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Activity Tracking and Fitness Gaming for Children
These days, kids are dangerously inactive due to the popularity of video games. In fact, studies show that over 90% of American kids play video games each day. This inactivity is leading to a lot of health problems for kids, so it’s more important than ever for parents to nip this issue in the bud.
In an effort to promote kid fitness and healthy habits, parents are turning to the thing that kids are addicted to – technology. When you combine activity with gaming and technology, you get fitness and wellness wearables for children. These wearables are like Fitbit for kids – it makes physical activity fun and rewarding. You can call the process fitness gaming for families, groups, or individuals.
What is Fitness Gaming?
Nintendo was onto something when they created the Wii. They combined video games with physical activity. It was an instant hit and certainly got kids up and moving. While the hype for the Wii didn’t last, it did shine a light on the fact that kids didn’t need to be sitting all the time to play video games. Other console manufacturers followed suit, introducing new peripheral devices that could get kids moving while gaming.
Another example is the game Pokemon Go. The game didn’t come out as a ”fitness game”, but it got kids up and moving more than they had been in a long time.
Back then, traditional consoles and mobile games didn’t coin their devices or software as ”fitness gaming”. It’s a term that has simply evolved into a ”thing” – software that combines exercise with fun game-like activities. Wearables like Fitbit for kids are at the forefront of this new movement and are gaining popularity exponentially.
BENEFITS OF FITNESS-STYLE GAMING OVER TRADITIONAL EXERCISE
There are a lot of benefits to promoting fun experiences around healthy habits. The biggest and most important benefit, of course, is to help kids exercise. This is especially important for the kids who would otherwise be couch potatoes. Since fitness-style gaming makes every day active play more fun, kids are much more likely to do it.
Another benefit is that it’s great for all ages, making it a fun experience for the family. There is no better way to spend quality family time than getting healthy together. By starting this at an early age, kids can begin to associate exercise with fun, and they’ll be more likely to keep it up into adulthood.
Another consideration is that it connects kids to a fun social platform that inspires team work and good sportsmanship. Many of the apps on wearable devices can be considered as a social game app platform. Like traditional video games, kids can connect and interact with other kids. These types of apps serve as a fitness platform for kids to compete and earn points just as if they were in an in-person competition. This feature makes it an excellent choice for groups of kids who want to stay connected even while they aren’t around each other.
Features of an Electronic Activity Monitor
Like any product, there are going to be premium versions, basic versions, and everything in between. The premium versions are going to have all the best features such as one that records the intensity and duration of exercise, but for some people, they may not want all those features. It’s hard to say what’s better – it’s really a matter of personal preference.
All fitness trackers are designed to encourage activity. They offer a picture of health and wellness quantified. Most importantly, they all make kids healthier on some level.
The best way to shop for a cool fitness tracker for kids is by feature rather than by brand. This means you should be familiar with some of the best features of an activity tracker and fitness platform. Below are some of the most recommended features of a fitness tracker and gaming app.
Rewards System
There was a time when parents kept up with kids’ rewards using a poster board, some markers, and some happy face stickers. Now it’s easier than ever to reward your kid for a job well done – today’s fitness devices offer great automatic activity tracking and rewards everyday physical activity. Some fitness trackers go as far as to connect to a family app that allows parents to fully keep track of daily exercise by their kids from their own smart devices or wearables.
Group Activities
If you want to use the trackers in a group or for team sports, you should be sure to look for features that include total group activity tracking. The trackers can also have features such as group chats and group trivia. It’s great when you can stay motivated by being connected to your group and this is especially true for kids.
Kids’ sports teams have the most to benefit from group activity trackers. Trackers keep kids accountable for their actions and, in the end, makes them better athletes. The benefits of team sports for kids are incredibly numerous and many of them relate directly to kids’ health. In fact, 5 benefits of team sports that can improve kids’ health are:
- They help control kids’ emotions
- They help reduce stress and anxiety
- A reduction in depression
- Controlled weight gain as they age
- A head start on great cardiovascular health
If you’re looking for a tracker for team sports, this may be the most important feature you need since you’ll need to track physical activity for groups – maybe even multiple groups.
Sleep Tracking
Did you know that over 30 percent of American children don’t get enough sleep? Kids sometimes stay up when parents think they’re asleep. Others may simply have trouble staying asleep. Whatever the issue is, a tracker can alert you to it.
A lack of sleep can have severe consequences on a kid’s mental and physical health. This can often show up in the form of learning problems, behavior problems, or even weight problems. It’s extremely important for a developing child to get enough sleep. You have enough to worry about as a parent, so a tracker can at least make that part of parenting a snap.
In Summary…
The push to get kids more active has been a hot topic in society lately. It can be hard when technology like game consoles is keeping kids indoors and on the couch. However, an activity program using wristwatch-like armband technology has proven to be effective in getting kids up and moving.
There are so many wearables to choose from these days. There is truly something for everyone and every budget. Whether you’re interested in fitness gaming for families, for groups, or for individuals, today’s fitness-related gaming devices can meet your needs.
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