Country Dance 2

I’m not much for video games.  In fact, we didn’t own any until the Wii came out.  But the Wii, and other newer systems like the X-Box Kinect, enable active game play that earlier systems didn’t allow for.  I enjoy using these to help myself stay in shape.

One new game in this category is Country Dance 2.  It’s just what it sounds like: country dance.  I enjoy it, and my four-year-old enjoys it, so it definitely has multi-generational appeal.  It’s a lot of fun, but it’s not easy!  (My nine-year-old daughter enjoyed laughing at me the first time I tried it.  Trying to keep up with an unfamiliar dance routine does make for a humorous appearance!)  It’s a good workout, though.  I tried about three songs the first time ’round, and I got my heart rate up and caused myself some muscle soreness for the next day.

On the “practice” setting, you can practice a particular choreography set again and again. This is good for learning the steps, obviously. It’s also a really good workout!

It’s helpful for educational reasons, too.  Many of the steps require cross-body movements – that is, the use of the right arm and left leg (or left arm and right leg) simultaneously.  This depends on right brain-left brain integration that helps with reading, math, etc.  It will be good for my girls to practice this.

The only caveat here would be the songs.  The user is dancing, obviously, to country music.  It is actual, popular country music you would hear on the radio.  If you’re not comfortable with the music then, of course, you will not be comfortable with the game.  (Around here, the country station is the local county station, so it’s what we listen to in the car, anyway.)  I haven’t played every song, so I can’t guarantee there isn’t something I haven’t seen, but I haven’t seen any dance moves I would consider inappropriate.  They’ve all been good for even my little one’s coordination and nothing I would be embarrassed to see her doing.

This would be a great gift for the whole family, but especially for a woman on your list who likes to have fun while keeping fit.

$39.99

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Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the game from the manufacturer to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are entirely my own.