It’s hard to pick a favorite when programs like ScratchJr, TurtleStitch, and EdisonBots are all free and easy to access. This leaves only one difference between these tools and one of their competitors, the Osmo Coding Family.

That difference comes down to learning on-screen or learning in-hand. Most (or all) of the block-based coding programs that kids currently learn to code on involve screen manipulation of some sort. It might be a tablet, a laptop, a phone, etc., but the learning is done by interacting with blocks on a screen.

Not so for the Osmo Coding Family! Read on to find out why you should be trying the Osmo Coding Family for Your Family!

Osmo Learning System

If you have not heard of the Osmo learning system before, you are in for a treat! With just a base and a reflector (we call it the “top hat” in our house), your kids can be learning to code in a fun, engaging, and completely different way than they ever have. 

Osmo is one of the best coding apps for kids due to its unique hands on component. You will need either an iPad, Amazon Kindle, or iPhone to set in the base. Next you need to download the Osmo apps you want or those that have the pieces for. Once you have placed the reflector on top of the device, you have now turned the area directly in front of the device into an interactive playground!

Besides teaching kids to code, Osmo has many other focuses. There are games that challenge mathematical thinking and problem-solving. They have games that help kids broaden their vocabulary and spelling skills. There are also animation studio packs that let budding artists decorate scenes from some of their favorite movies. 

The Osmo learning system is certainly one-of-a-kind, and not just because of how it teaches kids to code!

Magnetic Tiles

The main thing that sets the Osmo apart from any other system is the tangible, magnetic pieces the kids can code with. No longer are kids manipulating blocks on a screen, but they are physically handling blocks of code in real life! If a loop didn’t repeat enough times, they have to make the decision to swap out one number for another. If the character on the screen turned the wrong way, your coding kid will figure out that they need to turn the arrow on the tile to point a different direction. Osmo is a definite win for any kinesthetic learners out there!

Each game in the Osmo Coding Family has the tiles you will need to be able to code your way through the game. When you combine the tiles from the two block-based games, you are able to play the third game, which focuses on collaboration a problem-solving.

Without these magnetic tiles in hand, Osmo Coding Family would simply be another interactive screen-based block coding program. With these tiles in hand, you now have access to three different engaging, interactive, tactile tools in your “Coding for Kids” toolbelt.

Coding with Awbie

The first of the three kids coding apps in the Osmo Coding Family was an adorable app called Coding with Awbie. In the introduction, the coding kid learns that all of Awbie’s pets have run off, and he is desperate to find them! What ensues is a wonderful array of challenges and levels your child has to code Awbie through to find his long-lost pets. 

The designers at Osmo have done a great job of making Coding with Awbie the perfect introduction to block-based coding. Just when one of my boys would be getting frustrated, a little hint would pop up on the screen. Once we got the hang of the moving parts of the magnetic tiles, we were all in! 

Coding Jam

The next app released in the Osmo Coding Family was Coding Jam. Unlike Coding with Awbie, Coding Jam allows kids to learn to code through creativity. The premise of the game is a music studio, where rhythms and instruments get progressively harder and more complex.

Coding Jam is more free-spirited and flexible, where Coding with Awbie is more game-based coding fun. The magnetic tiles for each look similar, so they are easily mixed up. Especially when your coding kid gets out the last game in the Osmo Coding Family…

Coding Duo

This app is the latest release in the coding area of Osmo and has only been around for about two years. If you are expecting another set of magnetic tiles with this app, you will be surprised! Almost everything you need for Osmo Coding Duo can be found in the kits for Coding with Awbie and Coding Jam. 

Really, the only other things you need are the miniature Mo and Awbie figurines. They come in a small box, but they pack so much power! These two little flat characters allow kids to work together to solve problems and learn to code in a collaborative environment. What Mo can’t do, Awbie can, and vice versa. The amount of critical thinking that has to happen to be successful at this game is astounding!

Osmo Coding for your Family

Which of the games in the Osmo Coding Family sound the most interesting to you and your coding kid? Have you already started teaching your kid code with one of these resources? I’d love to hear more about how you use Osmo to introduce or reinforce coding concepts without depending on manipulating objects on a screen! How do you use the Osmo Coding Family for Your Family?

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Kaitlyn Siu

Kate is mom of two rambunctious boys and a self-proclaimed super nerd. With a background in neuroscience, she is passionate about sharing her love of all things STEM with her kids. She loves to find creative ways to teach kids computer science and geek out about coding and math.  She has authored several books on coding for kids which can be found at Hachette UK.

www.teachyourkidscode.com

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