recommendation. I’m going to consider the MAM 303 sequenced externally. I love the 303 sound but the -MO version was very easy to silence with the wrong knob turn. I do like the Circuit Tracks (I think it’s genius) but the kids didn’t click with it.
The real problem with any 303 is that is has a tune knob. The second that gets turned, we’re cooked. There are a couple Eurorack modules like plaits that can be locked to pitch. I’ve been scheming about a Metropolix going into some of those as a main jam synth.
Dad here REALLY wants one of these. I am wondering if the family would enjoy sequencing it from the Deluge or a Torso T-1. I think I’m getting one for me eventually. The new drums and sidechain feature make it incredible for this exact situation. And the kids could randomly press buttons and knobs without doing anything unrecoverable.
I think fun sequencers are key and this is why the Deluge is so amazing for them. They just draw patterns and then hear what they did instantly. The only problem is they don’t understand CPU limits :'). Sequencers like the Metropolix and T-1 appeal as you can just randomly move stuff and have sounds happen. These linked to mono synths is ideal.
Nord 3P is a great idea too.
I love the Impact. I briefly owned one but for some reason the kids liked the Uno Drum more so I returned it. But I think I will try another. The Impact and TR-8 seem like the best simple drum machines
Yeah that’s an interesting idea. We could forget the EDM jams and go all noise… I really like the MSF Drop as well. I’m not sure if Mom would be thrilled about that though 
I did not realize the Oxi and NDLR could do this.
Yeah the first thing they did with the Behringer EDGE was disable midi sync and turn the clock up to 1,000,000 BPM
Between ages 2-12. But none of them want to learn button combos, they just want to press fun buttons and hear cool sounds. It’s great to break stuff out and jam with them for 30 minutes at a time even if they are not musically inclined at this age.
Thanks for all the ideas everybody, sorry if I could not reply to all.
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Cheap: Volca Bass
Less cheap: an SP of any make or model
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First wave of analog nano Korgs: monotrons, Monotribe and of course almost everything Volca. Keys and Sample
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Another vote for:
Volca Bass
Drumbrute Impact
TR-8
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for some reason my 3yr old loves monotron delay and she manages to get some of the most alien squeaky sounds out of it, driving my wifey crazy
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The fun moment that even Monotribe requires some learning (i.e. a concept of LFO), but it’s a matter of just half an hour
