What Is Pokemon Go?  An Overview for Parents/Educators

This weekend, Pokemon Go has taken the app world by storm.  Pokemon Go is an AR (augmented reality) game in which you collect monsters (Pokemon) out and about in the real world.  The game, by Niantic Labs, creators of the AR game Ingress, uses your smartphone’s GPS and data to share the location of these critters in the real world.  Look at your phone’s display.  See some rustling leaves on the sidewalk ahead?  There’s one hiding there!

As you explore, real world landmarks:  statues, memorials, churches, parks, historic markers, and the like are represented by blue icons called Pokestops.  Get close enough to it, tap it, and give it a spin to collect items to aid you on your quest to collect more Pokemon.  There are also Gyms where your Pokemon can battle those of other players.  The more you play, the more you level up and the better items and abilities you get!

So, what’s the value in this game?  It gets us out and about!  The best way to play the game is to get out, walking/jogging and exploring!  This is a great way to encourage your kids to get out of the house and play a game in the real world.  In fact, I just walked nearly four miles with my daughter as we explored our local community college, gathering resources and collecting over 25 Pokemon!  Sometimes you find Pokemon eggs.  Want to hatch them?  Put them in an incubator.  The game then requires you to walk a certain distance to get the egg to hatch.  Talk about motivation!

The more landmarks and points of interest near you, the more likely you are to find places to interact.  We live in a fairly rural community, so the local college and the downtown area are the most rewarding play areas.  If you live some distance away from an area like this, you may want to drive/bike to an area and then explore.

Only have one phone?  You and your kids can always take turns finding and capturing the Pokemon you discover.  (Hint:  Hold down the Pokeball and flick it toward the creature when the circle’s the smallest to increase your chance of catching it.)  Also, keep in mind a few things.  With music, graphics, GPS, data, and screen that stays on while you’re playing, this game will drain your battery!  (There is a low battery mode, but I haven’t tried that yet.)  For extended play, you may want to take a backup charger.  Also, though this is a fantastic way to get some exercise, it can be distracting.  Don’t forget to look where you’re walking!

At the end of this month, the Pokemon Go Plus (a wearable gadget that connects to your phone and vibrates to let you know when Pokemon are near) will be available to help you in your quest to “catch ’em all.”

Pokemon Go is a great way to connect to your kids and get outdoors for some physical activity. This is also a great game to encourage kids to research strategy, how-to’s, and the Pokemon lore.  The hype is huge right now, so why not take advantage of it?

Time for me to go and train my Bulbasaur!

-Lucas