Exergame Fitness Canada

CALGARY – We fit? Well, somewhat, but most of us live a fairly sedentary lifestyle. And so with the new trend of exergaming –the genre of fitness video games–kinesiologists in Calgary see an opportunity to get kids twitching more than just their thumbs.

Canada’s first Exergaming Research Centre was unveiled Thursday in hopes of having an impact on youth fitness and even dealing with the growing incidence of child obesity in Canada. It is located at Calgary’s Foundations for the Future Academy southwest campus, in a collaboration between the University of Calgary and Mount Royal College.

“Our hope is to try to connect exergaming to the acquisition of fundamental movement skills,” said lead researcher Dwayne Sheehan, a professor at MRC and a PhD student at the U of C. “Can we develop skills like balance? Laterality? Reaction time? Agility? If we can, then we’re one step ahead of being able to help these kids who are at that critical learning age.”

Used to be, the only thing video games slimmed down was the cushioning in your couch. Not here.

As a red curtain in the school’s gym pulled apart, the clattering of plastic footboards on a wooden gym floor rang in the air as a group of 20 Grade 4 students danced in unison to the game Dance Dance Revolution, jogged and performed yoga poses on Wii Fit, and found their balance on plastic snowboards as they slalomed down virtual slopes.

When they step off away from these gaming machines, these kids are meant to hit heart rates at 75 per cent of their maximum, and the slow beads of sweat forming on their foreheads was a good sign they were getting a workout.

“I really like it, it’s a lot of fun,” said student Kateri Oakley, who had come off doing yoga poses on Wii Fit. “It’s playing video games during school, it doesn’t feel like gym class. But you can still get really sweaty.”

Ishaam Agarwala was more into the snowboarding activity on Wii Fit.

“It’s funner than all the regular activities,” he said. “And it’s active, and that’s good.”

The exergaming module at Foundations for the Future Academy will become an afterschool and lunch club.

“It’s not meant to be a replacement for physical activity, it’s meant to be a replacement for sedentary video gaming,” Sheehan said. “It’s important that these young people understand that video gaming is activity and they are the human joysticks.”

The video game consoles, accessories and TV screens were all funded by the Community Initiatives Program through the Alberta Lottery Fund, and there are enough of them for an entire class of 20 students to play at once.

Beyond keeping them fit, these virtual activities may give these kids self-confidence and may even prove to help them learn, said Dr. Larry Katz, a professor of sport technology at the U of C.

“We want to know a number of things,” he said. “Are kids able to monitor their own performance reliably? Can they then take that information, such as heart rate or calories burned, and use it in math and science to get a better understanding of what they’re doing?

“In traditional teaching, we give kids math problems, and they write it out and we say they’re right or wrong. Now we’re giving them meaningful personal data, so they can learn math in a meaningful context, with numbers that have value to them.”

School principal Cathy McCauley said she didn’t have to try very hard to get her students on board.

“They love it, everybody wants to do it,” she said. “Kids today are technological wizards, so this is what their lives are about.

“We’re just lucky that the schools chose us as their partner for collaborative research.”

Parents don’t mind.

“They work toward getting a high score without even thinking about the physical effort,” said Cindy Higa.

“And that’s great.”

nlewis@theherald. canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Active Kids Score Higher: More Activity Time Adds Up to Better Learning
June 2, 2009
Here’s good news for parents, teachers and legislators who want to help kids learn and excel: it’s easy as child’s play.
The 2009 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, released in collaboration with ParticipACTION and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute – Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO), reveals that children who are more physically active are also more academically fit, resulting in better scores in math and reading, higher grades, greater perceptual skill and overall academic readiness.
“Being active feeds the brain, giving active kids an academic advantage over their peers who are more sedentary,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada. “We’ve always known that physical activity is essential for kids’ health and their long-term well-being. Now we know that it also improves school
performance. A workout for your body is a workout for your brain.”
Unfortunately, this year’s Report Card gives most Canadian children a failing grade for Physical Activity Levels, with only 13% of Canadian kids getting the recommended 90
minutes of physical activity a day. The Report Card also assigns an F for Screen Time, as 90% of Canadian children are still spending too much time in front of television, computer and video screens. Also distressing are the grades for Active Transportation (a D, as most families live close enough to walk or bike to school, but do not) and for
school Physical Education and School Policy, which rate a mediocre C- and C, respectively.
“Unfortunately, in our eagerness to ensure academic success, we’ve cut out time for activity in the school day and devoted it to sedentary study,” says Tremblay. “But
research shows that reducing physical activity does not improve academic ability or test scores. Kids need to get up and move more to enhance physical and intellectual health
and success at school.”
The Report Card does note that there is some reason for optimism, even with the overall failing grade. The number of Canadian children who are active is on the rise—up to 13%
from 9% in 2006. It also offers solid recommendations for how our society can do better.
Teamwork the Answer to Making Time and Space for Play
School schedules are packed with heavy curriculum expectations, parents have intense work demands that eat away at family free time, and governments, as well as
individuals, are feeling the pinch of today’s economy.
All true, agrees Michelle Brownrigg, Chief Executive Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada. But there are solutions.
“Improving opportunities to be active is not an either-or proposition. It’s an investment with direct benefits that are immediate and lasting,” she says. “Helping the 87 per cent of Canadian kids who aren’t getting enough daily activity will take a concerted, joint effort.”
“Schools don’t sacrifice academic results when they devote time to Phys. Ed. The kids do as well or better than they did when all their work was at their desks. Most busy
household schedules can find time for activity by simply turning off the TV or computer and going outside. Municipalities can and should invest money in parks and sport – but they also need to consider policies and by-laws that act as barriers to play in their communities.”
Look around, says Brownrigg. See what you can do.
School:
Recognize the importance of physical activity. Treat Phys. Ed. classes as any other subject, with devoted time, skilled instructors and assistance for children who need extra
encouragement or teaching. Offer an assortment of activities, from traditional team sports to individual activities like yoga or martial arts. Team up with children’s home supports and local community groups to ensure that the message of physical activity is communicated, just as the importance of homework completion is emphasized.
Home:
Parents can inquire about the activity policy in their children’s schools and insist that physical activity be integrated into the curriculum and overall school programming. For example, school fundraisers can promote movement with dance-a-thons or laps around the school.
You can also lead the way at home through modeling active behaviour and by scheduling time for play. Though families are feeling the time pinch, TV and computer time in most Canadian households far exceeds the recommended limit of two hours per day. For a better academic outcome for your child, replace screen time with active play.
Get children ready to learn by having them walk or bike to school each day. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to supervise the route twice a day, team up with neighbours
to form a “walking school bus” or choose a daycare that uses active transportation. You can also emphasize the routine of daily play by packing a skipping rope or ball glove in your child’s knapsack, increasing the possibility that recess will be an active time.
Communities and Governments:
Communities are vital partners in increasing the opportunities for active play and for creating bridges between school physical activity and family activity. Supervising school and public play spaces in the hours after school can make investments in park infrastructure go further by increasing community use, helping kids and parents feel safe and encouraged to go out and play.
It’s great when municipalities can support active play in their communities through investment in sport infrastructure, but removing barriers to play can be just as important to improving kids’ health. Eliminating by-laws that restrict ball playing, road hockey and skateboarding in public areas means that physical activity becomes an easy addition to day-to-day living and part of a community’s culture and self-perception. The results? Safer streets, knowing your neighbours, higher test scores in your area and an increase in community commitment from kids and all residents. Governments can also provide leadership in the area of physical play by putting activity on the public and political agendas. Active Healthy Kids Canada applauds the provincial Ministers of Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation in Canada, who have collectively set a target of increasing the number of active Canadian children to 20% by 2015, and looks forward to noting their progress toward that goal.
Active Play the Essential Ingredient in Better Performance
“When you add up better health today, decreased health care costs in the future and increased mental focus and academic results, it’s clear that being active is not an
extra—it’s an essential ingredient in raising healthy, intelligent children who will be able to guide our society in years to come,” says Dr. Art Quinney, Chair of Active Healthy Kids Canada. “We all know that Canada needs people with good minds. And good minds grow in active, healthy kids.”
The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card is made possible through financial support from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Lawson Foundation, Kellogg’s and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. For more information or to download this year’s Report Card, visit www.activehealthykids.ca

DARTMOUTH, NS – Canadian kids received yet another failing grade in the annual Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card:  90% of Canadian youth are not getting the necessary amount of exercise a day.  This does not come as a surprise to Holly Bond and Liz Thompson.  They have witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of too much screen time and not enough playtime.

The former founders of Bulldog Interactive Fitness, the first interactive fitness facility for youth, Holly and Liz have just inked a deal to become the Canadian Distributor for Exergame Fitness. (www.exergamefitness.ca)  With the ever-increasing gloomy reports like the one released this week, this dynamic duo is more determined than ever to convey the importance of physical fitness and activity that includes every child, not just the elite athlete.  With years of experience in the Exergaming world, they will continue to work diligently at promoting this positive way of battling childhood obesity and inactivity to schools, community groups, hospitals and fitness clubs across Canada. 

In 2005 Holly Bond opened Bulldog Interactive Fitness, the first interactive fitness facility designed exclusively for youth.  Shortly thereafter, Liz Thompson jumped on board.  Together they opened interactive fitness facilities for youth across Canada.  These energetic partners have been working non-stop ever since, educating kids, teachers, parents and community leaders about the need to be more active.    

After selling Bulldog in 2008, Holly and Liz are thrilled to join forces once again, representing Exergame Fitness Canada:  “We have seen hundreds of children benefit from Exergaming equipment and programming that combines Exergaming and old-fashioned fun and games.”  Liz states.  “Children are very comfortable in this familiar environment – the video games act as a ‘hook’ to get them in the door and moving in the right direction towards exercise and activity.  Once kids take that first, familiar step, it is then a perfect time to introduce traditional games and sports – we have seen how they develop a new level of fitness and self-esteem.” agrees Holly.

Tommy Seilheimer, Vice President of Exergame Fitness says, “Holly and Liz’s years of actual hands-on experience is invaluable; I mean, they have done it all – from the layout and design to choosing and training the best staff to building programs and camps around the Exergaming equipment.  We are excited to partner with them in our crusade against childhood obesity and inactivity.”  

Holly Bond and Liz Thompson can be reached by visiting their website:  www.exergamefitness.ca

Jack Matthews,9 playes playes active video games at Bulldog Fitness

Lauren La Rose
Toronto — Canadian Press, Tuesday, Jun. 02, 2009 08:44AM EDT

Canadian kids continue to spend too much time glued to TVs, computers and video games and not enough being physically active, with the vast majority failing to meet recommended guidelines for daily physical activity, according to a report released today.

In its annual report card on physical activity for children and youth, Active Healthy Kids Canada assigned a failing grade for physical activity levels among Canadian youngsters.

In 2008, 87 per cent of children and youth did not get the recommended minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity a day.

Despite the large proportion of children not meeting the guidelines, it’s still an improvement compared to 2006, when 91 per cent of kids weren’t reaching the target, said Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer with Active Healthy Kids Canada.

“I think we need to recognize that these social norms do not move or change quickly, and what we do demonstrate in this year’s report card is some evidence that perhaps we are approaching or have reached the tipping point,” he said from Ottawa.

“We are seeing at least directional improvement, albeit we’ve got a long way to go.”

The report card also assigned an “F” for screen time, with just 10 per cent of Canadian youth meeting the guideline of spending less than two hours a day in front of computers, video games and TVs. Many kids were getting in close to six hours a day.

“Part of the reason that screen time is such an issue is because it’s a babysitter, it’s… ‘Keep your kid inside so you know where they are,”’ said Nancy Francis, associate professor in the department of physical education and kinesiology at Brock University.

The report said there is the possibility for typically sedentary screen time to become active time through active gaming, for instance by using something like Nintendo’s Wii Fit.

“If they’re replacing someone sitting idle watching TV or playing a video game that requires no movement, that’s an improvement,” Mr. Tremblay said. “People need to be very careful that this is not a replacement for real activities, real sport engagement, real outdoor activities which burn many more calories, (and) have far greater impact on motor skill development and social interaction.”

Beyond regulating screen time, parents can encourage kids to be physically active by making it a family affair, said Kelly Murumets, president and CEO of ParticipAction.

“Rather than jump on the couch so the family time is watching television together, we’d say just schedule time in and perhaps before dinner or right after dinner and have a little bit of family time that’s physically active.”

In encouraging physical activity, Ms. Francis said it’s important to bear in mind engaging creative or artistic children who may be less inclined to take part in rough-and-tumble team sports. She suggested dance for kids as a possible option.

“We need in our physical education programs to cater to every child — not just the kids who are happy pushing one another around to fight over the soccer ball,” she said.

Stepped-up physical activity levels may yield benefits beyond just a slimmer waistline — there’s evidence that it also can bolster academic performance.

Canadian and international research supports the fact active kids perform better in the classroom and get better grades, Mr. Tremblay said.

For example, Ontario children who participated in a school health initiative where physical activity was a key element showed a 36 per cent increase in reading and a 24 per cent increase in math scores over a two-year period.

Research also shows that sacrificing some curricular time for more physical education or activity proves to have no negative consequences to core academic subjects, Mr. Tremblay added.

He said it will take a comprehensive multi-level effort involving parents, schools, communities and governments to effect real change. One of the key target areas is after school, which tends to be a high screen time period for children, he said.

“We really think that that window of opportunity when school ends but before dinner for most families is an opportunity where communities, schools, different program groups … can get together to figure out how they can engage kids primarily in the outdoors doing physical activity instead of rushing home to sit in front of a screen and wiggling their fingers to spend the time before they have supper.”

Lightspace Play Floor at the Tuscaloosa YMCA in Alabama.

YMCA video games focus on kids’ fitness – Exergame Fitness Facility

TUSCALOOSA – AL

Avery Jones stood tentatively, clutching a red balloon to his chest. His eyes followed a cluster of red lights moving within the floor beneath his feet. He watched the cluster bounce from one side to the next, tightening his grip on the balloon with each change of the light’s direction.

The light continued to bounce until, finally, it set its course toward him. Before Jones could step out of the cluster’s path, it passed under his weight, exploding into tiny green squares.
Avery Jones was out.

This scene isn’t out of a science fiction novel – it happened Saturday afternoon at the YMCA of Tuscaloosa County, where Jones and a host of other children got their first look at “Lightspace,” a game in the center’s new Kids Zone.

After taking the stairs directly ahead of the front desk, the room of red, yellow and blue-painted walls opens up and is filled with video games that kids play with their bodies, not hand-held controllers.

Byron Langdon, YMCA sports director, said the YMCA needed a place that kids between the ages of 6 and 14 could hang out, since they are too big for day care and too young to use the facility’s fitness center.

Langdon said the idea for the new area came from a Chicago YMCA that recently added the same program to their facility with the help of Motion Fitness, a company that sells and installs the games.

After touring the Chicago YMCA, Langdon said he knew it would be the perfect addition to the new Kids Zone. With the help of the YMCA Men’s Club, the idea became a reality.

“Exergame Fitness” came in the first part of April and installed the games and we played with them for a few weeks to make sure everything was working,” he said.

The YMCA’s Kids Zone contains four areas of play. “Lightspace Play Floor” is an interactive floor surface made up of programmable light and pressure-sensitive tiles on a 10-square-foot dance floor. “Lightspace” has eight games, including Dodgeball, which Avery Jones enjoyed, and a game called “Bug Invasion” in which different colored tiles or “bugs” pop up all over the surface for players to stomp on to score points.

The “Makoto” area looks a bit like a boxing ring with three posts. Each post has a number of lights on it that, when lit, signal players to hit them with special gloves or sticks.

Across from “Makoto” are a pair of exercise bikes hooked up to a video game console, which allows players to control racing games with the bikes.

But easily the most well-known area to most kids will be “Dance Dance Revolution,” a popular arcade game in which players step on arrows corresponding to the music and cues on the screen.
Langdon said the games require movement, which helps keep kids in shape. “We’re trying to do something for child obesity,” Langdon said. “You know, all these games are fun, but you’re always moving.” Crystal Jones, Avery’s mother, said her children enjoyed the games.

“It was fun and it’s something that combines play and physical activity. They really enjoyed it,” she said.

Langdon said the Kids Zone is available to members for free and non-members must pay for daylong passes.

The YMCA plans on renting the space for birthday parties and special events.
“It’s been great,” he said. “It’s all active, so any time kids can jump around and hit stuff with sticks and not get in trouble, they’re all for it.”

About Exergame Fitness:
Exergame Fitness is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Active Gaming products to YMCA’s, Schools, JCC’s. Park Districts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Kid Zones, Family Entertainment Centers, Casinos, Government/VA and more. Exergame Fitness provides Facility Planning & Installation, Grant & Funding Assistance, Program Design & Product Training, Turnkey Marketing Support, Free Layout Designs & Concepts, Detailed Programming Curriculums, Finance & Lease Options and more. Exergame Fitness offers the lowest prices on any of the products they carry backed by a 110% Lowest Price Guarantee.