My child bounded into the kitchen clutching the iPad like it contained the secrets of the universe, eyes wide with the particular gleam that means I'm about to hear about something that will 'change everything' and cost money. Before I could even set down my coffee, they launched into an explanation about coding blocks and games and learning and please-please-please-can-we-get-this-thing-called-Osmo. I did what any responsible parent does: opened a new browser tab while nodding thoughtfully.

See it, Dad? →
Kid
Dad, there's this amazing thing called Osmo Coding and you use real blocks to make the iPad characters move and it teaches you programming and I could become a real coder and maybe work at Apple someday!
Dad
Ah yes, the old 'physical blocks meet digital world' approach. And this would make you happy because...?
Kid
Because it's like magic but it's also learning! The blocks are real but they control the screen and there's this character named Awbie who eats strawberries when you code him right!
Dad
Well, when you put it like that... let me see what 9,200 other parents thought about this particular brand of magic.

What Is It?

The Osmo Coding Starter Kit is essentially wizardry disguised as education — you place physical coding blocks in front of your iPad camera, and through some technological sorcery, those blocks control characters on screen. It's designed to teach programming concepts to kids without them realizing they're learning, which is basically the holy grail of parenting.

What Does the Internet Think?

With a solid 4.6-star rating across over 9,200 reviews, this thing has apparently won over a small army of parents and kids. The reviews consistently praise how it makes abstract coding concepts tangible and engaging, with many parents noting their kids actually stick with it longer than other educational toys. That's the kind of staying power that makes a dad's wallet feel slightly less violated. ★★★★½ across 9,200 reviews.

✅ Yes.
★★★★½ 4.6 stars  ·  9,200 reviews

Look, when nearly 10,000 parents give something a 4.6-star rating, that's not just good — that's 'maybe we should listen to the crowd' territory. This isn't just another screen time guilt purchase; it's screen time that actually teaches something valuable while feeling like play. The fact that it bridges physical and digital play is genuinely clever, and if it can trick kids into learning programming logic while having fun, that's worth celebrating. Sometimes the thing that makes them happy is also the thing that makes them smarter.

Check Price on Amazon →

💡 We Have Something Like That At Home

Basic coding board games
Old-school unplugged coding games that teach similar logic without requiring an iPad.
See more like this on Amazon →