About Biba Games
These days, whether we like it or not, kids are growing up in a screen-saturated society – and it is a challenge for all of us as parents. Biba games solve this problem by turning screen time on its head – re-orienting the screen-fixation and digital inclinations of kids towards healthy, outdoor play. In short, our games provide the digital rewards kids love, while keeping their butts off the couch.
And it works! Not only is the Biba design philosophy rooted in years of research, but they have committed heavily to user-testing, field work and consultation with partners such as the RAND Corporation and Simon Fraser University. In fact, peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Child Health Care, confirms that kids truly get more active on playgrounds when using Biba games vs. standard playground play. This makes Biba a benefit to families and communities alike.
How The Games Work
The first thing you will notice is that Biba games are played with the parent as the referee. This means that you, the parent, download the game and hold the phone through the entire game experience. This allows kids to remain hands-free so they can focus on the physical activity and the fun – not the phone. But perhaps most importantly, this configuration for game play keeps parents and kids playing together, which is something contemporary research demonstrates has a positive influence on physical activity outcomes.
As for the games themselves, Biba adventures leverage the best part of being on a playground—imagination! Each of the games tap into common make-believe scenarios ranging from butterfly catching to raiding ancient temples. And the gameplay is organic and easily accommodates drop-in/drop-out play.
For example, if a child is playing as a car in ‘Biba Drive!’, they’re completing laps and stopping for repairs at a Pit Stop with the parent where they need to ‘wipe their windshield’ or ‘fuel up’ on the phone. If a child is an archeologist in Dino Dig, they’re squeezing through tubes and climbing up ladders to dusty dig sites where they can sweep, blow and chisel to unearth new bones on the phone. You, the parent, become the epicenter of your child’s imagination-driven playground play.
…And It Helps Your Park!
Biba games have the added bonus of being able to tally up patterns about Biba playground use for your local park owners to learn more about what’s working and not working on your playgrounds! Knowing what the peak days and hours of playground usage are, what the impact of weather is on your community’s play and what the favorite pieces of equipment are can help your local municipality figure out the next best steps in adding to your community’s local playground or even planning new regional recreation spaces in your area!
