July 31, 2017

Alright, July, I think I'm going to miss you (but not your weather). I will say your 100+ degree heat has made for some really good lazy days at home--I'm pretty sure I've got dreads going from braids on repeat! 


My kids have worn holes in their jammies from being lions and I've done some damage to our grocery budget, but it's been worth it to slow down and have everyone home!


I've really loved watching the kids play together. I can see how their creativity has grown over the last few months. 


One of my favorite ways I've watched the kids play creativity this summer is through Osmo. Have you heard of Osmo?! I was recently introduced to this company and I just have to say it's probably the coolest game system for the iPad that I've seen. It merges technology with real-life imaginative play. 


Osmo created several different game accessories you connect to the iPad that kids use while playing the Osmo apps. They have a total of 9 apps you can download!


My kids have explored Osmo like it's a little fairy tale land. In between playing dress-up and barbies I've watched them run over to the creative board and become an artistic engineer. 


Our Osmo package happened to arrive on Luella's birthday, so it was fun to let her open it during the day as an extra surprise. 

This is the Creative Kit. It comes with the dry erase creative board, 6 erasable markers, an eraser/pouch, the white iPad base, and a red reflector. 


Your iPad sits in the white base, you attach the red reflector above the iPad camera, and then the creative board sits nestled against the white base.

The Creative Kit does so many cool things that ignite creativity. The 3 apps it uses are Monster, Newton, and Masterpiece. 


1. Monster

Discovering a friendly monster named Mo continues to be the highlight for my kids whenever they play Monster. So far we've learned that Mo is a magician and he always has new ideas. Oh--and he also loves to dance. He relies on the kids to help him carry out his big ideas--things like magic shows, going on adventures, and constructing rooms for him to play in. 


The kids draw the objects he needs (bananas, wands, cauldrons, etc.) and he magically pulls their image into the iPad screen for an interactive experience. The kids crack up every time Mo grabs the picture they drew! 

Monster brings technology to life for my kids since they are in charge of directing the game with their art.


2. Netwon

My father is a problem solver, my husband is an inventor, and my father-in-law is an engineer. My kids have big shoes to fill! I love that the Newton app helps develop all of these skills. 


In this game, the kids have to deflect balls to an energy source so it fills up a power box. Whether it's drawing a line or using household objects for the balls to bounce off of, whatever they place on the creative board magically appears on the iPad screen and the balls deflect.

Learning what trial and error is all about.

 Learning to work together--and they like it!?!

I love how each level gets more challenging, too. 

Totally hands on and they get positive feedback when they beat each level. 


Netwon is teaching my kids how to use creativity to be inventive and solve problems. They get to see how their real-life actions affect the game. 


3. Masterpiece

With the Masterpiece app the kids learn things like photography, drawing & sketching, and penmanship. The combination of the skills taught in this app are pretty incredible. 


My kids have gained confidence in their art and have learned cognitive skills while using their imagination. 

Masterpiece has a bank with TONS of images your kids can trace. Once you select the image you want (Luella decided to trace Mo), they can use their dry erase marker on the creative board and follow the simple lines projected on the iPad.


With other drawing apps the kids use their finger. They miss learning the skills of using a marker and paper! Osmo won me over because my kids actually get to draw. They can use the creative board with a dry erase marker, or they can grab a piece of paper and color with paint or crayons. 


The Wall of Fame board on the Osmo website is amazing--you can see what kids created from Masterpiece!

Ok this is another cool thing. Avett discovered he can take a picture of a toy (or anything for that matter!) and then Masterpiece turns his photograph into simple lines for him to draw. My kids love setting up their toys like a photo shoot! 

They love tracing and drawing their toys!

Here's another tracing page included in the Masterpiece app! I can't say enough good things about it. It also has cursive practice sheets--that's Luella's favorite. 


I'm really just obsessed with Osmo and I'm forever sold on their products. I've looked at all of the other game accessories on their website and I'm excited to add them to our Osmo collection in the future--it's going to make Christmas/birthday shopping SO much easier!


Osmo has changed the way my kids interact with technology. Osmo brings real-life imaginative play into their screen time while building new skills and self-confidence. We love it! 


*This is a sponsored post but all of the thoughts and experiences shared are my own.



Please reload

Please reload