Helping children develop core skills with musical play
Featured at 2021 Bayou Startup Showcase
Participant, REDLabs/OwlSpark 2021 Startup Accelerator
Between ages 4 and 9, children rapidly develop a core set of skills such as fine motor ability, creative thinking, and emotional regulation. While these skills naturally develop with age, kids with speech/language difficulties often struggle compared to their peers.
Inspired by these children, Sonata is a music synthesizer toy that helps kids of all abilities become confident, creative thinkers through musical, sensory play.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/444ce419-4958-4b14-beb6-80c933e39ce9_rw_3840.jpg?h=0e44a0bac42bfdd4aaa49ae303efafb6)
Centering on creativity
In interviews, educators and development experts highlighted abstract, or creative thinking skills as a critical need, illuminating a design opportunity. Mind mapping was used to link specific issues with beneficial activities.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/cb6695af-b0f6-476d-bc23-e6de5fc1b25d_rw_1920.png?h=aab3d016f835a6ee156ade990b54a499)
How can abstract thought be developed through play?
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/4bbcd309-6e7a-4ed5-a3b2-cb7a16f997b1_rw_3840.jpg?h=571985a6669400967d27970405e5763c)
Exploring modes of play
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/b690936e-43f0-4674-b229-39288ce973c4_rw_3840.jpg?h=180b94b28fc79a2b84cdc65f1252690d)
Solution: sensory synthesizer + flashcards
Sonata gives more control over the building blocks of sound than existing music toys. When using Sonata, a child becomes a composer, DJ, and scientist.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/53b3379a-3585-4f76-ad0f-002b9924c0c8_rw_1920.jpg?h=29081019fd0dfaf9d0655adc079f81b1)
Kids can tap out a rhythm, spin each of the uniquely textured knobs to modify the sound, and be their own producer with the record and playback function.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/69e75435-dfb7-4006-aa1f-5fd6470571b3_rw_1920.png?h=f5833256dc5f6d76f95b662d16d23e75)
Flashcards
Developed with guidance from educators and accessibility experts, the flashcard set provides a progression of learning activities so that kids can continue to enjoy playing with Sonata as they age and develop. Activities range from motor tasks to creative prompts that give kids a springboard to express their feelings.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0aa14e71-15fd-434e-a34f-7e5b180c7848/29ef218e-4702-4e46-a8f2-5f7d049ede3a_rw_1920.png?h=be51cee7b110557080e3791abc7c4dc8)
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