New games are always super engaging, but if you pay attention, they’re available anytime! Friends, however… Rabbit won’t give up his new game for anything! But playing with Arie and Rina is not 'nothing.' He realizes that, and without hesitation, leaves the game for later to enjoy the moment.
Target audience: Children aged 4–6 and their educators.
New Game
Arie and Rina: Do you want to play tag with us?? (Arie and Rina invite Rabbit to play.)
Rabbit: I’ve got a new game. (Rabbit playing on his phone.)
Rabbit: I’m not stopping my game for anything! (Rabbit alone, smiling while playing.)
Hahaha! (Rabbit hears laughter and looks curious.)
Hahaha! (Rabbit hears the laughter again and looks grumpy at his phone while playing.)
Rabbit: I want to play too! (Coelho sai para brincar com os amigos e deixa o celular no chão)
Script and Illustration: Renato Reiniger
The comic strip 'New Game' addresses a topic common in children’s daily lives: screen use. By showing Rabbit so absorbed in his game that he initially ignores his friends, the strip mirrors situations many children experience today.
Children and Digital Technology:
Rabbit’s preference for the game over joining friends reflects how children today grow up in a digital environment. This familiarity can foster cognitive skills like logical reasoning and problem-solving, but also raises questions about healthy screen-time balance.
Autonomy and Self-Regulation:
An important aspect is that no adult intervenes; Rabbit himself realizes that interacting with friends is more rewarding at that moment. This highlights a child’s ability to make autonomous choices. Developing self-regulation—the skill to identify and adjust behavior independently—is a key milestone in emotional development.
Balance and Moderation:
The final scene, where Rabbit chooses to play with friends, reinforces the importance of balancing digital activities with real-life social experiences. Laughter and direct interaction represent something virtual games, though engaging, cannot fully replace: forming emotional bonds and experiencing concrete play.
The Value of Free Play:
Running, exploring, and laughing with friends are essential for social, emotional, and motor development. Rabbit choosing real play shows that, even in a highly digital context, human interaction remains meaningful.
Instead of demonizing technology, the strip suggests guiding children to develop autonomy in balancing different types of play. Using interest in digital games as a bridge can open dialogues about balance and mindful consumption.
Questions to Reflect On:
How can we foster self-regulation so children know when to disconnect on their own?
How can we create an environment that balances digital games and real-life play?
How can we support children in exploring alternative social interactions when digital play dominates?
The comic strip 'New Game' offers a gentle, thoughtful way to reflect on digital overuse and the value of in-person interaction. With a simple, non-judgmental message, it invites children to rediscover the joy of collective play, just a laugh or a step away.
Here you’ll find behind-the-scenes content from the strip.
