Kids are fat these days. Kids also like to play video games more than they like to play regular teams sports like basketball or football. Light bulb! By getting kids to play Dance Dance Revolution at schools across the country, physical education teachers are helping the younglings lose weight. More than 1,500 schools are poised to have installed the game before the end of the decade, which, combined with the elimination of junk food from school cafeterias, should lead to plenty of kids losing their paunch.
Perhaps even better than that, educators and parents alike are seeing DDR act as bridge to more traditional physical activities. But for kids who were raised to be afraid of direct competition, i.e., “everyone’s a winner!,” the game is a welcome addition to their school day. Bye bye fat camp, hello dance mat?
P.E. Classes Turn to Video Game That Works Legs [New York Times]