The Skoog, an innovative new instrument that can play an orchestra of sounds, gives children with special needs the ability to create music.
Special Olympic athletes and patients in hospitals in the U.K. have benefited from the joy of making music with the Skoog, a new kind of instrument that can play guitar chords, sound like a marimba, and whistle like a flute, among many other notes. Now available in the U.S., the Skoog, which was developed in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh, is a soft, brightly colored cube that can be pressed, tapped, rolled, and twisted to create musical sounds.
Thousands of educators and school board members were introduced to this innovative musical instrument at an annual conference in San Francisco last spring. With five touch-sensitive surfaces, the Skoog makes creating music accessible to everyone, from established musicians to children and adults with disabilities who struggle to grasp traditional instruments, including those with Down syndrome; sensory impairments; physical, mental, or behavioral issues; and children on the autism spectrum.
The Skoog is available at www.toolfactory.com (All ages; $899).
