Playing sports and fitness games on consoles is a great way to get the entire family involved in a fitness regime.

You’ll be encouraging your loved ones to learn and participate in sports. At the same time, you’ll increase social interaction and improve the quality of life through gameplay.

Fun, Family Games for Fitness

A family having fun playing console fitness games together

How to get fit and healthy at home as a family? Forget gym memberships. Console fitness games for “family game night” may be the answer. No matter what kind of game console you have, there are exercise games that are suitable for the whole family.

Nintendo Fitness Games

Nintendo has fitness game titles that cater to people of all ages who want to do home workouts. The games offer several modes such as strength training, balance games, and aerobics.

Depending on your preference, you can select a structured workout with an in-game personal trainer or create a fully customised regimen tailored to the special needs of grannies at home. There are a wide variety of activities available including yoga, skiing, skateboarding, executing kung fu moves, and more. Want to improve your balance along with grandma and grandpa? Play games with the balance board accessory which is a board that you can stand on while playing games to improve your balance.

Games come with single and multiplayer capabilities so the whole family can play video games together, creating opportunities for bonding.

Xbox Fitness Games

Xbox, too, has game titles perfect for a game night that feature different sports such as bowling, table tennis, and soccer. These games turn your living room into a stadium, bowling alley or soccer. The best part is that you don’t have to hold a controller to play. The console detects your motion so you can play hands-free and enjoy the full range of body movement while you play.

Beginners can start off with low-impact games such as bowling, skiing or darts and move on to more challenging games when fitness levels improve. A variety of fun game modes allow you to choose from solo, cooperative or competitive play.

PlayStation Fitness Games

Looking for higher intensity home workouts? The PlayStation has game titles that feature interactive fitness activities such as beach volleyball, disc golf, archery, and table tennis, which range from light to heavy intensity. Just 30 minutes of fitness games at moderate to vigorous intensity will get your heart rate up.

The platform also supports single and multiplayer capabilities for the whole family to participate, promoting increased social interaction and enhancing the quality of life.

Safety Tips for Family Game Night

Grandma getting advice from her doctor before playing console fitness

While playing fitness games on consoles can improve fitness levels and mental health, it is important that it does not completely replace actual physical activity. Take note that seniors should get advice from their doctors before playing console sports or fitness games especially if they have existing medical conditions that may make vigorous intensity activity dangerous.

You should also bear in mind how your parents’ or grandparents’ ongoing medical conditions may affect their workouts and remember that they should go easy and start slow. Sudden increase in exercise intensity may take its toll on the heart. Instead, increase activity levels gradually. When they progress to vigorous intensity or fast-paced workouts, it is important that they cool down after a session.

Avoid playing immediately after a full meal and take regular breaks during each session. If you or a family member experiences dizziness, motion sickness, or nausea, stop playing immediately and rest. Grandparents may also take a while to get used to using game controllers and balance boards, so ensure that the playing area is free of clutter or objects that may cause obstruction or harm during play.

Download the HealthHub app on Google Play or Apple Store to access more health and wellness advice at your fingertips.

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References

  1. Harvard Health Publications. (2009, Jun). Exercise and aging: Can you walk away from Father Time? [Website].
    Retrieved November 2016 from http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercise_and_aging_can_you_walk_away_from_father_time
  2. Santos, H. D., Bredehoft, M. D., Gonzalez, F. M., & Montgomery, S. (2016). Exercise Video Games and Exercise Self-Efficacy in Children. Global Pediatric Health, 3. Retrieved June 2021 from https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794x16644139