Wii Can Play

I got a bit of great news today. One of our physical education teachers received a grant to start the Wii Can Play program in our school from CVS Pharmacy.

What is Wii Can Play?

Last fall I blogged a short article about webcams in the classroom. That post, and the playing around with the technology I did surrounding it, led to our elementary physical education and adaptive phy ed teacher using Game Star software with her adaptive phy ed students. Wii Can Play sort of evolved as an idea from there. We have spent a lot of time this year investigating how interactive video games and game platforms like Game Star, Dance Dance Revolution, and the Nintendo Wii can be used to promote wellness and keep students physically active.


Wii Can Play is a program we conceived that integrates the Nintendo Wii into various school functions. First and foremost it is meant to help include students with limited mobility and physical impairments in mainstream physical education classes. Second, it fits into our district wellness initiative by providing physical activity for students of all ages during their lunch hour. Third, Wii Can Play will be implemented in Community Ed. by offering video game mediated physical activities for seniors.


The grant money is just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things but it is enough to get our idea off the ground. We will continue to look for further support as this program grows. I will also make sure to blog about our progress in implementing this project.