Elmo Music Magic is an interactive musical toy designed for young children. It features the popular Sesame Street character, Elmo, and encourages children to explore the world of music through play. The toy comes with different modes and activities, allowing children to create their own music and experiment with different sounds. It includes five instrument buttons that children can press to hear different instrument sounds, such as the piano, drums, and saxophone. One of the main features of Elmo Music Magic is the "Follow Along" mode. In this mode, Elmo guides children through a series of musical activities, such as clapping or stomping to the beat, or playing different notes on the instrument buttons.
In this mode, Elmo guides children through a series of musical activities, such as clapping or stomping to the beat, or playing different notes on the instrument buttons. This mode helps children develop a sense of rhythm and coordination while having fun. Another mode is the "Free Play" mode, where children can use the instrument buttons to create their own melodies and songs.
Mushroom magic: why the latest health fad might be on to something
O ne Saturday last May, Shane Heath woke up with an idea: the young serial entrepreneur would market the drink he had been sharing with friends in Venice Beach – a muddy concoction of tea, cocoa, spices and four kinds of mushrooms – to the wider world. “Over the weekend I designed the brand, ordered a minimal amount of inventory, and put up a website,” says Heath. By Tuesday, he was online selling 15-serving tins of the dry drink mix he dubbed Mud\Wtr for $30 each. Six months later, revenues exceeded six figures, he says, and with the start of the new year, “we secured a million-dollar investment fund and moved into an office in Los Angeles”.
Shane Heath of Mud\Wtr. Photograph: Mud/Wtr
Mushrooms are having a moment. And the market goes far beyond the portobellos, shiitakes and button mushrooms you find in the produce section. Whole Foods named so-called “functional mushrooms”, used for centuries in traditional medicine, as one of the top 10 food trends of 2018. Suddenly, exotic varieties such as reishi, chaga, cordyceps and lion’s mane are turning up in everything from powders and extracts to coffees, teas, smoothies, broths, chocolates, face creams and shower gels.
US sales of mushrooms accounted for nearly $5bn in revenue in 2017, according to the market research firm Grand View Research, and the market is projected to rise to $7.4bn in the next three years.
Heath freely admits that the draw is not so much the earthy flavor, but the idea that consuming mushrooms will make you feel and perform better. According to the Mud\Wtr website, chaga mushrooms “provide energy and mood enhancement”, cordyceps “increase vitality and endurance”, lion’s mane “improve brain function” and reishi “fight off tumor and cancer growth”.
Mud\Wtr joins scores of other companies selling products that tout mushrooms as a magic elixir. Dried mushroom powders from Om Mushrooms, for example, have “anti-aging properties to retain your youthful vibrance” and “harmonize your longevity, energy and spirit”. Moon Juice promotes Brain Dust, featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s website Goop, as “edible intelligence” that will “help combat the effects of stress to align you with the cosmic flow for great achievement”.
Some won’t be surprised to learn that even Alex Jones has discovered mushrooms. His infamous Infowars website sells Wake Up America: Immune Support Blend coffee infused with mushroom extracts celebrated for “enhancing immune response and physical stamina”.
Medicinal mushrooms for sale at an herbalist shop in Sheung Wan, China. Photograph: Prisma Bildagentur AG / Alamy/Alamy
“It’s possible that some of these compounds have got really remarkable properties,” says Nicholas Money, PhD., biology professor at Miami University in Ohio. But his 2016 review of the evidence published in the journal Fungal Biology found that marketing claims go far beyond what is supported by the science.
“It’s outrageous,” he says. “People are making a great deal of money from compounds of unspecified chemical nature without experimental evidence to show that they have any benefit.”
They can also activate different sound effects by pressing certain buttons, adding a fun and creative element to their play. Elmo Music Magic also includes songs and jingles featuring Elmo's voice, which children can listen to or sing along with. This helps children develop their listening and singing skills, as well as their ability to follow instructions. The toy is designed with bright colors and a friendly, inviting interface that appeals to young children. It is also durable and easy to use, making it suitable for even the smallest hands. Overall, Elmo Music Magic is a fun and engaging toy that introduces young children to the world of music. By encouraging exploration and creativity, it helps foster a love for music and develop important skills such as rhythm, coordination, and listening..
Reviews for "The Interactive and Engaging Features of Elmo Music Magic"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Elmo music majic". The songs were too repetitive and did not hold my child's attention at all. Additionally, I found the overall production quality to be quite low. The voices of the characters were often muffled and indistinguishable, making it hard to understand what they were saying. The graphics were also subpar, lacking the vibrant colors and animations that we usually associate with Sesame Street. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this DVD to other parents looking for quality children's entertainment.
2. John - 1 star
"Elmo music majic" was a complete waste of money. The songs were annoying and lackluster, with no catchy melodies or clever lyrics like some of the earlier Sesame Street productions. My child quickly lost interest, and I couldn't blame them. The animation was choppy and outdated, making it difficult to follow the storyline, if there even was one. I expected better from Sesame Street, a show that has been known for its educational and entertaining content for decades. Save your money and skip this disappointing DVD.
3. Lisa - 2 stars
I was extremely bored by "Elmo music majic". The songs were repetitive and uninspiring, lacking the clever wordplay and educational value that Sesame Street usually offers. The storyline was predictable and failed to engage both children and adults. I also found the characters to be irritating, with Elmo's high-pitched voice grating on my nerves. Overall, I expected much more from Sesame Street, and this DVD fell flat in terms of both entertainment and education.