Exergames: The video games that won’t “rot” kids’ brains

October 3rd, 2023

Written by: Margaret Gardner

There’s been a lot of research – and many news headlines – exploring different strategies to promote kids’ cognitive development. Everything from sports to learning a language to playing a musical instrument to educational brain games have been advertised as surefire ways to enhance cognitive functions. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University thought that combining two such brain boosters – exercise and cognitive training games  – would improve cognitive function in preschool-aged kids more than either strategy on their own. Check out the video below to see what they found, and why these cognitive “exergames” may one day appear in a school near you.

Curious to learn more about cognitive training? Check out this article by Sarah Reitz!

References

1.         Eng CM, Pocsai M, Fulton VE, Moron SP, Thiessen ED, Fisher AV. Longitudinal investigation of executive function development employing task-based, teacher reports, and fNIRS multimethodology in 4- to 5-year-old children. Dev Sci. 2022;25(6):e13328. doi:10.1111/desc.13328

2.         Eng C, Pocsai M, Fishburn F, Calkosz D, Thiessen E, Fisher A. Adaptations of Executive Function and Prefrontal Cortex Connectivity Following Exergame Play in 4-to 5-year old Children. In: ; 2020.

Cover photo adapted from stockgui on Freepik