Kids Dance and Kids Today...

No more are the Video games creating couch potatoes! Some say kids dance can help make a difference.

For years, video games have been one of the leading culprits blamed for childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles among America's youth.

But in the past few years, some of the most popular video games make players sweat and get the heart rate up and are just as addicting as those that exercise only the thumbs. Even some physical education programs are using current technology including kids dance as part of the curriculum to get students excited about fitness.

"It's a huge positive," said Shelly Allen, P.E. teacher at Midvale Middle School. "A few years ago, if a child was playing video games it meant they were being sedentary, but now with things like DDR ("Dance Dance Revolution") and the Wii, video games are getting a better reputation among health advocates."

And Frank Wojtech, P.E. specialist for the State Office of Education, said anything that gets students moving, period, would be welcome in the schools.

"The real key to get kids active is the activity, whatever it is, should be fun. Video games are fun for kids, so it seems like a natural marriage between fitness and video games -- getting the kids to actually burn the calories and have pleasure in doing that."

School leaders said that in the past few years so much emphasis and resources have been directed to making sure students read, write and do math well that P.E. funds are tight.

Even so, P.E. teachers say the investment in programs like kids dance and video equipment that successfully encourage kids to be active is just as important.

"What good is it to be a genius if you are going to sit on your couch, be a couch potato and die of heart attack?" Cindy Lloyd, secondary physical education coordinator in Jordan School District, asked.

Allen purchased two PlayStations and the popular "Dance Dance Revolution" game last summer.

The game is simple and often "addictive," according to students. There is a platform with four arrows -- up, down, left and right -- and a player is required to step on whatever arrow corresponds with the screen.

Allen said at first, students couldn't believe they got to play it and were lining up for the chance.

But Allen said aside from just being a popular activity, it is able to involve students that aren't as athletic and traditionally don't like P.E.

"This hits a different group of kids in P.E" Allen said. "A lot of the kids that like dodgeball or playing basketball excel at it, but there is another group of kids that aren't really as athletically talented and may have had more experience with the video games, so they can excel in that aspect of it."

Wyatt Bentley, P.E. teacher and coach at Sunset Ridge Middle School in West Jordan, said another factor that makes the video games so effective is instant feedback.

Sunset Ridge not only has kids dance with "Dance Dance Revolution" but also game bikes that simulate courses and are controlled by the pedals and handlebars.

He said that when they do jogging, pull-ups and sit-ups, students don't get much feedback on their progress. With video games, they can see instant feedback on how well they are doing, whether they improved and exactly what they need to work on to do better.

"This age group is, 'If you fail, it means you are not very good,"' Bentley said. "Video games relieve that -- you can always start over again and do better ... you can't always do that in the classroom."

But education leaders say one of the best things is the games somewhat trick students into wanting to exercise.

"A lot of them don't even realize -- they will be moving and sweating and they don't even realize that they are exercising," Allen said.

Wojtech said he wouldn't be surprised to see the games in a lot more schools in the future, if they can hold the attention of students.

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