A Christmas Present Idea for Elementary Age Kiddos

Two years ago, when Bean was in first grade and Gracie was in preschool, we got the kids an Osmo for Christmas.  I found it on one of Amazon’s gift list ideas.  I was a little nervous because it was kind of pricey for something I’d never seen or used before, but it has turned out to be a favorite around my house.

An Osmo is an educational game system that connects to your iPad.  It turns your iPad into an interactive, manipulative tool for kids to use in a very hands-on style of leaning, not just pushing buttons on an iPad screen.  You hook the reflector to the top of your iPad and it turns the area in front of your iPad into a live space for games.

We bought the beginner set, which includes a Words game and a Tangram game.  All of the Osmo games start at the preschool level and go up through age 12.  We are two years into using ours and the kids aren’t tired of it yet.  I’ve even brought it for Cub Scouts to use when we worked on a tangram activity for a STEM achievement we were earning and the boys loved it, too.

This year, I have already bought the Coding game for the kids for Christmas and I think I might add the Numbers one, too.

The teacher in me loves this system because it is so educational.  The games are fun, the kids love playing with it, and they are learning the entire time.  I also love it because it encourages what I call 360 degree thinking.  Not just write or wrong answers, but critical thinking skills, too.

The parent in me loves it because I don’t have to fight the screen time battle. It lets me compromise with the kids. “Yes, you can use the iPad, but you have to use the Osmo.” And everyone is happy. Also, I like the packaging because it is magnetic, so all the games and the base snap together easily and compact nicely. I take mine with me to all of our sports practices and whoever isn’t in practice can play with it in the car while we wait. I have also taken it when I have to go to a meeting or something and have to bring the kids with me, for whatever reason. They put on headphones and are content to hang out playing, and I feel good because they aren’t rotting their tiny brains.

I thought I’d share since the holidays are right around the corner and, if you’re like me, you might be getting your Christmas lists together already.  Or at least collecting ideas.

This is not a paid advertisement.  Just sharing something my family loves.