Tangible Play’s Osmo For iPad

Children are now super adept at using gadgets!  Sometimes more adept than parents!  18 month olds can find Peppa Pig on YouTube faster before their first words are even uttered! (I know this because my 18 month old has done it!)

But there is always the worry that technology is starting to overtake ‘real’toys!  There are always complaints that children don’t use physical manipulatives as much anymore.  However, what about having technology mixed with a great toy?  Osmo has created an exciting new application and tangible game where children can play with real world toys that interact with the iPad’s screen!  You can already pre-order Osmo’s new game through crowdfunding.

Osmo has three unique parts: there is the software, the game pieces and the iPad stand.  The whole thing runs by a smart mirror attachment which points the camera at the table top in order to ‘see’the players manipulating game pieces.

There will be three games launched.

Firstly, Newton gets players to build structures that escorts orbs into various goals set out.  Using paper, pencils or other physical objects, players must ‘build’barriers that are mirrored through the iPad’s camera, then appearing on screen.

Secondly, Tangram uses physical geometric puzzle pieces to match the shapes shown on screen.

Thirdly, Words is Scrabble-like in that it uses letter tiles to spell whatever words appear on screen.

Tangible Play is launching Osmo as its first project.  The $50,000 crowdfunding campaign will help Osmo establish itself and hopefully be the beginning of many new and exciting projects.  Anyone who backs Osmo will get a $100 game kit for half the price. The hope is that children will combine their love of technology with real toys!  Vintage, with a twist!

As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.

[Image via creativity]

SOURCE: http://gizmodo.com/osmo-uses-your-ipad-to-get-your-kids-playing-in-the-rea-1580046802