Learn through Music - Interactive Educational Learning Systems for Toddlers

What do we mean by 'interactive learning'? This is a process where someone learns by taking part in activities, games or actions that the person actively participates in. It is a two-way thing. Interactive activity could be described as "taking part in an activity to which one receives a response".

Babies cry to attract the attention of their mother, who thenfeeds them, or changes them, depending on what they needed at the time.

If she changes them, when what they wanted was food, they will continue to cry. This could be described as interactive learning process. She soon learns to recognise what her baby needs, and carries out his wishes.

The baby on the other hand soon learns that his mother is in charge, and that she will make sure his needs are met. This is an interactive learning process for him.

And so baby starts to learn. This is interactive learning.

Learning is a continuous process.

Baby learns first of all how to stay comfortable, well-fed, clean and dry just by crying which, if a baby didn't have that ability, would not be able to communicate at all.

Just look at how much a baby learns in its first year of life if you don't believe me. They go from being totally helpless at birth, where they can't even support their own heads in an upright position, to being able to walk round about the time of their first birthday.

During that time, they have learnt to not only support their head - then their backs - upright, they may have learned a few words, they can recognise voices, colours, They can laugh, smile, clap their hands, feed themselves (in a messy fashion). They identify emotions in other people - they know when mum is upset and angry!

By the time the baby is around 3 they have learned to go to the toilet when they need to go, by that time they have almost mastered the art of eating with the fork, they talk ten to the dozen and ask questions about everything they see.

By the time your child is old enough to go to school they are mini-people in every way, and their brains are still super-absorbant, but don't waste those vital pre-school years. Introduce then to interactive educational games where they can learn through play.

When they go to school they learn through rote, by repeating things over and over until it is so stuck in the brain they will remember it all their life.

Can you still sing the mantra for the times table? I can even though I left senior school 40 years ago! 1 1s are a. 1 2s are 2 etc.

In recent years, there has been a move away from the learning by rote type of teaching, and as a result many teenagers today struggle to read and write

School isn't much fun though, without games, but more and more people are discovering that learning through educational games actually works better and that children retain the knowledge learnt through play so much easier.

Babies and toddlers have brains like sponges, they absorb so much in so short a time, and retain it. This is the time to introduce the to interactive educational games.

I've put together a few educational games for toddlers here that are specifically aimed at the pre-school child, and are described as 'interactive' by the makers.

Remember, 'interactive' means the toy responds to actions by the child. This in turn meaning interactive learning.

This is fascinating to children.They are not playing using imagination alone, although that should also be encouraged.

By their own actions, the toy should respond in a way that will teach your child something useful, whether that is the ability to recognise letters, numbers, colors, textures, etc.

All have a positive effect on your child's abilities, and through the use of educational games may find themselves in an advanced state of learning when they first start school with other children their own age.

This type of toys or games will bring your child on really far.

The first toy I am going to look at is the Fisher Price Learn Thru Music series are truly awesome! The player is durable and consists of two parts. A touch-screen housing unit with a microphone, and a separate sturdy cartridge the child can insert.This is interactive learning at its finest through an educational toy.

It is suitable for children from 1 to 5 and it almost unbreakable from all accounts. Kids have dropped it, stood on it, jumped on it and thrown it and it continues working.

Easy for young children to use, they can use the arrow button to scroll through 15 different pages. Each page plays a tune, a rap or a rhyme that the child soon learns to sing along to.

When they touch the screen, whatever they touch lights up and and they hear a voice identifying it.

Depending on what mode they select, they could be asked questions, with an interactive touchscreen answer.

The player comes with 3 games, and the others can be bought separately. This truly is an educational toy to help your child through interactive learning.

If you buy the basic unit and your child loves it, and plays with it all the time, then it is a good idea to consider buying other cartridges for the basic unit, to expand their education and enjoyment. Here are just a few of the many cartridges available.

I have looked around all over the internet for reviews from parents who have bought this toy for their child, and the overwhelming number say their children love this toy, and play with it more than any other that they own.

I did notice one mother mention that the microphone on her model broke off after 3 weeks, but her general feeling on that happening was one of relief, because the built-in speaker is loud and prone to squealing feedback.

Another parent commented that covering the speaker with tape had the desired affect to reduce sound!

All were amazed and delighted at the durability of this toy. Then again, for the price of it, it should be extremely durable!

In general, however, as an interactive learning educational toy, it is excellent.

Product Features

• Learn Thru Music Early Learning System helps teach preschoolers fundamental lessons through the magic of music.
• The rhythm, rhyme and repetition of musical sounds and lyrics capture children's attention and imagination and help them to absorb and remember basic concepts
• Each Learn Through Music software cartridge features: Specific, age-appropriate learning lessons, A wide range of lyrical & rhythmic devices, A variety of visual & audio content.

This amazing little piano can teach your tot to count, use numbers, recognise notes on a piano and on a music sheet, learn the alphabet, some basic words and their meanings, as well as allowing your toddler to play tunes like they would on any piano. It also has a tempo beat, and buttons that allow them to change the tempo and pitch of pre-set built-in songs and rhymes, and even comes with a dancing figurine on top!

This toy allows your toddler to hear the sounds the different animals make when they put the animals in a certain order, listen to music, play the little 8 note keyboard and listen to boat noises.

This tractor makes an engine noise as it is pushed around the floor or other surface, while the headlights flash just like on a real tractor.

Boon for parents everywhere. A quiet toy that will keep your tot absorbed for hours. Teaches them the feel of different fabrics, shapes, colours, tells the time, and has lots of zips, buttons and ties for them to learn undoing and redoing.

While most parents said their child got enjoyment from this toy, some said the parts are detachable and can get lost, rendering the toy almost useless. Other did not seem to have this problem and said that most pieces are actually attached to the book. More children than not seemed to love this toy and spent many quite hours playing with it. Some parents reported they have had their toy last long enough to amuse several siblings when they reached the same age as the child for whom this toy was bought.