As a parent, I am always looking for new and creative ways to teach my preschooler, particularly in the age of technology. When looking for the best technology based tool to teach my toddler specific coding skills, Osmo was indeed the best program.

There are benefits for children learning to code. According to Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg, “An understanding of computer science is becoming increasingly essential in today’s world. Our national competitiveness depends upon our ability to educate our children—and that includes our girls—in this critical field.”

Learning to code has been called the most important 21st-century skill. Tangibles, or physical objects designed to embody mathematical concepts, have been proven as crucial to development and approachable for kids. Previously, this knowledge was only in the hands of a few, but it is easily accessible to kids via a new game for the iPAD.

Osmo Coding is the first iPad game that teaches kids to code in the most intuitive way possible: with their hands. Osmo Coding relies on beautifully crafted blocks that kids snap together like LEGOs in front of an iPad, which form digital instructions that guide the character Awbie™ on a journey through a digital forest to finding yummy strawberries in her magical world.

Designed to teach coding to kids aged 5-12, Osmo Coding pairs Awbie™ with the company’s Reflective AI technology which allows an iPad to “see” objects in front of it, so kids can play in the real world while still benefiting from the power of technology.

Here’s how the game works:

• Each physical code block contains a unique command that can be sequenced with other commands. Combined with parameter, loop, and boolean (if-then) blocks, kids can easily make complex sequences for Awbie™ to follow.
• By arranging physical pieces of code, kids can guide Awbie™ on a delightful open-ended world.
• Whether it’s shaking trees, munching on strawberries, or planting flowers, kids can use computational thinking to progress and master the world of Awbie™.

You can order Osmo products directly from their site here or at any retail store listed here.