Gamification sounds like it might be a cynical thing, but it isn’t. Your kids are very familiar with video games, chances are, and so adding similar challenges and rewards to fitness isn’t bad, it’s good. Adults have tuned in to fitness tracking via smart devices for nearly 20 years now, especially after smart watches arrived on the scene. Why not for the little ones, then?
Smart watches and smartphone fitness apps turn what could be just another mundane bike ride or walk into a more sophisticated and nuanced activity. You can setup goals and keep track of achievements. The kids will respond very favorably, because positive feedback and reinforcement via detailed stats are far more tangible than simply doing activities without any added depth. In addition to the health benefits of being physically active, the children also pick up math and calculus skills as they figure out distances, calories, heart rates, and many other factors related to being out and about in an active fashion.
You probably know that it’s not easy keeping youngsters engaged in simple physical activity. But with the help of technology, keeping their attention focused proves much easier, and they’re better off for it.