Pokemon Go.
It’s here. It’s huge. And it’s not going away anytime soon.
Pokemon Go is THE trend of the summer for my kids.
2 summers ago my sons were ALL about Pokemon cards. We would buy packs and packs and packs of them at Target. They would trade cards with friends and really have some fun playing with them at home with each other.
Well, Pokemon has been brought up a few notches now. I first heard about Pokemon Go from my friend Vera, she had mentioned it on Facebook this past weekend. I didn’t think anything of it because my kids hadn’t said anything about it to me yet. Well, fast forward 3 days. Every single one of their buddies is on. So we decided to let them give it a whirl!
So right off the bat, for other moms and dads out there who don’t know what Pokemon Go is, here’s what the app/game is all about:
Travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon with Pokémon GO for iPhone and Android devices. With Pokémon GO, you’ll discover Pokémon in a whole new world—your own! Pokémon GO is built on Niantic’s Real World Gaming Platform and will use real locations to encourage players to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon. Pokémon GO allows you to find and catch more than a hundred species of Pokémon as you explore your surroundings.
The Pokémon video game series has used real-world locations such as the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, New York, and Paris as inspiration for the fantasy settings in which its games take place. In Pokémon GO, the real world will be the setting!
Get on your feet and step outside to find and catch wild Pokémon. Explore cities and towns around where you live and even around the globe to capture as many Pokémon as you can. As you move around, your smartphone will vibrate to let you know you’re near a Pokémon. Once you’ve encountered a Pokémon, take aim on your smartphone’s touch screen and throw a Poké Ball to catch it. Be careful when you try to catch it, or it might run away! Also look for PokéStops located at interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments, where you can collect more Poké Balls and other items.
Cool, right??
Yesterday the boys took me on a “Pokemon Go” hunt. I have to say, it was really interesting. It does keep the kids moving and they genuinely love it.
Now here’s the not-so-great thing about Pokemon Go. Your child is fully occupied into the game, so it’s important to make sure YOU are with them keeping an eye on cars, other people walking/biking by and just to be there. I would never let the kids just roam our town or city by themselves, they’re way too young, I don’t have to worry about that yet, but it IS important for you to be with your child while they play (if they’re on the younger side). Or – as we told the boys – someone always has to be the lookout guy. Just please make sure you keep this in mind as your child downloads and starts playing.
Looks like this might be the wave of the future.
Enjoy!
