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The tiles (also referred to as ‘mats’) constitute the main component of the SoundSteps 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’ 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, SoundSteps 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.
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