Osmo Pizza Co. Money Counting Game

My introduction to Osmo happened during my review of Osmo Masterpiece, Osmo Words, and Osmo Tangram. My children have thoroughly enjoyed Osmo products, so when I discovered their new game, Osmo Pizza Co., I was incredibly excited. Upon receiving the game and its base, I quickly unboxed it, leading to some friendly competition among the kids to see who would get to play first. You’ll need to download the free Osmo Pizza Co. app on your iPad before starting. My enthusiasm for Osmo is genuine, and I hope to convey this through my words.

The base kit includes an iPad stand and a mirror, making it user-friendly for kids to set up by themselves. However, we encountered a minor issue with our Griffin case for the iPad, as it requires some effort to remove the iPad. Therefore, the iPad needs to be taken out of all cases for play. With just the base pack, you can also download the free Osmo Masterpiece app, which offers an incredible platform for children to learn to draw, as discussed in my initial review.

Osmo Pizza Co. serves as an entertaining avenue for kids to develop money counting and math skills. Inside the box, your child will find an empty pizza and a money mat hidden beneath it, along with various pizza toppings and cash, including both bills and coins. The first step involves creating a profile for your child, allowing you to choose which currency denominations they will work with—either just bills or, for older children, adding cents. After setting up, the fun truly begins. There are two game modes available: “Play Next Day” and “Junior Mode.” It may take a moment to grasp the difference, but I learned that “Play Next Day” incorporates a timer, while “Junior Mode” operates without one.

You find yourself as the temporary owner of a pizzeria while the actual owner is away on vacation. Your tasks include sourcing pizza ingredients and managing customer orders. Each customer has specific pizza preferences, and it’s your job to satisfy their requests. After they eat, they will pay, and you must flip the pizza to calculate their change on your mat. If you find this challenging, the game offers helpful hints to guide you in giving the correct change. As customers finish, continue taking orders to ensure they leave happy and tell their friends. At the end of your working day, the game will calculate your total earnings, deduct your ingredient costs, and provide a profit summary.

I take pleasure in calculating change in my head and am often surprised by how many people rely on registers in stores to tell them how much change to give back. A simple error can lead to panic if the register fails to display the proper amount. Osmo transforms learning into an enjoyable experience. I genuinely believe Osmo Pizza Co. could serve as an excellent educational tool in schools, encouraging our children to enhance their problem-solving skills and rely less on technology for everything. Visit www.amazon.com and let your child experience learning in a fun way.