Maybe your Kids, but not mine

I just read an article in the New York Times [check it out] on the newest video game – that instead of a controller is a bike that the preschooler pedals. Now without totally destroying the merit of the idea, I can definitely see the need for such a device… because some movement and exercise is better than nothing, right?

Having young children myself I can imagine the desire now…

“Dad, can we please get that bike? So and So has it and they can do x, y and z with it….”

For a little while it would be cool as they pedal and explore, but then like most toys it would get old…

Okay – beyond that even – what about the learning aspect of the games? I’m no expert in learning associated with movement, but it seems that we’re trying to cross several different paths of the education experience – pedaling and learning letters, numbers, math, etc… I know my 4 year old is really just figuring out the riding bike thing [how to pedal, steer, get up the hill, etc...) - I'm not sure that riding a faux bike will help learning.

It seems that the load on the little learner to divide tasks and keep focus on more than one seems to limit learning more than help. Maybe all of those of us with kids should try to spend a little more time reading and working on numbers, or going outside and playing with the kids, rather then leaving it up to a bike to teach.

When they get the game that teaches kids to ride without training wheels - I'm in.

Edit: I just read a post on a blog from Christian Holljes [ Read his post at Not a soccer mom ] who invented this product. He says,

“I invented this product and licensed it to Fisher Price because there are 12million obease children and lots of stupid videogames. Little children can be active while learning…how is this sad? This does not replace a regular bike or other activity games but as we developed this we can see the immersive quality and fun that can be derived for pedaling and turning to learn and think.

Latest research indicates that we learn best while active. This is a good thing and very much needed!

Christian Holljes
president
Newgent, Inc.”

I’ve asked for more info on the research, we’ll see what comes back….