By Daniel Pepper
Staff Writer
Video games aren’t just for good kids to do when their schoolwork is done anymore.
For some Otsego students, video games are the schoolwork, as PE teachers have incorporated the game “Dance Dance Revolution” into their gym class. The Otsego school board received a demonstration at their April regular meeting.
Teacher Kyle Uramkin gave a report on “Exergaming” at Alamo elementary during the building report.
“It’s the fusion of exercise and gaming,” Uramkin said.
The concept uses the idea of gaming to attract kids to getting exercise which, Uramkin said, kids sometimes find boring.
“Exergaming changes that and games are the hook of something that’s fun and exciting, but they’re getting exercise while they’re doing it,” he said.
“Dance Dance Revolution” is video game that features a pad on the floor that players step on, controlling the motions of their dancing character on the screen.
The use of the videogame is part of the PE for Life concept, which Otsego has been adopting from the public schools in Naperville, Ill.
Uramkin said that studies have been done showing that kids who play the game have better than average physical fitness.
The school has a few of the dance pads that control the game, so the concept is currently for one or a few kids to control the game and everyone else in the class to mimic their movements.
Kids at the school are also using pedometers paid for by a donation as part of PE for Life and have formed an Alamo walking club.
Exergaming products such as DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution) and more can be found and researched at a website called Exergame Fitness.
Exergame Fitness is the world’s largest distributor & supplier of Exergame fitness 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.
Dan Pepper can be reached at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 685-5985 or (269) 673-5534
Exergame Fitness USA
Exergaming Research & Testing Center
530 West Colfax
Palatine, IL. 60067
Office: 847.963.8969 x1103
Fax: 847.963.8966
Cellular: 630.408.9995