Jump up and Join in #JUJI

by Leyla [Thisdayilove] - 23:19

Today is the official launch for the Jump up Join in #JUJI app. The app has been developed by David and Carrie Grant along with Egmont UK and is currently available for ios. The girls and I came across the #JUJI range when we read the book 'Lions Speedy Sauce', both girls love this book and the CD which accompanies is a favourite in the car.

We were very excited to be invited for a sneak peak at the app. The girls love trains and I know this because of this face

I managed to keep the girls occupied

But they did make a bit of a mess

We arrived at Egmont UK and I have to say a big thank you to all the staff who were all so welcoming and really looked after us, also to apologies for my youngest who decided to see how much mess she could make, despite my best efforts of trying to tidy up after her.

It was time for the big reveal. Carrie and David introduced the app and explained what they wanted to achieve. I have to agree with the ideas they had. I have struggled to find a way to make music really fun for the girls. I learnt to play piano at 5 and the lessons, if I am honest, where never much fun. My eldest is showing a very keen interest in music and I want to help her pursue it without pushing her.

I have tried to find apps to help but either the sounds are out of tune/key and often the wrong noise or a noise you would not associate with that instrument comes out and its rather off putting/annoying. The way that #JUJI works is that there is a segment for everyone. A story, which really engages my 2 girls, games to play, the more serious but still fun side [like scales and rhythm] and making instruments. The app reflects this.

The app costs £2.49 and when I first heard this I did think to myself, that is a lot. Actually though now I have seen the app and played with it, its really well priced. The app consists of an interactive story. The girls can click on characters within the story and they animate and make noises. It makes reading fun and engages them to want to do more. All the time they are learning whilst playing.

The story can be narrated or read yourself. This is great as my eldest sits and puts the story on for herself to listen to. There are two fun musical sections, you can play the bongos or climb the musical stairs. The bongos teaches rhythm and the stairs the scales. Both sections you can freestyle, which my girls love, or you can play the games. The games involve listening to a sequence and repeating and as the levels increase the difficulty follows. It does get quite hard. What is great is that no matter how great you perform you still get a star, bronze - gold. I like this because I believe that encouraging children to try and not to see failure as a bad thing but more to learn from it is how we can become better and develop that given skill.

The final part of the app is where you Jump up and Join in. You can select a face or take a picture of yourself. Add an outfit and a backdrop and then record yourself singing along to the Jump up join in theme song. The video is then saved and you can add it to facebook, or any where else you want to. I was kind of dreading this part of the day as I have been told many times in the past I cannot sing. I therefore know I cannot sing and am rather embarrassed at doing so in public. It takes me a lot to sing in front of the girls, so far they have not judged me so I am OK.

We have had a lot of fun with this part of the app, the girls like watching themselves dance to the song. It is such a great way to encourage little ones to enjoy music and have fun whilst learning. Both my girls youngest is 1 and eldest almost 3 love this app and I can see it growing with them as they start to engage more with the games.

A beautiful day out and a great app for the girls to play with. I have found, at last, an app that can help my daughter develop her love for music and have fun at the same time.

We paid our own way to attend the event. We were provided with ta code to download the app for free. All thoughts and opinions are my own.