The Canterbury town of Rolleston has become home to the country's first 'smart playground' and it's causing controversy.
Playground developers have installed an 'augmented reality' smartphone game, bringing screen time to play time.
Rolleston is known as the 'Town of the Future' and now, it has the playground to match.
Seven-year-old Kelsey Barton is hooked on Biba, the latest smartphone game, but this one can only be played at her local playground.
She said she collected all the 'Bibas' in one day, "it's like real life almost, you're finding pets to keep in your house".
Aimed at children aged between three and nine, the game allows parents to scan a special marker to activate augmented reality on their phone.
Cameron Warr, from the Selwyn District Council, said it "basically allows you to have different challenges and different games while utilising the play equipment".
"The parents push various points on the app while the children are going around the equipment."
The idea hasn't impressed everyone, though, and some parents have complained, saying that playgrounds should be a screen - free zone where children can have fun the old-fashioned way.
But the installers, Playground centre, say it's actually designed to encourage children to get outside and play for longer.
The device is controlled and held by the parent or caregiver so the child is spending 90 percent of the playtime in the equipment, running and being active.
The game is on a 90 day trial, and could be rolled out further if the locals like it.
Andre Barton, who is a father himself, said he thought it was good, "it gets kids into the playground, it's an excuse for them to go out if they're not keen to".
The playground of the future is proving a wild success for this new, screen-loving generation.
Newshub.
