Feb 3, 2011 When I was invited to attend the “Power of Active Play” summit hosted by the American Heart Association and Nintendo, my synapses were firing in Howard Rheingold mode, wondering if this convening was going to be a glorified commercial for the gamification of life. I may not be wearing the same rose-colored shades of Jane McGonigal’s Wall Street Journal article … [Read more...]
AHA & Nintendo: Tag-Teaming Innovation To Get Kids Moving (Pt2)
Power of Play Series: (Pt 1) Play Works!
Jan. 29, 2011 No doubt about it, I need more PLAY in my life. You? I'm rereading Dr. Stuart Brown's Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination & Invigorates the Soul and following the "Recess Counts" Twitter stream w/newsy tidbits like ChicagoTrib's "How Cold is Too Cold for Recess?" noting the logical bridges between outdoor fun and indoor exergaming that fit … [Read more...]
Hey Kids: Is There A Market for Healthy Games?
June 28, 2009 There's no question healthGAMERS are exploring the opportunities of using a "perceived problem as a solution" in the gaming world. Humana is now offering $5000 to create a healthy game concept, RWJF crowdsourced ideas in Teen Second Life with their Dream it. Do it. venture for healthier communities and Elf Island's already seeing therapeutic results in their … [Read more...]
Wii Are Family: A French Look At A Global Gaming Phenom
Romantic that I am, I took French in 8th grade yet proceeded to live in locations where Japanese, Chinese or Spanish were the language of choice; yet somehow, French still sticks in my brain. There are plenty of language resource hubs and brain data expressing the myths of kids' critical learning years for foreign language, but regardless of linguistics research all I know … [Read more...]
Kids’ Health 2.0: Get Your Head in the Game
Unbeknownst to me, today is Child Health Day, evidently the 80th annual occasion? (another one of those ‘must’ve slipped by me’ arcane calendar days) Evidently Calvin Coolidge came up with this gig way back in 1928, complete with proclamation and pledges toward healthy eating and activity and the future of our nation...but let's face it, we all know … [Read more...]