Should You Let Your Kids Play Pokémon GO?

The video game phenomenon that is Pokémon Go strikes a good balance between being an exciting video game for kids and a tool used by parents to get their children out of the house and playing outside. This innovative game blends the virtual world with our real world and gets players out of the house and moving.

There are a number of advantages to this game. This said, Pokémon Go has also hit the headlines because it caused robberies, where players were robbed of their smartphones, and accidents, when people chose to look at their phones, rather than look up when crossing the street. So it is natural as a parent to question whether it is a good idea to allow your kids to play this game.

Comparing the advantages and the disadvantages is the best way of making a learned decision and below you can find the information you need to help you do this.

The Advantages of Playing Pokémon GO

Interaction with their peers ­– Pokémon Go brings players together at Pokéstops and this is an opportunity for your kid to learn how to interact with his peers without the help of social media.

Guaranteed exercise – With a virtual map on your screen telling you how far you need to walk or bike, this game ensures your kid will exercise, without him even realizing.

Visiting new places – Pokéstops, the place where your kid can stock up on Pokéballs, will come in the form of local landmarks such as museums or monuments. This feature gives your kid the chance to visit historical places and new locations.

A way to bond – Everyone will get excited and involved when you play Pokémon Go as a family. This way, you will have spent time together having a good laugh as a family.

Stress relief – Kids need to unwind as much as we do and this all-consuming video game will surely help them forget about what’s bothering them, even if it’s for an hour or two.

It will ignite their imagination – Seeing a Pokémon sitting on the stairs of your local church is something new to all of us. If not for anything else, this game ignites children’s imaginations and helps them to believe that everything is possible.

The Disadvantages to Playing Pokémon GO

Lured by predators – The lure module can be used by players to attract Pokémons at Pokéstops. However, it can just as easily be used by criminals like robbers or sex offenders to lure vulnerable people near them.

Traffic accidents in the making – Keeping their eyes on their phone, instead of on the road is something that happens with this game. Teaching your kid to stay safe by keeping his eyes on the road and using the vibrate mode for alerts, will help ease your mind.

A drained battery – Pokémon Go will drain your phone battery quickly. Ending up with a dead phone in an unfamiliar location is something you won’t want to happen to your kid, so a portable battery charger or switching on the battery saving mode will keep your kid safe and you from freaking out.

It can be addicting – This game is addicting and everyone can get carried away while playing it. Setting boundaries is important to keep your child from spending hours playing this game and not doing much else.

Even if you have a strong aversion towards video games, it is easy to see that Pokémon Go has its good features. Educating your kids about the dangers that come with playing this game will enable them to keep the fun in the game. Once the safety tips are covered, then they can enjoy the number of benefits that come with Pokémon Go, ones that are not often associated with most video games.

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