The Qubitunes Soundstage Toy Is a Great Gift for Kids

Most parents worry about exposing their kids to too much screen time, but it can be tough to find alternatives that children find entertaining and that might be beneficial. Enter Qubitunes, a screen-free play stage and speaker for kids. Content comes in wooden cartridges that you slot in the top, and kids can place wooden character pieces on the circular soundstage, divided into four sections, to change the audio it plays.

大多数家长都担心孩子接触屏幕的时间过长，但要找到既能让孩子感到有趣又有益的替代品往往很难。Qubitunes 是一款专为儿童设计的无屏幕游戏台和扬声器。内容存储在木质卡带中，插入顶部即可使用；孩子们可以将木质角色棋子放在分为四个区域的圆形声舞台上，从而改变播放的音频。

This seemingly simple design allows for interactive stories that change based on the characters and spots your kids choose, music that can be layered up with different instruments, and themed games and quizzes. I’m a huge fan of Qubitunes, and it has a deserving place in my guides to the best STEM toys and speakers for kids. As Black Friday and gifting season approaches, the Qubitunes starter kit is one toy to keep an eye on for discounts.

这种看似简单的设计实现了互动式故事，故事内容会根据孩子选择的角色和位置而改变；此外还有可以叠加不同乐器的音乐，以及主题游戏和测验。我是 Qubitunes 的忠实粉丝，它理应出现在我推荐的最佳 STEM 玩具和儿童扬声器指南中。随着“黑色星期五”和送礼季的临近，Qubitunes 入门套装是一款值得关注折扣的玩具。

I played with Qubitunes for hours when it arrived and really enjoyed it. The stereo speakers are decent, there’s a headphone port, and it can be recharged via USB-C for up to six hours of play. It has since gone into my wife’s classroom, and it’s usually the first thing picked when kids have finished their work and it’s choosing time. It’s very popular with 7- and 8-year-olds, but kids aged 3 years and up (all the way up to adults) will potentially get a kick out of this.

Qubitunes 到货后，我玩了几个小时，非常喜欢。它的立体声扬声器效果不错，配有耳机接口，可以通过 USB-C 充电，续航时间长达六小时。后来它被带到了我妻子的教室，每当孩子们完成作业进入自由选择时间时，它通常是大家的首选。它在 7 到 8 岁的孩子中非常受欢迎，但 3 岁及以上的孩子（甚至成年人）也可能会从中获得乐趣。

There is a caveat: the need to purchase content separately. These add-ons cost between $10 and $20 each. Stories, games, and other options come in wooden blocks that slot into the device so you can download the content. You need a Wi-Fi connection for the initial content download and firmware updates, but then you can play offline. They usually come with three or four character blocks and a labelled bag to keep them in.

需要注意的一点是：内容需要单独购买。这些附加组件的价格在 10 到 20 美元之间。故事、游戏和其他选项存储在木块中，插入设备即可下载内容。首次下载内容和更新固件时需要 Wi-Fi 连接，之后便可离线使用。它们通常配有三到四个角色木块，以及一个用于存放它们的标签袋。

My top pick is the Little Maestro set ($20) featuring players in an orchestra covering Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Bach. There are also stories about quirky characters, such as The Groblies ($20), a fun cooking game called Bernard’s Kitchen ($20) with different ingredients, and various themed soundscapes and quizzes. I prefer activities where there’s some creativity or a learning game involved, but the stories and soundscapes are good for very young kids. The interactive nature of these sets elevates the experience beyond passive listening and provides replay value, as kids experiment to discover what happens when they move and replace pieces on the stage.

我的首选是“小指挥家”（Little Maestro）套装（20 美元），其中包含演奏莫扎特、维瓦尔第、贝多芬和巴赫作品的管弦乐队成员。此外还有关于古怪角色的故事，例如“Groblies”（20 美元）、一款包含不同食材的趣味烹饪游戏“伯纳德的厨房”（Bernard’s Kitchen，20 美元），以及各种主题音景和测验。我更喜欢涉及创造力或学习游戏的内容，但故事和音景非常适合年龄较小的孩子。这些套装的互动性将体验提升到了被动聆听之上，并提供了重复游玩的价值，因为孩子们可以通过移动和更换舞台上的棋子来探索会发生什么。

Qubs has also recently released a Maestro expansion ($10) with four new composers, a Jurassic Sounds Dinosaur Game ($20) with facts and T-Rex roars, and versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel & Gretel, among many others. If you like the idea of sustainable, screen-free toys, the maker Qubs also made a clever wooden car STEM toy called Cody Block ($70) that introduces kids to basic coding concepts, and it’s on sale right now, down from $100.

Qubs 最近还发布了“指挥家”扩展包（10 美元），增加了四位新作曲家；一款包含科普知识和霸王龙吼声的“侏罗纪声音恐龙游戏”（20 美元）；以及《小红帽》和《糖果屋》等多个版本。如果您喜欢可持续、无屏幕玩具的理念，制造商 Qubs 还制作了一款名为 Cody Block（70 美元）的巧妙木制汽车 STEM 玩具，旨在向孩子们介绍基础编程概念，目前该产品正在促销，价格已从 100 美元降至 70 美元。