The parents drag children to playgrounds for some fresh air and swings to indulge in practical play. But soon they find themselves reading a sign asking them to take out their smartphones and download an app. This precise scenario from Mississauga Valley Community Centre, Ontario, Canada, went viral towards mid-October 2026.
Images of the guide sign made the rounds on the internet. It asks the visitors to search for ‘Biba’ on their phone’s app store, select one game, and start playing. According to Vancouver-based Biba Ventures, their free games can be found at over 4,500 playgrounds in 10 countries. The company puts up basic signs and AR colored markers in the playground equipment. The parents use the phone while the children dash about or climb or dig for dinosaurs in Dino Dig or pretend races in Biba Drive!.
In cyberspace, the responses came quick and fierce.
“Or, this could come off as weird but hey, we can go have fun in the playground,”
remarked one of the commenters. Other responses included the usual “use your imagination” and “touch grass not glass.” They found it ironic that the playground, which was intended for people to have fun away from electronic devices, would actually prompt users to do the opposite. This incident was described in detail by Dexerto on October 20. According to the website, some parents saw it as a unique way of getting their active children to exercise without the adults’ doomscrolling.
Biba has been operating for quite some time. Their website says it all
“We all know that today’s kid gets way too much screen time. It’s a challenge! That’s how we came up with Biba: mobile games that turn screen time into outdoor family fun!”
In 2017, a pilot study funded by the company and published in the Journal of Child Health Care had 20 kids, aged 4 to 11, play Biba and had their heart rates taken during the sessions and during unstructured free play. Their heart rates were, on average, significantly higher during Biba sessions. The company’s materials say “up to 40 percent higher”, with the small sample size having clear limitations. The study did not demonstrate any appreciable long-term health benefits.
The issue, at its core, is that unstructured outdoor activity fosters imagination, physical activity, and a sense of adventure in a way that a smartphone guided challenge can’t. On the other hand, a more guided activity that encourages some families to get outside for a longer period of time than they otherwise would is also a positive. The debate, encapsulated in the viral sign, is one of value. Does the inclusion of an opt-in application encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors, or does it subtly undermine the reason they are out there in the first place?
