Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for electronically teaching phonics. The exemplary embodiment provides a base unit with multiple receiving wells for blocks. The outer surface of each face of each block expresses an alphabetic character. Each face of each alphabet block has a unique bit pattern expressed in a pattern of electrically conductive material that identifies the alphabetic character expressed on the outer surface of the opposing block face. Underneath the exposed surface of the floor of each block receiving well, is an electronic sensing device. The electronic sensing device uses capacitive coupling in accordance with a test bit pattern to identify the alphabetic character expressed by each block in each block receiving well. A computer device, such as a microprocessor, identifies phonetic relationships between the exposed letters and determines the phoneme for each exposed alphabetic character for each block in a block receiving well.

Abstract: The educational music instrument is a musical toy that allows one or more musical sequences to be played. The toy includes a base with a signal processing unit and five receiving portions. The toy also includes five blocks which are configured to be inserted to the receiving portions. When the blocks are engaged with the receiving portions, a musical sequence or phase is played by the toy. The musical sequence played by the toy is dependent upon which face of the block is engaged with the receiving portion and different blocks preferably cause different musical sequences to be played. Accordingly, the musical toy can play numerous different musical sequences depending upon location and orientation of the blocks in the receiving portions.