Have your kids caught the Pokebug? Trying to catch them all? Pokemon GO has been all the rage in the past few weeks. Everyone is talking about the excitement they have for their kids getting up and staying active and there's been a TON of news coverage, both positive and negative.
I have been looking into this mobile game and wanted to talk about some of the safety factors we all should be aware of. So I downloaded the Pokémon GO™ App onto my phone, since my son does not have one. It was easy to set up and to get started. The object seems to be to keep moving and locate characters to catch along the way; the characters are all friendly and age appropriate for kids. The game utilizes your phone's GPS to detect where you are and shows you a map to where the next Pokemon is located. There are Pokestops to get more Pokeballs, eggs and other Pokeswag and the goal is to catch them all!
I have been looking into this mobile game and wanted to talk about some of the safety factors we all should be aware of. So I downloaded the Pokémon GO™ App onto my phone, since my son does not have one. It was easy to set up and to get started. The object seems to be to keep moving and locate characters to catch along the way; the characters are all friendly and age appropriate for kids. The game utilizes your phone's GPS to detect where you are and shows you a map to where the next Pokemon is located. There are Pokestops to get more Pokeballs, eggs and other Pokeswag and the goal is to catch them all!
While it is true that you must stay active to keep this game going, also know this:
- The game has a “Lure Module” that is meant to lure children to find more characters, but it has also aided in some players being robbed and hurt by those who are using the feature to locate people playing the game.
- It uses a lot of data, so be aware of your usage vs your plan so you don't get a big surprise at the end of the month.
- The game collects your info upon registering, including date of birth, address, etc. If you do not want them to use your information, they require you to notify them to stop collection of material.
- Be aware of when your kids are playing. Riding a bike while playing or playing in an area with high traffic is not advised. Kids have to remember to look up! There have been some instances of injuries and broken phones. Be sure to only cross at crosswalks.
- The game will supposedly not operate in a car if you exceed a certain speed. I could not get confirmation of this (since I won't do it), but it makes sense. The game is meant to keep you active on foot, not by car. There is a feature that you can set that will buzz you when a character is close by so you can pull over to access the game and catch it.
- Remind your kids to be considerate of where they are playing. Trespassing is against the law and some characters may be in areas that will be frowned upon to access. Examples that I have seen in the news from around the country are museums and cemeteries. Players should not attempt to gain entrance to buildings and other locations during the hours they are closed.
- Do not play and drive. Distracted driving is the cause of many accidents. We know it's tempting, but it's just not safe.
- Don't get tripped up, look up! Be aware of your surroundings. It's easy to follow a GPS map blindly but remember to look up. Trees, bumps, moving vehicles, and debris are not on the map.
- Don't Poke in the dark. We get it. You're addicted. You wanna catch them all and catch them all now. But lingering in the dark, alone, with a cell phone is never a good idea. We recommend catching Pokemon as a family, during the day and utilize caution when going to new areas.
- Poke around with friends and family. Nobody wants to wander around alone. Bring friends and family. It will keep you more alert and aware of your surroundings. Plus it will be a bonding experience.
- Afraid your kids will be to tempted wander? Only download the app on an adult's phone. If it's on your child's phone enforce safety rules and boundaries of where they can play and when.
- The game is not a race. The Pokemon will wait for you, nobody can steal them. There is no reason to speed or drive recklessly.
No matter where you go hunting Pokemon as a family, I'm sure it will be worth the trip. My family has been bonding over the game for several days and our experience has been full of Pokelove.
