To show you what I mean, look at how kids ages five through twelve are being encouraged to take a walk around the block. Pedz () is an online journey that uses a frog pedometer to track steps. The child keeps the pedometer in a pocket, hung on a lanyard around the neck or even carried in a purse or backpack. The pedometer has a clock and calendar, plus it tracks the distance walked and the statistics associated with an entire week’s worth of walking.

Every evening, the child logs into mypedz.com and enters the number of steps recorded by the pedometer to earn points that result in movement across different levels in the online game. Kids can challenge themselves by setting goals for the day, week or month. There are rewards for reaching the goals set. Families can get a frog pedometer for each child or friends can all get pedometers and then it will be time to enter the Battle Zone where there are games to be played, trips to be taken across a map and bonus points to be earned for everyday activities. 

With the hot climate in Saudi Arabia, it’s not always possible to do much walking. Another way to get kids moving is with a dance party. Available exclusively on Kinect for Xbox 360, Dance Paradise video game from THQ offers contemporary dance hits such as Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and “Poker Face,” Rihanna’s “Disturbia,” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and “What Are You Waiting For.” Parents can even groove along with their kids to oldies including Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration.”

In Dance Paradise, players dance solo or side-by-side with another player, as they attempt to mirror the movements of the on-screen avatars, and watch as their Xbox Avatar interprets these movements. Dance Paradise features a “Versus” mode, challenging players to replicate moves as accurately as possible before their avatars reach the end of four colored bars. The game includes 40 pop, hip-hop, R&B and disco hits and also showcases original music videos from the artists. Players can watch the videos while they play or use “Video Box” mode that lets players view the videos separately. The game launches this week retailing for $50.

Dad might not be too keen to participate in a dance party but he’s sure to join in a board game — especially one he remembers from his childhood. Toy company Hasbro is introducing a new category of LIVE board games with electronic smart features. LIVE Battleship and LIVE Monopoly will be available in Fall 2011 for $50.

Each LIVE game is hosted by a tower, which reminds players about the rules, tracks the game, keeps score and adds unexpected twists to game play. The technology behind LIVE is called Motion Vision Play. An infrared camera in the tower on each specially designed game board scans the pieces in order to keep track of game play. In Battleship LIVE the voice of a naval commander provides direction as the Motion Vision Play technology in the LIVE tower detects all ship, cannon and hand movements during the game. Firing at targets comes alive with the sound of missiles flying through the air and water splashing as ships are correctly targeted and sunk. Surprise elements such as a typhoon or spy plane may interrupt and change the course of game play at any time.

The LIVE tower in Monopoly LIVE is the centerpiece of the game, identifying movers, watching hand movements, tracking all bank balances and introducing unexpected events throughout the game. Players never know when they’re going to be able to take a cab ride around the board to their most coveted property or ride out a stock rally for an unexpected dividend. The game also introduces some updated opportunities, such as the option to “green” utilities to earn tax breaks. Negotiating and trading with fellow players is still required to collect a complete color property group.

But why play board games just at home? Taking a traditional board game out of the living room and into an online social environment  is the Learning Company’s idea with its new Facebook games. “The Oregon Trail” and “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” are classic educational games that have been updated with new graphics and online social play. In The Oregon Trail (), players are able to coordinate in real-time with Facebook friends as they travel back to 1848 to pick a profession, assemble a party, load their wagons and set off on the Trail.

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? sends Facebook players undercover as ACME Detective Agents on the hunt for Carmen Sandiego, the leader of the international crime syndicate known as V.I.L.E. Together with their Facebook friends, players travel the in-game world to follow clues, solve cases and help ACME’s Chief track down Carmen’s Henchmen. Join the fun through .