Children clearly not having enough fun with actual instruments

With the short attention span of so many kids these days, how do we reach out and turn them on to the interactive fun of musical instruments? Give them an interactive video game, of course.

In Washington D.C. a new program is trying to entice kids into the music curriculum with Wii Music. On Thursday kids at H.D. Cooke Elementary had a chance to musically fling their arms around, with enthusiastic school staff and Nintendo reps.
D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee is trying to prioritize the musical curriculum by pledging to have at least one music teacher on staff in every school. Isn’t that a bold commitment? The Wii Music Program is planned for at least 50 other U.S. cities as part of a collaboration between Nintendo and the National Association for Music Education in which Nintendo is donating hardware and software.

Nintendo's J.C. Rodrigo said in a Fox News interview that it’s meant as “merely a supplemental tool to teachers and to parents to get their children interested in music; that’s the most important part.” Certainly Nintendo is only interested in building support for arts education and not the captive audience of thousands of young children still chewing off the pant legs of the parents who haven’t bought one for home yet. ‘I need it for school!’ might not just work for laptops anymore, kids!

[source nintendo.joystiq.com]