Price: $4.99


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A Jazzy Day – Music Education Book for Kids Review

Our Review

A Jazzy Day is a lovely universal interactive educational storybook that teaches children about the instruments used to play jazz music. Narration is included as well as the ability to read this book by oneself.

Children will enjoy how this app opens up one morning as a daddy cat wakes up his two kitten children early to spend the day learning about jazz, taking a trip to hear Big Band music, meeting musicians and learning about their instruments. The illustrations are cute and include watercolor details that are always appealing. Mild interactive hotspots are also included that will trigger banter and subtle movements from these characters with the tap of a finger.

Soon, the jazz instruments are introduced. I really like the different sections and instruments found here such as the Rhythm or the Bass Section which are articulated with both words, illustrations and animated moments when instruments are tapped, allowing children to see and hear these instruments being played.

I enjoy how animals are used as the musicians such as trumpet-playing dogs, trombone-playing mice or saxophone-playing goats. Really cute details are also included, such as head-nodding or toe-tapping and tail-wagging as the animals perform, really getting into the playing of their music, as well as individual fingers strumming the bass, pressing the keys of a flute or trombone with the chest moving in and out the way one would expect, as well as other charmingly accurate details within these illustrations.

There is a nice interactivity found within this section as children can trigger these animal musicians to play their instruments, but I especially like being able to tap to play the vibraphone – a favorite instrument of mine.

I enjoy how these animals are styled to be very cool as the cat dad wears his red beret to the jazz hall. The other animals wear hip hats or sunglasses or the like, making them look jazzy themselves.

The included instrument sounds are great as well and have been recorded by professional musicians – a nice touch.

Some other sections are included, allowing players to tap to hear the sounds of the instruments as well as to move them around the page and stretch them with their fingers to enlarge them to see details.

I also enjoy the two games: “Find the instruments” where one is asked to find the instrument in question from a page of instruments as well as “Which instrument sounds like this?” where an instrument sound is played that one needs to match to the correct picture. I found these sections nicely done, but I wish it were easier to choose either game because as of now, a tap will bring players to either game rather randomly.

There is also a section that reinforces the names of letters found in these instruments, such as “p” for “piano or “c” for clarinet.

I really appreciate that this app has chosen to focus on jazz music as the other music apps I have seen through iTunes tend to be focused on classical music appreciation instead. For this reason and more, I can easily recommend Jazzy Day for toddlers and the preschool set.

dataMay 17th, 2012 by Amy Solomon Share

Application Detail

A Jazzy Day - Music Education Book for Kids

A Jazzy Day - Music Education Book for Kids


Download on iTunesDeveloper: The Melody Book
Released: 2012-01-12 00:00:00
Price: $4.99

Description from the Developer

★ Apple's New and Noteworthy and What's Hot in Education ★ Apple's Staff Favorites for Education ★ Winner of the Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice Award ★ Winner of a Parents' Choice Award ★ Mentioned in NYTimes apps to acknowledge ★

Does your child know what a tenor saxophone looks like or what a guitar sounds like? This top educational app offer your kids a brand new musical learning experience!

A JAZZY DAY – SWINGING WITH THE BIG BAND is a fun and interactive story that will teach your child about music instruments. The book features original illustrations and music, as well as sounds from real acoustic instruments.

★ "This game will lay down the first foundations of musical education and be the first step towards your child wanting to play an instrument—something I still regret never doing." - Wired/Geekmom

★ "A winning app. This highly user-friendly primer gives kids both a macro and micro lesson about jazz music." - Kirkus Reviews

★ "Truly exceptional app" - iPad App Review

★ "Every so often an app blows me away, and A Jazzy Day was successful at doing just that." PadGadget

★ "Superb blend of high quality animation, original music, great story-telling, interactivity, and game playing. BRAVO!" -
iHeart This App

★ "This melody book is amazing! The kittens are adorable and the music is really great!" - Musicians With Apps

★ "A family that loves music, and feels music is important, will benefit from having A Jazzy Day. The story is cute and the games are excellent." - Apptudes

★ "A Jazzy Day is a great app that helps broaden children’s knowledge of instruments and gives them a new appreciation for music." - The iPhone Mom

★ "A fantastic introduction to the sound, shapes and names of instruments in beautiful and unpretentious solid app."
Apps 4 Kids

Join the two cute kittens as they visit the Jazz Big Band and meet the animal musicians! Enjoy the images, sounds and animation!

Play the featured interactive audio and visual games "Find The Instrument" or "Which Instrument Sounds Like This?" and put your knowledge to the test!

A JAZZY DAY is easy to use! Kids simply tap on the instruments to hear the sounds.

CREATED BY PROFESSIONAL MUSIC EDUCATORS - DESIGNED FOR YOUNG KIDS ( and for “kids” of all ages! ) 


Special Features:

★ Interactive pages - touch the animals or instruments and listen.
★ Original Jazz Big Band music (recorded live).
★ Audio recordings of real acoustic instruments from professional musicians.
★ Your child will learn to recognize the sight and sound of a saxophone, trumpet, trombone, bass, vibraphone and more.
★ Animated Big Band arrangement demonstrating the use of the different instruments and sections.
★ Vivid and colorful illustrations that every kid will love.
★ Read to Me - reads and plays the story automatically.
★ Read it Myself - allows you to read the story at your own pace.
★ Educational Games : "Find the instrument" and "Which instrument sounds like this".
★ Take a picture with the musical kittens and share your photo!
★ Very easy and simple to use - especially designed for little fingers.
★ This app will teach and inspire your child to start playing a music instrument.
★ Fun for children, and parents will enjoy watching their kids learn!

The music instruments featured in the book are:
Bass
Drums
Guitar
Piano
Vibraphone
Trumpet
Trombone
Alto Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Flute
Clarinet
Conductor

If you are having SOUND issues use this EASY FIX: http://themelodybook.com/faq-jazzy

or contact us at info@themelodybook.com.

Screenshots

(click screen shot to enlarge)