Machi Blocks Numbers & Colours Basic Set
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Ages 3+ Mandarin (with phonetics) and English 1.5 inch solid wood blocks Printed using non-toxic inks Includes one canvas carrying bag Designed in the US Conforms to ASTM US safety standards Manufactured in China using fair working conditions and sustainable environmental practices. |
Machi Blocks are a simple toy designed to teach your child the basics of Mandarin by combining beautifully decorated wooden blocks with an interactive mobile app. Play with the blocks on their own or use them with the augmented reality app to hear accurate Mandarin pronunciation and and enrich your learning experience.
This 20 block set features the numbers 1 through 10 and colours of the rainbow. Each block has English and Chinese translations, as well as Pinyin, the standardised pronunciation system for Mandarin. Includes a canvas carrying bag and instructions on how to download the free Machi mobile app on iOS or Android.
You don’t need to know anything about Chinese to use the blocks because the app teaches proper pronunciation. It's perfect for native English speakers who want introductory exposure to Mandarin.
The design team is formed by three parents live and work in the US. They combined the charm of old fashion toy with high tech and created this impressive set of wooden blocks for children to enjoy the fun of learning Mandarin.
Q & A
How does the AR app work?
The face of each block is decorated with a unique border that is actually code. The AR app recognises the code and triggers it to play an animation and recording of the audio pronunciation.
Why did you select numbers and colours as the specific words to include in the set?
These are the first words that are taught in Chinese school and serve as a foundation for learning Mandarin.
Which system of Chinese do you use?
We are using Standard Chinese, which is the official language of China. It utilises the Beijing dialect for pronunciation and simplified Chinese characters for writing. Many language programs across the world are adopting the simplified Chinese system for instruction. Traditional Chinese is not used as much except in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
No one in our household has a Chinese background. Can we still use this product?
Absolutely! We understand that Mandarin is a daunting language to learn and pronunciation is one of the most difficult aspects. Our augmented reality mobile app can recognise each block and recite the word in both English and Chinese, making it easy for even non-native speakers to learn.
What materials are used in Machi Blocks and are they safe?
Machi Blocks are made of solid maple wood and non-toxic inks. As parents, the safety of our product is extremely important to us. We promise to meet US (ASTM) safety standards.
