Hands on learning with the Osmo Genius Starter Kit
Ad – This Osmo Genius Starter kit review is in collaboration with Mumsnet and Osmo
Watching my girls grow up and develop, combined with the pride they experience when they achieve something new, is hands down probably one of my favourite parts of being a Mum. I love the excitement, the anticipation, the glint in their eyes and the process of watching their confidence grow. Now in Year 2 at infant school, Erin has come on leaps and bounds with her reading and writing and absolutely loves showing and telling me about all the new things she has learned.
Erin however, is most definitely a practical learner and the phrase ‘practice makes perfect’ couldn’t be more true in her case. Having watched her progress through those first years at school, it soon became very clear that Erin learns best through doing and that practically applying the theory she has learned through game play or puzzles really helps concepts to sink in and improve her confidence. She can also be prone to resist the more traditional educational methods, so is far more open to learning when it involves some fun along the way.
What is Osmo?
When we were first introduced to Osmo we were really impressed. An educational and practical toy that works with a compatible iPad or tablet to combine learning through screen time AND the movement of tangible pieces. As someone who has recruited into STEM subjects for many years, I have seen just how few females came through the door during the application process.
With Erin having a curious and inquisitive nature, I would love to encourage her interest in these types of career paths by introducing her to practical thinking from a young age. Osmo seemed like a great way to do this, and I couldn’t wait to put it to the test!
How much is Osmo?
The Osmo Genius Starter Kit retails at £99.99 and includes 5 games and the iPad Osmo base.
How Osmo Works
To play with Osmo, you simply pop your iPad on to the Osmo base and then place the red reflector over the device’s camera. This Osmo reflector then allows the camera to scan and view the “play area” in front of your device, meaning that the actions children perform are replicated on screen.
Osmo is compatible with iPad models 2, iPad 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Generation, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2–5, iPad Air, iPad Air 2-3 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Osmo Genius Starter Kit
We were sent the Osmo Genius Starter kit which retails at £99 and is aimed at children ages 6-10. The Genius Starter Kit comes with the Osmo base and reflector, as well as 5 games to kick start your child’s learning, with activities focusing on problem solving, puzzles, spelling and maths.
Our Experience of Osmo Genius Starter Kit
Erin was really excited when Osmo arrived and was very keen to get started. We are a tech friendly family, so Erin is really familiar with the iPad and has used a number of educational apps in the past. As such, she was keen to discover what made Osmo different and what it had to offer!
How easy is Osmo to set up?
Osmo does require some initial set up, although this is very straightforward, essentially downloading the different apps for each game as well as the core Osmo app and account. You have to give consent for the apps to view your iPad’s camera and create a basic profile for each child who wishes to play. There is also a separate Osmo Parent app, should you wish to be notified about your children’s progress.
You can set up as many different profiles for Osmo as you wish, meaning that it can easily be shared by siblings of different ages who may progress at differing paces and/or levels of difficulty.
We then took our iPad out of it’s normal case (which I have to admit make me a little nervous!) and popped it into the Osmo base unit, before clipping on the little mirror cap over the camera – allowing the iPad to “see” what was happening on the table/floor area in front.
Does the Osmo Genius Starter Kit include games?
The Osmo Genius Starter Kit comes with 5 games – 3 of which require physical pieces, and these come in brightly coloured and clearly labelled storage pots. I loved how these stacked so neatly into each other so that all the pieces can be neatly (and compactly) packed away when not in use.
The physical play pieces are sturdy, well made and really durable so I didn’t have to worry about them getting damaged during play. Osmo have definitely built these to last.
Osmo Numbers Game
Erin is LOVING Maths at the moment, and a far cry from those early days where we had a few tears of confusion around addition and subtraction, her confidence has really started to grow. The Osmo Numbers game involves arranging physical tiles to add and subtract, multiply and connect tiles together in order to match the number displayed on screen.
The physical pieces include both dots and digits, meaning that Erin was challenged to complete sums using numbers represented in a variety of visual forms.
Erin had to slide in the numbers to the “play area” in front of the iPad, and as she did so the number on screen increased until it has reached the desired total. I loved the way it forced Erin to think about what numbers she needed next. and how she started to change from using ones to twos and fives as her confidence started to grow.
The Numbers game is set in an underwater world and creating the sums correctly causes the bubbles to pop and water to fall into the pool below. The more bubbles she popped, the more water, fish and other surprises are collected. By continuing to add, subtract and solve the calculations, the water gradually reaches the target line and the level is complete!
Unlike doing traditional Maths puzzles with a paper and pen, Osmo allowed Erin learn through play with instant feedback on screen in front of her. She didn’t have to worry about getting it wrong, as the format allowed her to experiment and change the pieces until she achieved the desired result. She found it fun, and was really pleased when she completed a level or got a new high score.
Whilst numbers starts off relatively easy, the sums become more and more challenging and require more thought as the levels progress.
Osmo Tangram Game
Next up was Game 2 – Tangram, which is a relatively new concept for Erin based on a Chinese geometric puzzle, including a square which has been split into 7 different pieces which can be arranged in different ways.
Tangram involves arranging the physical pieces to match the shapes presented on screen, creating different shapes such as animals, numbers and even humans. As each shape is completed, the character is brought to life and Erin was able to move through the map and explore a whole new world, completing missions along the way.
Tangram is trickier than it may first appear and helps build problem solving skills and spatial awareness (the latter of which is most definitely NOT my forte!)
Erin has really loved playing the Osmo Tangram game (probably her favourite of the 5) and enjoys trying to guess the animal or creature, and discover what happened on the map when the character came to life.
By sliding the pieces into the ‘play area’ in front of the screen, Osmo Tangram provides visual and audio feedback, with the pieces flashing and becoming fully shaded if they are in the right place. At times Erin would place the triangles at incorrect angles and would then have to look more closely at the edges and rotate the piece until it fell into place, and it was lovely to watch her process what she needed to do in order to get it right.
There are multiple levels of difficulty and achievements to earn with Tangram, and with over 500 puzzles to complete, this is something that should keep her mind busy and curious for a while to come!
Osmo Words Game
The Osmo Word app is a fun spelling and word puzzle game, which in theory is a little like hangman and uses physical letter pieces in both capital and lower case. A picture is displayed on screen to provide a visual cue and an indication is given of the number of letters in the word.
The difficulty is based on your child’s age, but as with much of the Osmo games, starts off easier and gradually increases in difficulty. Erin used the physical letter pieces to spell out her guess of the correct word, which at times was straight forward, and at others required her to think more imaginatively.
If an incorrect letter is suggested, this fell into the incorrect circles at the top of the screen, and she was able to try again in a stress free and non pressurised game.
It was fun to listen to Erin sound the words out in order to select the right letters, and try again if her first attempt wasn’t correct.
She was slightly slower with this one, and at times struggled to find the physical letters she needed with so many laid out on the floor beside her. If a child does need help, Words does start to countdown after a period of time and provide a clue to assist.
There are two different colours on the physical pieces, meaning children can play with a friend and add up their own individual scores.
Although we haven’t done this yet, Words also allows the Osmo Community to create custom albums and create their own words, which can then be shared with other users. I really like this concept, as it increases the longevity of play, and introduces more and more words and vocabulary through gameplay.
Osmo Masterpiece game
Erin is a very creative child, and ever since she was tiny has always loved to draw, colour and use her imagination to create illustrations on paper. Masterpiece is a fun interactive drawing tool and I felt that this one in particular would be right up her street.
Using Masterpiece, Erin was able to pick an illustration from a variety of albums in different categories or even snap an image of what she wanted to draw using the iPad camera. Masterpiece then becomes a tool to help her draw it herself. Their favourite toy, the family pet, a photo of her sister – the opportunities really are endless!
Using the screen as an interactive guide, the image of the paper is replicated on the screen, and the lines of the image could be followed, combining tech with physical drawing. Unlike other drawing apps on the iPad, Masterpiece still requires Erin to physically hold and move a pencil, meaning she still benefits from hand eye coordination and dexterity.
I love the concept of Masterpiece, however it is quite a skill to master and does take a little getting used to. I thought the masterpiece app would project the lines on to the paper to be traced over, but instead it replicates a visual of the paper onto the screen, and therefore it is drawing onto the paper whilst the lines you are drawing are replicated on the screen. Even I found this a little tricky, so definitely a case of practice makes perfect.
Despite finding it a little tricky at first, seeing how proud Erin was of her finished drawings was definitely worth it. Masterpiece allows you to save your drawings to a gallery which can be shared with friends and family – and you can even shoot a time lapsed video of you drawing it and play it back!
Osmo Newton Game
Last but by no means least was Game 5 – Newton – think physics meets creative problem solving. This game was probably the most mentally challenging for Erin, and having only recently turned 6, may be one that she takes a little longer to get her head around.
Newton involves using objects or drawn lines to help guide falling balls into set zones. There are 60 levels, and they really require you to think creatively.
The balls drops from above, and you can place physical items such as pencils on the play area to change the direction that the ball moves, and encourage it to bounce in the right direction.
Newton will use whatever you place on the playing field (literally ANYTHING you have to hand) or you can draw lines using a pencil on a plain sheet of paper. I really enjoyed Newton myself, and from a problem solving point of view, this app really does encourage creative thinking!
Osmo Genius Starter Kit Review – Our Verdict
Both Erin and I have been really genuinely impressed with Osmo, and I love the combination of screen time and physical pieces. The games are fun and engaging, and at no point has playing with Osmo felt like a chore or “homework” for either of us!
Erin definitely has a couple of games which are her favourites (Numbers and Tangram) and I have to admit they weren’t the ones I was expecting to be such a hit at the outset. She has come back from school and immediately chosen to play with Osmo herself, which is a really positive sign, and far less guilt free for me than her sitting watching YouTube on the iPad. I can also get updates on what she’s been up to on the app, with her key achievements and progress being updated on my parent account.
I love that Osmo game play is a relaxed and positive hands on play experience, with no pressure and no punishment for getting something wrong. It allows the child to learn as they go along, most importantly at their own pace, figuring things out for themselves and revising their approach accordingly if they do make mistakes or find it hard.
Its been really fun watching Erin process the different challenges Osmo has posed along the way, and I can already see her becoming more confident in the short time we have had the product.
I would definitely recommend Osmo to any parent who has a child who prefers more practical learning, or who wants to practically support their child’s school curriculum at home. With more games to purchase separately, Osmo is something that can continue to support your child’s learning as they grow.
Testiment to our experience, I have since purchased an additional Osmo game called Pizza Co, which encourages Maths and money skills by allowing children to run their own Pizza restaurant. The girls have been able to play this together, with Neve helping me creating the pizzas that each customer has requested, and Erin processing the payment and giving customers their change. We have all had a lot of fun playing this together and it’s really helped embed some fast paced mathmatics which will help Erin in the real world (and hopefully make her fully appreciate how much things cost!).
You can learn more about Osmo and the range of add on games and accessories at Osmo‘s website.
*We were sent an Osmo Genius Starter Kit for the purpose of this review however as always all thoughts and opinions are my own*
