This toy is a wonderfully educational and fun toy but it is so loud! There is no volume control and when I held it up to my own ear when I was playing with my daughter I was shocked and terrified by how loud this was. If it made my ear ring what was it doing to hers? The only way to remedy the problem of the noise was to remove the batteries which takes away from the appeal. I give it fives stars for it's fun, educational, and durable qualities but really want to caution parents about the decibel level that, with prolonged use, could do some permanent damage to a small child's hearing. I was suprised Fisher Price was not more aware of the problem and did not attempt to make it more safe and user friendly. I typically only buy Fisher Price toys because of the quality but would urge them to consider volume controls or limits on their toys. I know as a parent I should be more cognizant of the dangers of toys I purchase for my children but in my haste to find a teaching toy I overlooked the aspect of safety. I figured a one piece toy with no obvious design flaws, small parts, choking hazards, etc. would be perfect. This is how I learn as a parent and I hope my experience helps others out there who want their children to be healthy!