As an audio engineer, I have always cringed a bit when I hear books with built in sound. The sound quality is always going to be terrible on tiny speakers, and they are often shrill and hard to understand. I also think some imagination is lost – just like watching … Read more
It might seem odd to read about robots on a blog about sound… but I’m a mom in tech and my toddler is obsessed with robots! You can use robots as a way to get a toddler to listen and verbalize sounds (which helps with speech development). You can talk … Read more
The Sight & Hearing Association has released their 2018 list of noisy toys. These aren’t just toys that are annoyingly loud, though. These are toys that have been tested and found to be so loud they could cause hearing damage. The worst offender this year is toy for infants. They’re also toys you … Read more
Music technology is about manipulating sound through electronics. For a kid who’s creative and technical it’s a great area to explore. Music technology also falls under STEM since it is engineering and technology-based. It’s probably one of few STEM areas with a creative component to it, too. You don’t have to … Read more
Hearing protection for children of all ages is important because hearing damage from loud sounds is permanent. Children under the age of 5 are more susceptible to hearing damage so it’s especially crucial to protect their ears. Hearing protection can also make loud environments more comfortable for children with sensory issues … Read more
Remo is a US-based company that’s been around over 60 years. They’ve been recognized for “environmentally responsible manufacturing” since 1997. Remo has a reputation in the professional music community for quality instruments and I have done sound recordings of many Remo instruments in my work. So, I was excited to find out … Read more
For teens who are making music, there’s a lot of technology to explore. Audio and music technology covers a wide range from writing music, recording music, and using “synth” (artificial) sounds with software or hardware. Getting started Most musicians don’t get into music tech by reading books and memorizing audio … Read more
While babies love electronic toys that light up and play sounds, there’s a few reasons to give them a sensory experience that’s equally “acoustic,” too: Humans hear a wide frequency range of sounds – much wider than electronic toys can create Acoustic toys can be good for motor skills because … Read more
The Listening Walk by Paul Showers A young girl goes on a walk with her dad and her dog, Major. She calls it a Listening Walk and talks about all the sounds she hears. She says, “On a Listening Walk I do not talk. I listen to all the different … Read more
Toddlers can learn basic concepts about sound through books and reading. For example, toddlers can learn the difference between loud and quiet, how to listen or when to use an indoor voice versus outdoor voice. These books can be a great way to start talking about these topics. Loud and Quiet … Read more
Just because a major company releases a toy doesn’t mean it’s safe for your kid’s ears. All toys have to undergo acoustic testing and meet requirements (set by the American Society of Testing and Materials, or ASTM). The problem is the way that kids play with toys (how close a … Read more
Belly headphones are a popular registry item (“headphones” designed for mom’s belly so baby can listen to music). Before you go buying buds for your bump, consider this: No research shows that playing music to a baby in the womb makes them smarter. Many of these belly headphones can’t even recreate … Read more