Sound Steps
Sound Steps is an interactive sound concept whereby a collection of 10 mats react by means of sound when a child steps on them. Children can, of course, also jump on the mats, sit on them or press down on them. It is up to the children to choose which sounds they want to hear or which game they wish to play. The sounds on offer include e.g. musical instruments (Piano), thematic sounds (scary sounds, means of transport, animals) or games such as 'musical chairs' and 'maths'. SoundSteps does more than just offer a range of 'ready-made' games but stimulates children's imagination and creativity.
The wide variety of playing activities means that the SoundSteps product can also be used in schools to support the curriculum: language, maths, cooperation, motor skills, musical development, etc. The mats are wireless, which means they can easily be used in conjunction with existing playing materials.
The tiles (also referred to as 'mats’) constitute the main component of the Sound Steps product. As these mats are wireless, the children are not restricted in their play. They can spread them out over the floor, put them on top of chairs or tables, move them closer or further apart, turn them around, etc. In many of the games, a tile is linked to a specific sound. In the 'Piano' game, for instance, each mat represents a musical note, in 'Scary Sounds' each mat hides a scary sound and in 'Memory' e.g. the sound of a person sneezing. Each tile registers when it is being moved or when a person steps on it. Depending on the game one has chosen to play, Sound Steps will react to this action by producing a specific sound.
The variety of games and the wireless application allow for a lot of freedom and imagination during play. When playing the 'Piano' game, users can lay out the tiles like the keyboard of a piano and play a specific melody but they can also display them in the shape of a hopscotch diagram, so that a lovely tune is played when specific mats are jumped on (musical chords are produced when one jumps on more than one tile at the same time, e.g. 1, 3 and 5). In the 'Scary Sounds' game each tile represents a 'scary' sound.
The use of the tiles inspires active play: children have to jump or stamp on the tile to produce the sound. The nature of the game ensures that children get physically involved.
The game cards constitute an important part of the interactive playing material. Although the products are quite 'high-tech' on the inside, they do not appear to be so on the outside. The products are all extremely easy to use, regardless of the age group using them. The game cards play an important role in the format.
A mere look at the Sound Steps product shows that it requires little or no user instructions: there is but one button at the front (to turn the unit on/off) and the user simply selects a game by inserting a game card (a representation of the game in question) in the card reader. Tests with children of various ages have taught us that this process is straight-forward for even 3-year old children. Pure child’s play!
Important is that the game cards are continually redeveloped and updated. As standard, the Sound Steps product is supplied with a set of 10 game cards.
The interactive playing material developed incorporates various educational 'learning' elements for the primary (special needs) education sector. It provides a link between play and education. A good example of the play/education combination is the maths game that is part of the Sound Steps product.
Children can play on an individual basis or can practise their times tables in groups. The children jump on the numbered mats to make up a multiplication (e.g. mats 1 and 5) and, once the multiplication has been entered, they are also expected to provide the correct answer (in our example, 5). The Sound Steps unit will then tell them whether or not they got it right. Playing this educational game in this manner allows the children to be both physically and mentally involved in practising their times tables.
Another example of educational play is the language card, specifically designed for use in schools. This game card has been designed to help children build sentences. It can be used in the classroom to teach children how to analyse sentences and identify e.g. verbs, subject, articles, prepositions, demonstrative pronouns, etc.
The game cards that come with the Sound Steps product can provide schools with a unique educational and socio-emotional tool. The cards are aimed at individual and collective play activities.
