Video-Gaming Grandparents: Wii, Wii!

Posted October 26, 2007, 5:27 pm by Growing Bolder


Chase is eight years old, and says when he grows up -- he wants to be a professional bowler. So, to train for that lofty goal, he practices as much as he can.

But instead of hitting the lanes at the local bowling alley, Chase straps on the Nintendo Wii remote, pulls back, and lets the virtual bowling ball fly.

Flora is 72 years old. She's already grown up. But she's acting more like a kid than Chase.

Flora is part of a growing group of adults embracing video games for everything from exercise to socializing.

She and her husband helped start a bowling league at their Illinois retirement center, and they say they were shocked at how many people signed up.

The people in the league range in age from 66 years old to 81 years old. Many people have physical challenges. One is even in a wheelchair.

But they have all found that playing virtual sports like golf, bowling, and tennis helps loosen their muscles, and gives them a chance to hang out together.

Janet Braulio is a Corporate Affairs Specialist for Nintendo. She tells Growing Bolder that seniors are one of the fastest-growing groups playing video games.

And Wii is one of the most popular options out there, in part because it includes a cordless remote. That means that the player can use his or her body to control the character on the screen, instead of dealing with small joysticks or buttons on the remote control.

Flora does more than organize a league. She plays -- and she is hard to beat!

She says when she bowled in alleys, she averaged about a 140 score. With the Wii, she's had a perfect 300 game.

And that's helped this grandmother look pretty cool in front of her kids and grandkids. She tells Growing Bolder that now the grandchildren can't wait to visit her -- and to challenge her.

Her 4 year old grandson has already bowled a 112, and Flora knows that the more practice he gets, the better he'll be. So she'll stay close to the video game, and make sure she's ready for the next generation to take her on.

Remember, Chase is training to become a professional, so she'd better watch out.

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