Neurosmith - Music Blocks with Mozart Music Cartridge

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.6 x 10.2 x 16.4 inches ; 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• ASIN: B00000ISE2
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #89,293 in Toys & Games (See Bestsellers in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

A sturdy, radio-like box; five colorful, sensor-controlled blocks; and one of several memory cartridges are included in the Music Blocks Mozart Set. Together, they create a unique learning product for infants and toddlers that has earned several coveted toy awards. The objectives of this developmental toy are simple: to introduce babies to classical music, and to challenge them in identifying sounds and instruments. Before children can even identify the instruments represented by the blocks' symbols (woodwinds, violins, a xylophone, trumpets, human voices, and a percussion ensemble), they will be able to identify sounds and famous refrains by Mozart, such as "Night Music," which is included in this set. Each block activates a segment of the composition, and switching around the blocks creates a new song.

The quality of the sound is impressive. It's stereophonic, rather than synthetic, though it's all created digitally. And, with that said, it's loud. Even at its lowest setting, the sound projects into the next room quite clearly. Included in the box is Music and Your Child's Mind, an informative sourcebook for parents interested in exploring classical music with their developing children. --Diane Beall

Product Description

Give your child the gift of beautiful music with Music Blocks. Research shows that music develops the higher-level cognitive skills necessary for math and reading. Music Blocks gives children an easy way to make beautiful music all on their own, simply by

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Musical 2-Yr.-Old Finds It Boring, March 17, 2001

By	Kevin Barrack (San Mateo, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

My son is 2-and-a-half-years old, and has had this toy for 6 months. Except for a couple 5-minute trials when he first got this toy, he has never played with it. This surprised me because my son loves music. He loves listening to all kinds of music on CD, loves musical videos from the Wiggles to Sesame Street, and enjoys playing on the piano and drums.

But as I said, the musical blocks didn't interest him at all, perhaps because they seem so simplistic. Although each block can be positioned in 3 ways to make 3 different sounds, and the blocks can be placed in different locations to change the order that the parts play, it just doesn't seem that challenging or interesting to my son. In my opinion, the options for creativity are too linear with this toy.

Another down side of this toy is that it requires the blocks to remain clean and dry, which is a challenge at times. My 7-month-old daughter LOVES to chew the blocks when she can sneak them in her mouth. It is also easy to lose the blocks, thereby rendering the toy useless.

Overall, this toy seems less educational than just listening to a music cd (which is cheaper than one cartridge, and contains about an hour more music). It is less fun for my son than just playing on a piano (or cheap keyboard), and it is a fairly delicate device that can be essentially ruined by losing one 2" block. How many 2" toys have been lost in your house in the last couple years?

If your kid loves to dance, this toy may be frustrating, due to the short length of the musical selections (only 4 seconds per block, less than 30 seconds total).

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The limit is not 5 years old!, November 28, 2000

By	Wayne Cease (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

We got one of these for our two year old. I thought my wife was going to wear it out before it was wrapped-up! We have a 2, 4 and 9 year old, and they all love it. They all play with it in different ways. It's so flexible that it is entertaining for each of the kids (and for Mom and Dad too).

The other cartridges are nice, but not an absolute necessity. You'll probably want at least one more though, for some more variety. We have two and are getting a third for the 2 year old for christmas, but I think my wife might be getting it for herself. :)

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS THE COOLEST!, December 2, 2001

By A Customer

Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

I LOVE THIS TOY! Oh, yeah, and so does my 3-yr-old son (we've had it since he was 2 and he has NEVER gotten bored with it). I am a big supporter of putting music in children's lives and this does the trick. My son loves to make "bands" by rotating the blocks so different instruments play. We dance and make different toys dance...it's great. We have the Mozart, Rhythms, and Orchestra cartridges. I considered buying more but then saw the Cyber Cartridge. I'd say get this before buying a bunch of the other cartridges. With this, you can download different music off of the Neurosmith website (you get three free with purchase). Others cost $3.99 or so to download. There's everything from Irish Jig to Funky Dance (my fav.) to Crazy Cartoon. I've made a deal with my son that we'll get one a month...and it'll take awhile to get them all, but sooooooo worth it. The radio, blocks and cartridges (when you switch them) are sturdy enough that my son can do it all himself and I don't worry that it'll break. I would not hesitate to buy this toy.