Developing Fine Motor Skills with Osmo's Monster and Creative Set

I have been a fan of the Osmo from the day it was released, and I'm always excited to see what new interactive app they will create next. Well, I couldn't be more excited about their newest release, Monster. I just got it today! It comes with a dry erase board and a magnetic eraser that also serves as a storage pouch for a set of six colorful markers. If you don't already have the starter set, you will need that too. Once you get your package from Osmo, all you have to do is download their free app, set it up the ipad as in the image above, open the app and let the magic begin.

What is this New Game?
Mo is a cartoon character that requests players to make drawings that he then uses in animated activities.  Kids can have hours of fun sketching objects that Mo brings to life on the screen.

Are There Any Cognitive or Educational Benefits to Osmo Monsters?
Yes.  There are a number of benefits.
  • Drawing helps kids to develop fine motor skills.
  • Creative play helps to develop the imagination.
  • Playful animations kindle a love for learning.
  • Mo's nonjudgemental acceptance of the player's draws develops pride and confidence.
How Can Learning Specialist Use Osmo Monsters?
  • You can add additional directions to Mo's requests to develop listening skills.
  • You can encourage your students to visualize their sketches before they draw.
  • You can ask your students to verbalize their visualizations before drawing to develop metacognitive skills.
What are the Other Games?
The inventors or Osmo claim that their games foster learning in "social-emotional skills, creative thinking, art, STEM and common core.  They have six other games and each develops unique skills:

  • Coding - logic and problem-solving skills
  • Tangrams - visual processing, fine motor, and spatial relation skills
  • Words - spelling, critical thinking, and reasoning skills 
  • Newton - creative problem solving, spacial and visual processing skills
  • Masterpieces - fine motor, visual processing, drawing and creative confidence skills
  • Numbers - quantitive reasoning skills as well as counting, addition and multiplication skills
CLICK HERE to purchase Osmo Monsters.  By using this link, the first 5 people to order the full Osmo kit will get $5.00 off.

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Go Dyslexia, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to https://godyslexia.com/, www.goodsensorylearning.com, www.dyslexiamaterials.com & www.learningtolearn.biz  
Follow on Bloglovin

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accommodating Students with Dyslexia: 12 Strategies for Success

Image
Students with dyslexia or symptoms of dyslexia often struggle in school. It is not that they have limited abilities.  On the contrary, many have IQs in the above average or genius range. As a result, instead of a dumbed down curriculum, these students need to be challenged and they need to receive accommodations, modifications and multisensory teaching techniques to unleash their learning potential.   What makes it difficult to accommodate students with dyslexia is that each student has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Yes, two students with dyslexia don’t have the same pattern of cognitive processing deficits. In fact, there are a number of profiles that can lead to this diagnosis . In addition, there are a number of specific cognitive skills that can cause symptoms of dyslexia . Consequently, a successful remediation often requires a tailored, individualized approach.  To tap into the quickest results, I have learned that one has to look at the specific cognitive difficul
Read more

Finding the Best College for Students with Learning Disabilities

Image
Finding the best college is tricky for any student, but for those with learning disabilities (LDs) it can be an even bigger feat.  In fact, the perfect school is out there for practically anyone, but finding it, takes some time and persistence.  There are a number of options for students with LDs from colleges that cater primarily to this population to larger universities that offer specialized programs.  With the proper testing in hand, all schools are mandated to provide reasonable accommodations, but not all institutions make it an easy task. What Are My Options? Pre-colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities: These programs help to prepare students for the rigors of college and make sure they have the study skills, basic math, reading and writing capabilities needed to be a successful student.  This might be a summer program or an additional year - commonly called a 13th year.  For example, Thames at Mitchell College is a unique transition program on a college campus. Coll
Read more

Important Dyslexia Accommodations in the Classroom

Image
Getting a school to recognize, test, and then accommodate your child with dyslexia can be an arduous and frustrating task. Although public school systems can accommodate the individual needs of our struggling students, many administrators don’t like to tap into the general education coffers for a single student. As a result, parents often have to rally and wrestle to obtain reasonable accommodations for their children with dyslexia and other disabilities that impact learning. The key to navigating this slippery slope is to understand the laws, the lingo as well as the menus of mandated accommodations and modifications. What are my Options? There are two options for acquiring accommodations: 504: A 504 is a formal plan that protects the rights of students with disabilities in school. Covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, this civil rights law gives students with disabilities access to services and supports in the general education classroom. There are no mandated rules on
Read more