Although it’s been out for less than a week, Pokemon Go is already extremely popular! It’s been all over the news- in fact, because of the game, Nintendo is worth $9 billion dollars more today than it was the day before Pokemon Go launched, just 5 days ago. While it may seem like just the latest fad, there are actual benefits to playing the game!
The most groundbreaking aspect of the game is that unlike video games of the past, this one is designed to get players out exploring the world around them. Summer has long been spent in front of the TV or hooked up to video games consoles in order to fight boredom. However, with Pokemon Go, you can get your child up and out of the house with little to no effort. Simply download the game and watch your child start wanting to go on walks and see new and exciting places!
Pokemon Go uses Google Maps to build a virtual world layered over ours. By downloading and using the mobile app, your child {or you!} will be notified when you’re in the vicinity of a Pokemon. Whenever your phone buzzes, look around {through the app}- there just might be a Pokemon in your own backyard!
Pokemon Go is a great tool to get your child to go outside and play with friends. Send them out and watch them team up with friends to visit the local park, and ride bikes around the neighborhood! If your kids are little like mine, it’s a great way to get the whole family out for a walk. My boys and I went for a walk last night to try to find a few Pokemon and there were 9 in our neighborhood!
If you’re looking for a way to entice your child to visit a local museum or historical landmark, check the place out on the game and see if it happens to be a PokeStop. PokeStops are places in the world that you can visit to receive items- going to those places can get your kids items they need for the game, like Pokeballs and healing potions. Let your kids check in on the game before heading into the museum- and then, since the game won’t let them receive any more items from that location for a little while, use that time to show them what you really came for- the museum!
In addition to PokeStops, your child will likely be on the lookout for Gyms, which are locations where you can train your Pokemon and battle with others. Gyms can be found at great locations for outings including museums, local attractions, parks, and even farms. You can use Pokemon Go to get your child out into the world by visiting PokeStops and Gyms at your favorite locations. {Yes, you get to drag your child where you want to go without them whining!}
Some Pokemon characters are only found in different types of locations, keeping you exploring even more. For example, a trip to the lake or another body of water will score your child “Water” Pokemon. Nocturnal Pokemon are easy to find while stargazing, or on the way home from late events. Road trips and family vacations can be fun and exciting as your child can grab Pokemon while you drive! Pokemon Go has changed the face of family vacations and trips to Grandma’s house.
If your child has become a couch potato over the summer like mine has, you’ll be happy to know that they won’t just want to drive to locations- they’ll need to walk, too. Part of the game includes incubating eggs until they hatch to become Pokemon, and that only happens when your child has walked a specified distance. Driving won’t work for this activity, they have to move on foot- so it’ll be easy to make a family walk before bedtime a nightly routine! Alternately, you might find yourself with kids who are begging to go on nature walks or even hikes! Camping suddenly has a whole new appeal. {And with a solar phone charger, they can still play their new favorite game on the trip- unless, of course, you don’t mention the charger to them in order to facilitate some extra family bonding.}
With the arrival of Pokemon Go, it’s apparent that video games have evolved tremendously from the games we played when we were kids. In just the few short days since it premiered, this game has changed the life of the gamer child! They want to get up and get out- making you happy that they’re off the couch- while they get to enjoy a game they love. Your child will even be improving coordination, heart health, and overall fitness while building skills of strategy and problem solving. That’s what I call a win-win!
You can download Pokemon Go for free in the App Store here & from the Google Play Store here.
