Activities, Toys & Structured play are very important part of kids growing up. It aids development & help kids learn a lot of new concepts. And if the activities or toys are fun & interactive, it’s an added advantage as kids learn while immensely enjoying the activities! One such concept is Games & Activities that run on concept of Augmented Reality. A series of Games available in different themes by Shifu is one such example.

Both my daughters are very different when it comes to their learning styles. One of them is a Visual learner – Looks at pictures or motion pictures & learns while the other one is a Kinesthetic learner – has to do everything with her own hands to be able to understand what is being taught. So I sometimes struggle to generate learning material for both of them as per their individual needs during my homeschooling sessions. This Games gave me the liberty to use same material to be able to fulfill the learning needs of both my daughters.

So, What is Play Shifu Game?

Shifu Game is a box that comes with 60 (or 20) Augmented Reality cards, a Tablet stand, a pouch & an activation code that can be used 3 times, so that we can run the application on multiple gadgets like mobile, I pad etc. The application doesn’t require internet to run every time. It just needs to be installed once using internet.

The game looks very well designed to meet specific learning needs of children. It is safe with no sharp edges or harmful material. It does not help just in learning the concepts, but also helps in development of cognitive as well as imaginative skills in children.

You can read more details about the brand & it’s products on their Website (Click for direct links)

Now that we know Shifu games are based on Augmented Reality, let’s understand  what exactly is Augmented Reality. AR is a live, direct or indirect view of a physical real world environment elements of which are Augmented by digital sensory inputs such as sounds, videos, graphics etc.

Why Shifu & why Augmented Reality 

It is easier for younger kids to learn faster from interactive experiences. For eg. learning about Habitats of different animals & birds, learning about planets & their movements is much easier when with AR as compared to a paper pen approach. It is also a great choice for grownups interested in subjects like Anatomy & Architecture. AR is a great tool to begin with for Special Need kids – Kids on Autism Spectrum Disorder & few other Learning Disabilities.

Where can you buy the products 

Shifu Educational Games are available at Flipkart, Amazon.in, Amazon.com & their Website.

The Product Range

Shifu offers the following as a product range

1. Shifu Safari
   • Boat Safari
   • Jeep Safari
2. Shifu Travel
   •  Rides
3. Shifu Jobs
4. Shifu Space
   • Cosmos

The box with 60 cards is available for Rs. 749 while the box with 20 cards is available for Rs. 299.

To know more about any upcoming products & ranges, you can follow them on their social medias – Facebook Page,  Instagram, & Twitter (Click for direct links)

What I liked about the the product

• It does not require internet every time to play.
• It has a library mode, which means I dont need to use the cards every time, but can go to library mode & still operate the game.
• My kids keep busy with the app for longer duration.
• It has helped me to shift the screen time from non productive gadgets & apps to a learning & interactive game.
• It has helped my daughters learn a lot more about animals, birds & insects than they already knew.
• They have learned names of the animals, birds & insects on the cards as well as what is it that they eat.
• There is a future scope to learn – The Habitat, spellings & facts about them, thus makes it a game for a wider range of age to play with.
• It comes with a tablet stand & carry pouch which makes it easier to carry for outings, picnics & vacations to keep kids occupied productively.
• It helped build curiosity in my children. Now every time they see a new animal, they ask “What do they eat?”
• It has helped cater to different learning needs of my kids with a same product.
• The activation code works 3 times, which means I can download the App in 3 different gadgets & still use when other one is unavailable.
• It is great value for money. It’s much cheaper as compared to any other non AR toy & the learning value is much more.

Is there something I did not like?

It heats us the IPad or Mobile very fast & uses up a lot of battery. But I guess as it’s high on graphics, that is expected also.

Do I recommend it for children? 

Augmented reality based interactive learning is a great way for kids to learn, thus I definitely recommend the product. The company recommendation it for age 2+ , but I think parents who involve their kids in activities early on can also introduce it at 18+ months. I would caution parents to let this not replace their physical activity time but use it as a replacement of other screen time or as a replacement of flash cards as a medium of learning. I give Shifu Education Game a rating of 4.8 / 5.

On a Funny Note, this is how my daughter plays with her Shifu Cards

Step # 1

Open the box, scatter all the cards. One by one pick all the cards & say name of the Animal, Bird or Insect on it. Make an occasional noise of those animals to scare others.

Step # 2

Take out your favorite cards – Panda, Cat, Gorilla & Squirrel

Step # 3

Keep feeding them Bamboo, Milk, Banana & Nuts. Go on for hours & hours.

Suggested Reading – To know how Structured play helps kids click HERE. 

Curious what other moms have to say about Shifu Game? Head over to the review by The Average Mom HERE. (Click for direct link)

P.S. – This is not a paid review, but the product was sent by the company for free to review by The Dreamer Mum.