Derbyshire pupils get active with Gamercize
Children at Hilton Primary School in Derby have enjoyed a day of active gaming, with a Gamercize demonstration.
The concept gets children active by combining physical activity with computer games, and was piloted in Derbyshire on Tuesday, January 15.
Around 100 pupils from the school’s junior section were given the chance test out the Gamercize equipment, which includes a computer games console that only works when a child is exercising.
Children used stepper or cycle machines linked to a Nintendo Game Cube, and were soon enjoying games such as Mario Smash Football and Mario Kart while getting active at the same time.
As the pupils began to step or cycle their control pad became activated, and they were able to compete against their friends - but if they stopped moving their control pad was de-activated and they were temporarily paused out of the game until they began stepping or cycling again.
At the end of each session all the pupils were asked what they thought of Gamercize, and the overwhelming majority said they thought it was “great”.
The pilot was organised by Derbyshire Sport competition manager Phil Basterfield together with South Derbyshire partnership development manager Steve Smith and Hilton Primary School.
The concept is currently being used by School Sport Partnerships elsewhere in the country, and was demonstrated to Derbyshire to see if it could also be used here.
Pictured above are pupils trying out the Gamercize equipment, together with Gamercize managing director Richard Coshott.