It’s all the rage and everyone is talking about the excitement they have for their kids getting up & staying active! I have been looking into this and wanted to talk about some of the safety factors we all should be aware of.
I downloaded the Pokemon 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.
While it is true that you must stay active to keep this game going, also know this:
- Pokemon Go has a “Lure Module” that is meant to lure children to find more Pokemon characters but it has also aided in some being robbed and hurt by those using the feature to locate people playing the game.
- Pokemon Go uses a lot of data, be aware of the usage / plan you have as to not have a big surprise at the end of the month.
- Pokemon Go does collect your info upon registering, date of birth, address etc. If you do not want them to use your data they require you to notify them to stop collection of material..
- Be aware of when your kids are playing, driving a bike or playing in an area with high traffic is not advised. Kids have to remember to look up! There have been many instances of crashed bikes, broken arms and broken phones. Cross at crosswalks,
- Pokemon Go will supposedly not operate in a car if you exceed a certain speed, I could not get confirmation of this, but it makes sense. The game is meant to stay active on foot, not car. There is a feature that you can set that will buzz you when a character is close by so you can access the game and catch it.
- Be considerate of where your kids 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.
This doesn’t mean your kids should not play, but it is good to be informed.
Kids should -
- travel in groups while playing
- stay close to home and be sure parents know location
- be sure phone is charged
- set a time limit to play
- have fun
I’m sure the game will evolve and changes will be made, it is only 10 days old and the hype is pretty intense. If you have any other facts to share, we would love to hear them.
