New game encourages exercise & learning geography

Video games have long been the bane of parents who wish their kids would study more or go out and exercise. The attraction to video or computer games is the lure of two things that children frequently lack in their own lives: instant, predictable rewards and control. Teachers, with finite attention to give to their students, frequently focus on trouble makers, and many good deeds go unrewarded. But in video games, objectives and rewards are clear. Get X amount of points and you get Y reward. Also, whereas many of kids' choices are at least guided - frequently controlled - by adults, games offer them tremendous freedom to customize a character, sans adult intervention.

The Humana Foundation capitalized on these two key issues to create a video game that encourages kids to exercise - outside. It's called The Horsepower Challenge. Created to fight obesity, the game involves a pedometer that measures the steps of kids and uploads the count wirelessly to the web, so that the kids can even play outside while participating in the challenge. Several schools can compete with each other for the highest total steps, and each individual can customize his or her horse character with new colors, hairstyles and accessories with money earned by their step count. Also, the race measures participants' progress along a path of world landmarks, sneaking a little geography into the mix.

Mike McCallister, chairman of The Humana Foundation board of directors, said in a press release "For children to add exercise into their daily routine, it has to be fun." And that's the crux of the matter for everyone, not just for kids. Especially now that we have computer, internet and wireless technology with practically infinite applications, we don't have to accept a false dichotomy between "good for you" and "fun." It's just a matter of finding creative ways to have both.