Life
13 Reasons To Introduce Your Kids To Pokémon Go, Aside From It Being A Lesson On The '90s
This past weekend, a lifelong dream of mine was turned into a reality. Did I meet Beyoncé? Nope. Did I win an Emmy? Not quite. (That's actually scheduled for next year.) What I did get though, was my childhood back in the form of the mobile game Pokémon Go, which is based off of the long-running hit series, Pokémon. Bringing back all the feels of my childhood, this game reminded of reasons why today's kids need to be introduced to our past. Aside from it being a lesson on the '90s, the reasons to introduce your kids to Pokémon Go are larger in number than you can imagine.
Though I'd love to lie and tell you that I've always been a Pokémon fan, my love for Pokémon came by default. My younger brother, who is an anime aficionado, forced me to watch Pokémon day after day, play the Pokémon Monopoly game with him every night, and annoyed me with it on any game system we had. Through him and his love for the show, however, I found my own love for Charmander. And, well, the rest is history.
When Pokémon Go announced its ability to give lovers of the franchise a way to "catch 'em all" in real life, nothing seemed to be impossible anymore. I mean, who didn't want to capture the rarest of Pokémon back in the day and prove that you too were stronger than any of your opponents and smarter than the evil Team Rocket trio? As a kid, the popular franchise had an effect on mine and my siblings life as the show proved to us that anything could be accomplished if you continued to push yourself past your limits. So why wouldn't you want to pass that same passion and mindset onto your kids?
Whether you were a fan of Pokémon in the '90s, a late bloomer who watched in the early 2000s, or are just entering your journey into being the best trainer out there, these 13 reasons why you should introduce your kids to Pokémon Go, will give you good reasoning to go download it for them now.
1It's A Bonding Experience
When I was a kid, my mom would tell us about some of her favorite games that weren't available anymore and wish that she could play them with us. With Pokémon Go, you'll have the chance to bond with your child by having the same interest in the long existing franchise.
2You'll Get To Explore New Places Together
With Gyms and PokéStops all over the place, you can discover a new part of your neighborhood, try a new restaurant, or just uncover a sweet and serene spot to hang out at on a cool day.
3It's A New Form Of Exercise
True story: I walked all the way to the gym just to catch Golbat this morning and I'm not ashamed to say it. Your kids can experience the same amount of exercise if they're out chasing Pokémon too.
4They'll Meet Charmander
Because, he's totally the cutest Pokémon to ever be caught. Ever.
5You'll Be Able To Show Them How You Got Down In The '90s
Gone are the days of drawing your Pokémon to feel like you're catching them all. You can actually do it in real life now and show your kids what a badass you were (when Pokémon was on Gameboy) back in the day.
6You Can Create Your Own Characters
For this particular Pokémon-based game, you can actually create your own character and give it a sort of unique identity based on what your child pictures themselves to be as a trainer. Creativity and imagination at its finest.
7You Can Use The Game No Matter Where You Are
Tired of your kids complaining when you're out at dinner or visiting a friend? The cool thing about Pokémon Go is that you literally can go anywhere while playing it.
8It Keeps Them Busy When You're Busy
If you're looking for a way to keep the kids preoccupied while you're busy doing your own to-do list, Pokémon Go will surely help keep them focused on something other than you for a while
9They'll Want To Be Outside More Than Before
"Hey mom, can we eat lunch outside today?" says every kid now since Pokémon Go erupted onto the scene.
10You'll Get A Good Laugh
Kids will find Pokémon in the most unusual places. And, along with sharing a good laugh, you can create a contest between the kids to see who can capture the most Pokémon in the most unique places.
11It Introduces Them To Healthy Competition
Though my brother has way more experience with the Pokémon world than I do, it's always nice to bring our peaceful sibling rivalry back up. Creating a daily capture competition between the kids could be a fun thing to do this summer.
12It Encourages Them To Spend More Time With You
To get to a few of the PokéStops and Gyms, they'll need you to be the driver. What better way than to spend the day together riding around catching Pokémon? Perfect day in the making? I think so.
13It's Lit
Pokémon Go was literally the best game invented in 2016 because it's caused kids from the '90s and kids from the 2000s to find a way to bond and relate to one another. According to many of my friends with kids, there's no better feeling than to bond with your kid over Pokémon.
