Can Exergames Be The Answer?

Exergames, a video game that requires physical movement to play might be the answer for all those couch potato kids according to some researchers. The article appeared in the March 21, 2011 Time magazine written by Alice Park. These so-called researchers asked kids 9 to13 years of age to play video games that included: Dance Dance Revolution, Will Boxing, and Light Space Bug Invasion. According to the study, playing these games for 10 minutes is equal to walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes as far as expending energy and burning calories. The researchers reported that overweight kids liked these games. The authors suggested that school systems could start testing exercise video games to determine if it does boost kid’s physical activity and fitness. I guess it would take the place of PE.  They also hoped that indoor fun might translate into active play outdoors like sports.

Yes, that’s what we need is to have kids play video games in school and hope that it translates into physical activity and  better health-lower heart disease and lower diabetes. I think this is idiotic. For those of you who know about psychological principles from learning and field theory realize that the answer is not simply more sitting on a chair. Learning theory suggests that modeling plays an important part in learning. We learn by watching and modeling what our parents and role models do. If children and teenagers see their parents sitting at a desk, being overweight, and not taking care of themselves then more likely they are going to copy their parent’s behavior. Overweight and out of shape adults or teachers are likely to be ignored. It is the doing that is important not necessarily what we say.

There is a classic study that I learned  from Jacob Kunin one of Kurt Lewin’s students. In this study, the class was asked to draw cats employing the example drawn on the chalk board. We continued to draw and draw and draw. After maybe 10 to 15 minutes, we analyzed the results. Using satiation as a model, it was obvious what happened to our drawings. The shapes were distorted and fragmentation existed throughout. In other words, if we repeat an activity over and over and over we become bored, lose our focus, and easily distracted. How long might it take those kids to become satiated with those video games as far as exercise is concerned?  Are video games going to be the model for the lifestyle of our young?

If you pay attention to the blog, there’s a title called Favorite Trails. These trails can be downloaded for your viewing. Also, you’ll notice more and more trails on the blog. You know why we don’t run the same trail every day. You heard the expression “variety is the spice of life”. That expression is so true. Create variety in your life not satiation.