Four Smart Toy Ideas for Smart Screen Time
Smart Toys offer a tactile way to learn various subjects such as science, math, and coding.
If you’re looking for a few technology-enabled toys, take at the list below.
1. The GoCube: Solve The Re-imagined Rubik’s Cube in No Time
The GoCube and its app have helped my kid solve the “smart” Rubik’s cube in just a minute (and only after a few days of practice). The price tag is high, but after seeing the added features of the cube and the AI algorithm in action, it seems like it’s worth the price if your goal is to have an AI coach teach your kid how to solve the Rubik’s cube.
Once charged, the GoCube is ready to be paired to the accompanying iPad app. Once in the app, you can select the learning path via the Academy where you learn strategies and theories behind the move or you can select the Solver path and watch the guided steps to solve the cube! This game is not only fun for the kids, it is also fun for parents.
“It’s like learning to play basketball,” he explained. “First you learn how to dribble, and then once you’re comfortable with dribbling, you learn how to do other things. With learning to solve a Rubik’s cube, first you learn the different ways to solve it, then you begin trying to optimize to find the fastest solution.” - Pavan Ravindra, who started solving Rubik’s cubes since 3rd grade, and has recently solved it in 5.58 seconds.
2. The Merge Cube: AR and VR Learning
The foam Merge Cube is light and very easy to use. After unboxing the Merge Cube, download some iPad apps that can detect the Merge Cube. One of the main apps to try is called the Merge Explorer. It has a variety of lessons, including the life cycle of a frog and human anatomy.
To fully experience virtual reality, you’ll have to also buy the VR headset (which we don’t currently have). But no worries, the experience of viewing the cube on the iPad is still pretty cool without VR.
For more information on the Merge Cube, see a previous Smart Kid Mag blog post on it.
3. Dash: The Most Dashing Programmable Robot
Dash is a popular robot used at many science museums, which is where my kids first began to use Dash.
Kids can program Dash to move around the room. They can also add a voice to make Dash say stuff on command and have Dash dance and prance at the touch of a button. The coding interface of the apps are very intuitive (so much so, my 3-year-old can even navigate it with ease). Dash uses block coding for programming, making it the perfect entryway into coding.
4. Osmo: Coding, Language, Math, and More
Osmo is an amazing tool for learning vocabulary, solving puzzles, doing simple math, as well as various other activities. I found it to have a short shelf life because my kids didn’t play with it for long. However, I still think it is a great tool to have around the house. The language games, puzzles, and logic embedded in the Osmo apps are really well done, and the system will work as long as you have an iPad or Amazon Fire Tablet.