Teaching children creative approach to the arts is really crucial in their development. Musicon is a new musical instrument that lets children age 3+ learn coding and musical composition, while at the same time remaining a fun pastime for them. To make it happen Musicon team is running a Kickstarter campaign and with 16 days to go, they’ve raised $27,921 out of $50,000 they need to start the project.
Musicon basically looks like a giant wooden music box mechanism with instruments attached. It’s fun and intuitive and customisable. It consists of a large rotating barrel with 750 buttons and three moveable instruments: the drum, the xylophone, and the mill. However, since the instruments are held by magnets on an acoustic frame, it’s possible to attach other instruments at any time.
So, how does that work all together? First, you set the tempo by pushing the lever: it can be anything from a slow lullaby to an upbeat melody. Then you push the buttons, which set off the instruments. The children can play by coding the tune or by improvising, playing the instruments manually to alter the tune further.
The cool thing is it really promotes creativity. Children don’t need to be taught how to use it, they don’t learn the proper notes or melodies. They can safely experiment and learn everything by themselves, composing the tune as they go. They can also rearrange the instruments easily at any time, even while playing. What’s more, the instruments can be removed and played separately.
It’s also big enough for more than one child to play at once, thus encouraging group work and sharing. It makes it perfect not just for home use, but also for child facilities such as kindergartens, primary schools, after school care centres or therapy rooms.
Musicon is made of eco-friendly and made of wood, the material traditionally used for making both toys and music instruments. It seems only natural that the Musicon, a musical instrument and a toy in one, is also made largely of this material. It’s got double-safe system so that is child-friendly.
If you’d like to get your own Musicon now, they’re available now for $2,499 on Kickstarter now.
