 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
I Can Play Piano!
- Plug and Play TV games
- Price: $80
- Genre: Music
Common Sense Media says
Keyboard controller makes game of learning piano.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game teaches kids how to play the piano keyboard. It also uses the video game motif to teach them how to read music. The game is best used as an intro to music education. A child who is serious about pursuing music shouldn't use it as a substitute for professional instruction.
What's it about?
Fisher-Price's I CAN PLAY PIANO comes packaged with a three-octave, color-coded keyboard that plugs into the audio/video input jacks of your television; it comes with one cartridge containing eight songs that can be played in four different song modes. Kids start by exploring two non-song games, which teach key placement with games involving colored balls and cars. In the song modes, I Can Play Piano uses the innovative "Piano Wizard" method (developed by Allegro Multimedia Inc.) to teach kids how to play the piano. By working through four modes of play, kids learn to identify the keys on the keyboard, associate the keys with notes, and eventually learn to read music.
Is it any good?
The songs included in the Piano Favorites cartridge vary from children's favorites like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to classical music, including Beethoven's Fur Elise. By purchasing additional cartridges ($15 each), kids can play songs from the Dora the Explorer, Scooby-Doo, and Nicktoons television series. They can also learn to play pop hits, Christmas favorites, and other songs.
Compared with the PC version of Piano Wizard, the software from which this product is based, I Can Play Piano is a better way for little kids to learn. Its interface is easier to navigate, its instructions are better, and the two non-song-based games make learning the keyboard a breeze.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the magic of music. Why is it considered the universal language? Is this a fun way to learn to play the piano? Parents might ask their kids if they were more interested in getting a good score or playing the music correctly. For families who also play the popular game Dance Dance Revolution, how is this game similar?
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AGE
stupid
pointless i watched my sister do it it doesn't even teach you how to play piano
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AGE
This is a toy, not a real piano
I'm only fourteen years old, but I know a little something about music. I know that the best way to get someone into an insturment (guitar, piano, whatever) is to get them on it. If your kid is interested in piano, use someone else's piano, don't get them this, because it's nothing like the real thing.
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| Platforms: | Plug and Play TV games |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Music |
| Developer: | Fisher-Price |
| Release date: | December 5, 2006 |
| Price: | $80 |
| ESRB rating: | NR |
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