Physical fitness plays an important role in developing and maintaining a healthy mind and body. Moreover, the interrelatedness of good nutrition and exercise habits and a healthy cardiovascular system has been well documented.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past three decades childhood obesity rates have doubled for preschoolers aged 2-5 years and teens aged 12-19 and have tripled for children aged 6-11 years. There has been a corresponding and steady increase in obesity-related diseases.
Keeping kids and families engaged through physical activity is a key essential for leading happier and healthier lives. Providing teachers with an “in-school” activity that can include an entire classroom in an interactive learning, fun and physically challenging experience is imperative as schools have been moving physical activity out of the school due to budget cuts, time constraints and an emphasis on testing.
Propelled by consumer demand and initiatives such as Michelle Obama's “Let's Move!” campaign, toy and game makers have stepped up their efforts to develop toys and games that offer active solutions for the whole family. When products are engaging and fun, kids of all ages will stick with them longer, thereby deriving greater health benefits.
“Active Play” toys and games, which were identified as one of the four top toy trends spotted during Toy Fair 2010, can serve as a catalyst for both the body and the brain. “Active Play” toys and games, i.e., those that emphasize a physical (exercise) component, are the obvious way to get kids up and moving, keep the body active, limber and flexible, and promote healthy lifestyle choices. The outdoor games segment is flourishing with game and outdoor sports play for kid and family activities. Exemplary products include Hasbro's Nerf and Super Soaker blasters, Playskool Games' Pop Goes Froggio, Mattel's Red Rover Mattel, Haywire Games' Flickin Chicken, and Diggin Active's Squap. Even indoor products that have a high-tech component such as the Wii and SWINX gaming systems are designed to foster “kid-generated action” by incorporating movement into the game . . . think “kid=remote”. Other examples, such as Wild Planet's Hyper Dash Extreme and Sonic Slam by Radica capitalize on a programmed degree of randomness to combine thinking and movement.
“Active imagination and intelligence” toys and games can also promote health and well-being. The Alzheimer's Association recommends puzzles as therapy because some studies have suggested they might improve memory, attention and problem solving while staving off mental decline and, perhaps, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Paul D. Nussbaum, a clinical neuropsychologist and an adjunct professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, believes that taking better care of your brain can solve mental lapses and forgetfulness, and reduce stress. A brain-healthy lifestyle can do for the brain what a heart-healthy lifestyle has done for the heart, says Nussbaum. Focusing on “Play with a Purpose,” active imagination and active intelligence toys and games stimulate the mind and creativity through hands-on play experiences. Examples within this category range from brain teasers and “creativity generators” such as logic games and puzzles to role-play and dress-up items. All inspire pure imaginative play through hands-on, personal experiences with the products. Building sets, arts and crafts and thoughtfully selected games and puzzles can improve hand-eye coordination and brain functioning, as well as promote self-esteem with a complete start-to-finish experience. Brain teasers and problem-solving toys, games and puzzles incorporate strategic play scenarios, cooperative teamwork or competitive play scenarios. Many of this year's imagination-centric products empower child-sized role play with dolls and action figures; others encourage kids to create things their own way through engaging arts and crafts and science/discovery experimentations. Many games offer dual play rules, providing both cooperative and competitive play rules in the instructions to allow for different play scenarios with the same purchase. The intergenerational influence is also a key component in this area of active play, with many family-friendly options to keep the whole family engaged and connected.
Kids' games and toys that are currently emerging have a focus on several key drivers: (i) social development; (ii) affordability; (iii) performance play; and (iv) brain challenging activities.
Kids are becoming ever more engaged with their playmates and their own dreams and ambitions as “Simply Social” toys and games flood retail outlets. This exciting new trend includes e-connected toys, cooperative game rules and enthralling, pro-social play products. Lots of social network apps are based on classic toys, but now an increasing number of physical toys are being introduced that originated with or will work with apps. This sub-trend includes virtual worlds and games and toys that have an online component. Social Face-to-Face games that reduce the “wait time” while other players take their turn, “all-play” games that engage each competitor throughout the gaming experience with consensus play, team play games, and cooperative play games are in demand. Games that help to make kids socially aware and to integrate a pro-social play pattern are sought, as are games and toys that teach kids about the world around them and how to be a better citizen (think: eco-friendly, charity, values and manners and about other languages and cultures).
While available data indicates that parents have begun loosening their purse strings a bit following the recession, affordability and the “pennies-per-play” model are still a major priority for parents when shopping for toys. This has meant an expansion of affordable collectible items for boys and girls; “mini” toys (i.e., smaller versions of products already on the market) at “mini” price points; and broadened product lines with toys for every wallet size. This trend also includes games that are constructible, meaning they allow kids to build and re-build their games, creating a new play experience each time.
The “Performance Play” trend capitalizes on a mounting desire among parents, healthcare officials and the government to get kids up and moving to counteract childhood obesity. It also includes play that “exercises” the brain.
Brain-challenging toys and games that encourage logical thinking, strategy and mind puzzles are very much in vogue.
While there are various games that can be played by families and among groups of people, even entire classrooms of children, there still remains a need for a game that incorporates various healthy lifestyle learning lessons with exercises as part of an activity that is engaged in for enjoyment, health and nutritional education, exercise and fitness, entertainment and fun.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game that uniquely combines an active imagination and intelligence game with an active physical play game, and thus serves as a catalyst for both the brain and the body.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a game that makes learning “cool” and at the same time is fun and fast paced, satisfying even the most active kid's “need for speed.”
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a game that meets the increasing demands of parents, the government and healthcare officials who are striving to “amp up” educational and active play to ensure a brighter, healthier future for today's kids.