Techno News: GeoPalz – Pedometers for Kids

Friday, August 31, 2012

GeoPalz – Pedometers for Kids

To promote physical fitness and as another tool to help fight childhood obesity, GeoPalz is pairing their kid styled pedometers with an online rewards based gaming website. Through the online arcade, users (5-10yrs old) can report their steps walked, which are logged through their pedometers and exchange steps for time with games such as Avalanche, Snow-Drift, Mega-Mash and Final-Ninja. 1000 steps will earn you 1.5 minutes of game play. 10,000 steps get you 15 minutes. There are currently 20 different games and 26 different pedometers, which are priced at $25 each. I think rewards based pedometer programs are great. We have this at Cummins. We earn points for the steps we take, which earn us good old cash I’ve already earned $100 for the year and have the chance to earn another $100.

Full press release after the jump.

Fitness-Focused GeoPalz Launches Online Arcade

New online arcade rewards physically active children with access to exclusive online games and media

(BOULDER, COLORADO – August 29, 2012) – GeoPalz, the first decorative pedometer for kids, introduces an interactive media and gaming arcade to its website, designed to promote physical fitness through reward-based online gaming. Within the GeoPalz website, users will now be able to exchange their steps walked for play time in the arcade.

With nearly 20 games currently online, the arcade will cater to children ages five to 10 and feature popular games such as Snow-Drift, Mega-Mash, Final-Ninja, Avalanche and more. By purchasing a GeoPalz activity tracker, kids can track daily steps and exchange them for minutes of play in the online gaming arcade. Currently, 1,000 steps earn users one-and-a-half minutes of arcade play. Kids who reach their average daily goal of 10,000 steps will earn 15 minutes of arcade time, per day.

“At GeoPalz, we believe that properly incenting and rewarding our children for their physical activity will help them build healthy habits for the future,” said Rich Schmelzer, CEO of GeoPalz, LLC. “By expanding our rewards beyond physical toys and virtual goods, we are able to motivate the growing number of young gamers to also get outdoors and get active!”

The GeoPalz activity tracker sits on a child’s hip or shoe and comes in several kid-friendly designs in various character groups, such as “Sports,” “Rock,” “Fantasy,” “Cutesy,” “Edgy” and popular “SkelanimalsTM.” With GeoPalz, children are encouraged to “walk to win.” The activity tracker measures the child’s steps, which can then be entered online at the GeoPalz online community to redeem for a variety of prizes or time in the online arcade.

GeoPalz activity trackers are $25 retail and are available in more than 250 retailers nationwide and also on the GeoPalz website. You can find a store near you, or purchase online at www.geopalz.com/store.

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About GeoPalz GeoPalz is a family-owned business founded in 2008 by Rich and Sheri Schmelzer and Alexandra O’Leary, the creators of JibbitzTM – the stylish shoe accessories for CrocsTM. As parents, the creators of GeoPalz wanted their mission to align with current and developing national campaigns to combat childhood obesity by encouraging youth to lead active lifestyles. GeoPalz kid-friendly activity trackers feature unique, fun designs and a safe online community that motivates children by converting physical activity and “vigorous activity points” which can be redeemed for free, gift cards, activity-based toys and awards. www.geopalz.com – www.facebook.com/GeoPalz – www.twitter.com/GeoPalz

Filed in categories: Fitness, Sports, Kid Gadgets, News