Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

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Osmo Coding takes the computational thinking of programming and makes it easy-to-learn, hands-on, totally fun, and gamified so that even the youngest learners can develop coding knowledge within a playful format.

I’m sold on this as a fun way for kids to develop foundational programming skills!

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

When kids learn to program, they start with fundamental concepts that stay consistent no matter how advanced they become. These are logic and problem-solving concepts which can be broken down as follows:

Fundamental Concepts

1. Sequencing (what order)

2. Conditions (walk left)

3. Loop (do 3 times)

4. Conditionals (if ____, then ____)

And what makes Osmo work so well is that kids are playing! They don’t realize that they’re coding. Which is exactly what Osmo wants to happen.

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

(It’s the same as when children build with LEGOs. While they play they’re developing engineering and architecture skills without even realizing it.)

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

Osmo Coding — How It Works

Osmo Coding can be used with almost any iPad tablet. The Osmo Game System is an optics system which “reads” the Osmo blocks. These colorful rectangular blocks are each basically mini-programs or commands.

One block is a mini walk program, another is a jump program, and so forth.

Put these mini-programs together and you have a bigger program, or a set of instructions for the game’s hero to follow.

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

The blocks are magnetized and easily snap together. In fact, I must rave about the functionality for a second. I’m so impressed with the quality of these blocks. Everything works easily and in harmony!

Once you have your blocks snapped together, add the green play button, and press play to make it happen.

Of course, you need the free app from Osmo that accompanies this kit. In this app, you’ll be playing a game to help a monster-looking dude named Awbie find and eat yummy strawberries.

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

Buy Osmo Coding

Osmo is now available in the Apple store, online at Osmo Play, and at Amazon.

Hands-On Coding for Kids with Osmo

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Osmo Coding. My opinions are not influenced by this and are all my own.

Osmo Coding makes learning programming fun and easy

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One Comment

  1. This would be such an amazing gift idea for kids. And since it’s so important to make coding fun for kids, this coding toy would work perfectly do that. Thanks for sharing and explaining it so well.