The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
If you’re looking for a fun way to engage your kids in learning, but add a tech angle that will draw them in, Osmo is your answer. Osmo is a tech accessory that works with your iPad to bring kids into a fun world of geometry, physics, words, and numbers. You can purchase the Osmo Genius Kit package which includes the Osmo base that holds your iPad, and various accessories to play the different Osmo games.
Both of my girls, ages 9 and 12 are having a blast playing with the Osmo. I can already tell that this game will be a major boredom buster for the summer! Once you’ve set your iPad in the Osmo base, you attach the mirror piece over your camera, and this is what registers the movements as kids play the various games.
In our Osmo Genius Kit, you receive a Tangram shape set, a Words alphabet set, and a Numbers set, in addition to the base and mirror. Two other apps, Newton and Masterpiece don’t require accessories, but you can use the other sets with them as well. There is also an expanded new Coding set that you can purchase to help your kids learn to code. Here’s a look at some of the fun my girls had, and a list of how each of the app games work.
Newton
Use your creativity with inventive objects such as a hand drawn basket, grandma’s glasses, dad’s keys or anything around you to guide falling on screen balls into targeted zones.
Osmo Newton – physics game
Having fun playing Osmo Newton app
Newton is a game of physics for kids. They must draw lines or use other objects, like their hands, to create walls that will redirect the dropping balls onto the targets. How quickly the targets are hit to complete the level leads to a one, two, or three star rating, and allows kids to move on to the next level.
My girls loved this one, but it was challenging even for them when they first looked at it. I think this one is definitely great for older kids, mine being 9 and 12, and will help encourage them to problem solve and find solutions. Even after completing levels, they can always try the level again to try and get a better score, and better star rating.
Masterpiece
Supercharge your drawing skills with Masterpiece. Pick any image from the camera, curated gallery or integrated web search and Masterpiece will transform it into easy to follow lines and help you draw it to perfection. You can then share a magical timelapse video of your creation with your friends and family.
My girls haven’t played this one yet, but they’re really looking forward to using a photo of our dog, Sophie, for their drawing. I’m excited to see how well the program works to help kids, or adults, draw their favorite images.
Tangram
Arrange wooden puzzle pieces into matching onscreen shapes. Play with your child or challenge yourself to more advanced levels with Osmo acting as your mentor by lighting up with each victory.
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- Tangram shape game for Osmo
For this game kids need to use the tangram puzzle pieces to build the image shown on the screen. There are varying levels, easy, medium, hard, and harder, and as kids complete each level, they move on and can sometimes reach fun events, like freeing people from a castle.
This one is definitely a bit simpler, but my girls still find the hard levels challenging and requires them to think a bit. I was a bit surprised at how many different creations they were creating since there is just a small set of tiles.
Words
Be the first to guess and spell out the on screen hidden word by tossing down real life letters faster than your friends. A related picture gives the clue.
Race against friends to solve and build the word with Osmo Words
This is one of the favorites of my two girls, partly because they love the competition of competing against each other. Words with two people allow each person to have a set color of alphabet tiles, red or blue, and the opponent the other color. The screen will show a photo and each competitor has to try and deciper the photo and fill in the word bubble at the bottom with their colored tiles. Each tile counts for 2 points, so you want to get as many of your letters filling in the word before your competitor.
Numbers
With a counting, addition, concatenation and multiplication mode, there is a challenge for everybody. As kids get more confident in one mode, they can move on the the next one, allowing them to learn at their own pace.
My girls haven’t played as much with this one yet since they’ve been in love with the words competition, but it’s a great opportunity for kids to work on their math facts basics.
I have to say that Osmo exceeded my original thoughts. I thought it would be a cool game, but the tech is really unbelievable, and it definitely engaged my girls. I would recommend it, we even brought it on the trip that we’re on right now!
