Toys with capacitive touch features

A children's drum toy comprising:

• a user interface panel comprising a plurality of separate user input areas arranged in an array, the user interface panel comprising a continuous unitary component incorporating the plurality of separate user input areas and continuous interconnecting webs of material extending between the separate user input areas;
• a capacitive touch sensor system comprising a plurality of separate capacitive touch sensors, each of the plurality of separate capacitive touch sensors being operatively associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of separate user input areas of the user interface panel;
• and
• an electronic input-output system configured to receive input signals from each of the plurality of capacitive touch sensors and to output different audible sounds responsive to input signals received from each of the capacitive touch sensors;
• wherein each of the plurality of separate user input areas in the array is generally circular to simulate the appearance of a drum head, and wherein at least one of the generally circular user input areas in the array is offset at an oblique angle from other generally circular user input areas in the array,
• wherein the user interface panel comprises a first material thickness in the user input areas and a second material thickness greater than the first material thickness in one or more peripheral areas outside of the user input areas.

A children's toy comprising:

• a base comprising an upper shell and a lower shell configured for assembly together to define an internal housing chamber therein;
• a user interface panel overlying the base, the user interface panel comprising four generally circular user input area portions arranged in a trapezoidal array and interconnected by webs of material extending continuously between the four generally circular user input area portions;
• a capacitive touch sensor system comprising four separate capacitive touch sensors, each of the capacitive touch sensors being operatively associated with a corresponding one of the four generally circular user input areas of the user interface panel;
• and
• an electronic input-output system configured to receive input signals from each of the capacitive touch sensors and to output different audible sounds responsive to input signals received from each of the capacitive touch sensors, wherein the electronic input-output system is mounted in the internal housing chamber or on the base, and wherein the capacitive touch sensor system is positioned between a bottom surface of the user interface panel and a top surface of the base.