Mozart Magic® Cube

Product Description

Sensory 5

Skills

• This toy encourages visual attention with vibrant colors, flashing lights and instrument illustrations.
• Auditory attention and listening skills are practiced when children listen to parts of a song played by a single instrument, several instruments or full orchestra.
• Beginning music skills can be explored such as the sounds of different instruments, the rhythms of different songs or parts, and song tempo.

Play Ideas

• Play “hot potato” with this toy where children pass the cube as it plays music until the music stops and that person is out.  For a child with attention issues it encourages listening skills, for a child with hearing loss it will encourage them to use their residual hearing to discern when music has started or stopped.

Adaptation Ideas

• Use Braille tape or puffy paint to label words on the instruments to help tactilely identify instruments.

Physical 4

Skills

• Eye-hand coordination is practiced when pushing the large buttons to activate the music. 
• Reaching/arm extension is encouraged when a child reaches for the cube, or moves or rolls it to a desired side. 
• Functional finger movement and exploration is possible, as the buttons can be pushed with a single finger or full hand.  A child can be encouraged to use a single finger or two if that is a skill to be worked on.  

Play Ideas

• Have a child use this cube while in different positions such as standing at a table, sitting on the floor, side lying or laying on his or her tummy.  This may encourage a child to stay in the desired position longer.

Communicative 4

Skills

• Language development opportunities arise when children ask for a certain instrument, request the cube to be turned on, and learn words such as duet, trio or quartet as two, three or four instruments play.
• Action concepts can be learned in a hands-on way when children turn the cube “on” or “off”, “push” a button, “turn” or “roll” the cube, or watch the lights “flash” rhythmically to the music.
• Object recognition and identification is possible when a child learns, labels and recognizes the pictures of the five instruments on the block.

Play Ideas

• Have children listen to and guess the name of the instrument they hear.
• Have children listen to and identify pieces of music (the songs are:  "Ah! Vous Dirai-je, Maman (Twinkle, Twinkle)," a French horn intone a theme from The Marriage of Figaro,"Country Dance #5," "Come Sweet May," "Der Vogelfanger" (from The Magic Flute), "March in D," "Landler," and "Là Ci Darem la Mano" (from Don Giovanni). Some research may be needed to discern which piece is which. 
• Label the action for a child or ask them to tell you as they “move” or “roll” the cube, “push” the buttons etc.  Children can also practice multiple descriptors such as turning on the “green piano” or the “purple flute”.