Nickelodeon Fit is a collection of mini-games for the Wii aimed towards pre-schoolers that emphasizes movement and exercise.  The game can be played with or without the Wii Balance Board, and has exercise games starring characters from Dora the Explorer, Diego the Backyardigans and Ni-Hao Kai-Lan.

The games in Nickelodeon Fit are very simplistic, and designed to appeal to toddlers.  Some younger kids may enjoy the activities as well, but in general this game is for kids who are still into Nick Jr. more than they are into Nickelodeon.

Each of the different show has three or four different themed mini-games which players can choose.  The games range from bowling with the Backyardigans to downhill skateboarding with Diego, pogo-sticking with Dora and jumping hurdles with Kai-Lan.  There’s usually at least two different versions of each of these mini-games which will ask players to perform the activity in a slightly different way.  For example, players will help Diego row down a river in one game, and once they complete that, they’ll be able to help Diego row down more challenging rapids with additional obstacles.

Before each mini-game, players also have the option to choose whether or not they want to use the Wii-mote or the balance board as controls.  Of the 30 total mini-games, more than 2/3rds of them also work with the balance board.

Families can choose to play the mini-games they want, or they can choose to do a “routine,” which is a series of mini-games.  Nickelodeon Fit comes with two pre-programmed selections, but it’s also very easy to put together a list of your favorites.  This is a really nice feature that helps you play what you want back-to-back-to-back, without having to navigate through the menu system each time.

Parent also have the ability to track their kids’ playing by monitoring their playtime as well as their measurement of MVPA – moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Nickelodeon Fit is the perfect choice for families with toddlers and a Wii looking for an active video game to play together.  The simple and basic mini-games put an emphasis on moving around, and most utilize the Wii Balance Board.  Although this is a single-player game that can get very repetitive, we highly recommend Nickelodeon Fit as a great example of a game that can be enjoyed with toddlers while providing active play and exercise.

*** This was one of our Family Friendly Favorites at the E3 2010 Trade Show in Los Angeles in June.  Here's what we wrote about it then:

Nickelodeon Fit is an exercise game designed to get young kids moving and active.  Using the Wii-mote and Wii Balance Board, kids can exercise along with the Backyardigans, Dora, Diego and Kai-Lan.  Each “workout” is designed as fun mini-game, such as Diego helping a condor flap his wings, or the Backyardigans going bowling.  In all, there are more than 30 games based on these four shows. 

Although all the mini-games are compatible with the Wii Balance Board, it’s not necessary to have one to play any of them.

All the exercises were designed with the assistance and approval of an actual doctor of physical education.  Additionally, parents can track the number of minutes their kids are playing.

Nickelodeon Fit is a game that any video-game playing families with young kids should definitely be looking forward to.  Even though many Wii games have been working to shake the stigma of video games as a sedentary activity, Nickelodeon Fit adds an undeniable level of health and fitness to video games as a positive activity for young kids.

INFORMATION FROM COMPANY FACT SHEET
Nickelodeon Fit is the first fitness video game designed specifically for children! It’s a game so big it has all your Nick Jr. favorites: Dora, Diego, Kai-lan and the Backyardigans! They’re getting together to promote exercise fun, achievement tracking and parent and child collaboration!

Features:
• More than 30 games with your favorite Nick Jr. characters, including biking with Dora, river rafting with Diego, running with Kai-Lan, and jumping rope with the Backyardigans!
• Places a combined emphasis on heart health, cardio, strength building, balance, endurance, and coordination
• Works with both the Balance Board and Wii Remote
• Kids tested and approved by children and moms for age-appropriateness, fun-factor, and quality!
• Ability for parents to program various exercise routines for their child and track their progress

Fitness Category Highlights:
• Wii fitness category genre grossed over $700M in ’09
• 60% growth year-over-year
 Launch of Nick Fit coincides with nationwide initiatives like Let’s Move, The Big Help, and the NFL Play 60