The Perfect Blend between Technology and Hands-on Learning for Kids

The power of hand-on learning is undeniable and is often lost as education has begun to rely more on technology. How to merge physical and digital learning has been a struggle of mine as a parent. I want to promote healthy screen time and make sure my children know about technology without having them depend on it. That is where the Osmo play system comes in with the perfect blend of the two in a way that has kids playing and learning.

Our Osmo play system was gifted to us in exchange for our honest review. The opinions expressed below are my own. There are also affiliate links within this post. See my full disclaimers here.

The award-winning Osmo play system has solved the question of how to interact with technology without losing the value of hands-on play by creating this innovative learning tool that promotes healthy screen time. Kids can watch their creations come magically to life on the screen which makes their little faces light up! A child’s smile is the best review after all!

How do I start?

The Osmo play system starts with a tablet; an iPad or a Fire Tablet to be specific. Then, the best way to start is by getting an Osmo starter packs. There are several to choose from.

For kids age 3 – 5 you can start with the Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit. It comes with 4 games designed for preschool-aged kids. The sticks and rings ABC game is great not only for early literacy skills but also for creativity. Kids have to figure out how to create different letters and pictures using the provided stick and rings and practice their fine motor skills to pick them up.

The Creative Genius Starter Kit is for kids age 4-10 and includes six games meant to get kids to use their imagination, explore, invent, and play. These games focus on math confidence, spatial sense, reading, and more.

If your kids are just a little bit older, there is still an Osmo starter kit for you! The Genius Starter Kit is for ages 6-10. It has 5 learning games including Tangram and one designed to teach early physics.

Can I add to my Osmo Play System?

The Osmo play system has a lot of additional games so there is always something new to learn. From coding to pizza games, and a fun a detective game!

There are some really fun drawing games like Mickey Mouse & Friends Super Studio. In this game, kids use their imagination to draw in different parts of a story and watch it come to life on the tablet. My son absolutely loved this game and I think I will need to get him a few more! It is a great combination of fun and learning.

Other Super Studio themes available are Frozen 2, Disney Princess, and Disney-Pixar Incredibles 2.

The Osmo play system has been so amazing for my family. My son is excited to be learning and I get a few minutes during the day to get some work done! That is a major mom win! The games are developed by child development researchers to engage children to foster not only academic learning but emotional and social skills as well.