Pokémon 101: 5 Tips from a Poké-Champ to Get Your Family Started

From a North American champion to complete beginners: master the world of Pokémon with expert tips that will help your family catch, battle, and train like pros.

The Pokémon phenomenon has captured hearts and minds across generations, creating a unique opportunity for families to bond over shared adventures in catching, training, and battling these beloved creatures. Whether your kids are just discovering Pikachu or you’re trying to understand what all the excitement is about, the world of Pokémon can seem overwhelming at first glance.

But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be an expert to jump in and start having fun! With guidance from 16-year-old Calgary native and North American Pokémon champion Bennett Piercy, we’ve compiled the essential knowledge you need to navigate this colourful world alongside your children.

From understanding the basic mechanics to building winning strategies, these expert-backed tips will transform you from a Pokémon novice into a confident trainer who can guide—and play alongside—your kids. Whether you’re picking up the latest Nintendo Switch games or exploring the mobile sensation that is Pokémon GO, this comprehensive guide will set your whole family up for success.

Understanding the Pokémon Universe: A Parent’s Primer

Before diving into Bennett’s expert tips, it’s helpful to understand what makes Pokémon so universally appealing. At its core, Pokémon combines elements of exploration, strategy, collection, and storytelling in a way that appeals to children’s natural curiosity and desire for adventure.

The basic premise is simple: you play as a Pokémon trainer who travels through various regions, discovering and catching wild Pokémon (short for “Pocket Monsters”), then training them to become stronger. These Pokémon become your companions and partners in battles against other trainers, gym leaders, and eventually, elite champions.

Why Pokémon Appeals to Different Ages

For younger children (ages 6-10): The bright colours, friendly characters, and simple “catch them all” concept provide immediate gratification and clear goals. The games also reinforce reading skills through dialogue and item descriptions.

For tweens and teens (ages 11-17): The strategic depth of type matchups, team building, and competitive battling offers intellectual challenges that grow with the player’s skill level.

For parents: The wholesome themes of friendship, perseverance, and caring for others make Pokémon a safe entertainment choice that often sparks meaningful conversations about responsibility and teamwork.

The Canadian Pokémon Scene

Canada has a thriving Pokémon community, with organized play events held regularly across the country. From Vancouver to Halifax, Canadian trainers gather for tournaments, trading events, and casual play sessions. Bennett Piercy’s success as a North American champion showcases the calibre of talent that emerges from our Canadian Pokémon community.

Many Canadian libraries, community centres, and game stores host Pokémon leagues where families can learn together in a supportive environment. These venues often provide an excellent introduction for parents who want to understand their children’s interests better.

Tip #1: Just Start Playing – Embrace the Learning Curve

Bennett’s first piece of advice is refreshingly straightforward: don’t overthink it. Modern Pokémon games are masterfully designed to teach players gradually, introducing concepts at a pace that prevents overwhelming beginners while keeping experienced players engaged.

Why the Tutorial System Works So Well

The beauty of Pokémon games lies in their progressive teaching approach. Unlike many video games that dump complex mechanics on players from the start, Pokémon introduces one concept at a time:

First hour: Basic movement and menu navigation
Second hour: Catching your first Pokémon and understanding Pokéballs
Third hour: Your first battle and type advantages
Continuing play: Advanced strategies, breeding, competitive battling

This scaffolded approach means that a 6-year-old and their parent can start playing together, both learning at their own pace without either feeling left behind or held back.

Reading Skills Development

For parents of young children, Bennett highlights an often-overlooked benefit: Pokémon games are excellent reading practice. The games feature:

Simple vocabulary that gradually increases in complexity
Context clues through visual storytelling that help with comprehension
Repetitive phrases that build reading confidence
Optional dialogue that allows players to practice at their own speed

Many Canadian parents report that their children’s reading levels improved significantly during periods of active Pokémon play, as the motivation to understand the story and game mechanics drives voluntary reading practice.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Family Approach

Choose your platform together: Discuss whether to start with a mobile game like Pokémon GO (great for outdoor family time) or a console game for home play
Take turns with controls: Let children lead while parents ask questions—this reverses the typical teaching dynamic and empowers kids
Read dialogue aloud: For younger children, take turns reading character dialogue to practice pronunciation and comprehension
Pause to discuss: Use the game’s built-in save system to take breaks and talk about strategies or story elements

Tip #2: Catch, Catch, Catch – Building Your Collection Strategically

The iconic “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” slogan isn’t just marketing—it’s fundamental gameplay advice that teaches valuable lessons about patience, strategy, and resource management.

Understanding the Catching Mechanic

When you encounter a wild Pokémon, catching it isn’t always guaranteed. Several factors influence your success rate:

Pokémon’s current health: Weakened Pokémon are easier to catch
Type of Pokéball used: Different balls have different success rates
Pokémon’s level and rarity: Higher-level and rarer Pokémon require more skill to catch
Status conditions: Sleep and paralysis make Pokémon easier to catch

Teaching Patience and Persistence

Bennett emphasizes that catching Pokémon is one of the game’s best lessons in persistence. Sometimes you’ll encounter a Pokémon you really want, but it might break free from several Pokéballs before you successfully catch it. This teaches children:

Resource management: When to use your best Pokéballs versus saving them
Emotional regulation: Handling disappointment when a desired Pokémon escapes
Strategic thinking: Planning your approach for difficult catches
Delayed gratification: Understanding that the best rewards require patience

Family Catching Strategies

For Pokémon GO families:

Plan weekend “catching walks” through local parks and neighborhoods
Create family challenges: “Who can catch the most different types this week?”
Use community events as opportunities to teach social skills and cooperation
Practice photography skills with the game’s AR camera feature

For console game families:

Take turns attempting difficult catches
Keep a family Pokédex (the in-game encyclopedia) tracking your collective discoveries
Research together which Pokémon are available in different areas
Celebrate major catches with small family rewards or recognition

The Collection Mindset: Quality vs. Quantity

While catching everything is the ultimate goal, Bennett suggests focusing on building a strong, diverse team first. This approach teaches children about:

Prioritization: Identifying which Pokémon will best help their current team
Quality assessment: Learning to evaluate a Pokémon’s potential usefulness
Goal setting: Working toward specific team compositions or coverage needs

Tip #3: Battle Wisely – Mastering Type Advantages and Strategy

Pokémon battles form the strategic heart of all games in the series. Understanding type advantages—the rock-paper-scissors-like system that determines move effectiveness—is crucial for success and provides excellent critical thinking practice for children.

The Type System Explained

Each Pokémon belongs to one or two of 18 different types (Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, etc.), and each type has strengths and weaknesses against other types. Bennett breaks down the most important relationships for beginners:

The Classic Triangle:

Fire beats Grass (fire burns plants)
Grass beats Water (plants absorb water)
Water beats Fire (water extinguishes fire)

Common Matchups to Remember:

Electric beats Water and Flying
Ground beats Electric (but can’t hit Flying types)
Fighting beats Normal (but can’t hit Ghost types)
Psychic beats Fighting and Poison (but can’t hit Dark types)

Advanced Battle Concepts for Growing Players

As families become more comfortable with basic type matchups, Bennett recommends exploring deeper strategic elements:

Move Categories:

Physical moves: Use the attacker’s Attack stat and target the defender’s Defense
Special moves: Use the attacker’s Special Attack stat and target the defender’s Special Defense
Status moves: Inflict conditions like sleep, paralysis, or stat changes

Team Building Principles:

Type coverage: Ensure your team can handle a variety of opponent types
Role diversity: Include Pokémon that fill different battle roles (attacker, defender, support)
Stat complementarity: Balance fast, frail Pokémon with slow, bulky ones

Using Modern Game Features

Bennett particularly praises newer Pokémon games for their beginner-friendly battle interfaces. Games like Pokémon Sword and Shield show move effectiveness before you select them, displaying helpful indicators:

“It’s super effective!” preview for strong moves
“It’s not very effective…“ warning for weak moves
“It has no effect” alert for completely ineffective moves

This feature allows new players to learn type matchups organically without needing to memorize complex charts.

Family Battle Strategies

Educational Opportunities:

Create flashcards for type matchups and quiz each other
Use battle predictions as math practice: “If this move does double damage, how much will it hurt?”
Discuss real-world parallels: “Why might water extinguish fire?”

Emotional Learning:

Practice good sportsmanship in wins and losses
Develop patience during longer, strategic battles
Learn to adapt when initial strategies don’t work

Collaborative Play:

Take turns making battle decisions
Discuss strategy between moves
Celebrate clever plays and good decision-making

Tip #4: Train with Purpose – Developing Long-Term Goals

Training Pokémon effectively requires understanding that every battle contributes to your team’s development. Bennett’s approach emphasizes intentional training that builds toward specific goals rather than random grinding for levels.

Understanding Pokémon Growth

When your Pokémon battle and defeat opponents, they gain experience points (EXP) that increase their level, boosting their stats. However, Bennett explains that there’s more nuance to training than simply battling everything you encounter:

Effort Values (EVs): Hidden points that your Pokémon gain based on what they defeat

Defeating fast Pokémon increases your Speed
Defeating strong attackers increases your Attack
Defeating defensive Pokémon increases your Defense

Individual Values (IVs): Innate traits that vary between individual Pokémon of the same species

Like genetics, these determine your Pokémon’s maximum potential
More advanced players learn to identify and breed for superior IVs

Setting Training Goals for Families

Beginner Goals (Perfect for families just starting):

Evolve your starter Pokémon to its final form
Build a team of six different types
Defeat all eight Gym Leaders in the region
Complete the main story campaign

Intermediate Goals (For families ready for more challenge):

Create themed teams (all Electric types, all cat-like Pokémon, etc.)
Train Pokémon to specific level milestones
Collect Pokémon with perfect movesets for their roles
Participate in online battles or local tournaments

Advanced Goals (For dedicated family players):

Breed Pokémon with optimal stats and abilities
Build competitive teams for ranked online play
Complete living Pokédexes (one of every Pokémon species)
Achieve in-game titles and rankings

The Psychology of Progressive Training

Bennett emphasizes that purposeful training teaches valuable life skills:

Goal Setting: Children learn to identify what they want to achieve and create plans to get there

Progress Tracking: Pokémon games provide constant feedback on improvement, teaching kids to monitor their advancement

Delayed Gratification: The strongest Pokémon require significant time investment, teaching patience and long-term thinking

Adaptability: When training strategies aren’t working, players must reassess and try new approaches

Family Training Activities

Weekly Training Sessions:

Designate specific times for focused Pokémon training
Set family challenges: “Everyone train one Pokémon to level 25 this week”
Share training strategies and tips between family members
Celebrate training milestones with small rewards

Educational Extensions:

Research real animals that inspired specific Pokémon designs
Create training logs to track progress and patterns
Use training time to practice basic math skills
Discuss themes of growth, improvement, and dedication

Tip #5: Have Fun with Friends and Family – Building Community

Bennett’s final tip addresses one of Pokémon’s greatest strengths: its ability to bring people together. The series has always emphasized cooperation, friendship, and community, making it an ideal activity for family bonding and social skill development.

For Children:

Communication skills: Explaining strategies and sharing discoveries
Emotional intelligence: Reading social cues during trades and battles
Conflict resolution: Handling disagreements about rules or fairness
Leadership: Teaching newer players and helping others improve

For Families:

Shared interests: A common hobby that spans age gaps
Quality time: Screen time that promotes interaction rather than isolation
Learning together: Parents and children discovering new things simultaneously
Memory making: Shared experiences and achievements to reminisce about

Building Your Family Pokémon Community

Within Your Family:

Establish “Pokémon nights” for collaborative play
Create family tournaments with age-appropriate brackets
Share accounts or games to experience different perspectives
Document your journey with photos and journals

Beyond Your Family:

Connect with other Pokémon families in your community
Attend local events at libraries, community centres, or game stores
Join online communities focused on family-friendly play
Participate in community days for Pokémon GO

Canadian Pokémon Communities

Across Canada, vibrant Pokémon communities welcome players of all ages and skill levels:

Major Cities:

Vancouver: Strong competitive scene with regular tournaments
Calgary: Bennett Piercy’s home base with active youth programs
Toronto: Large community with diverse events for all ages
Montreal: Bilingual community with unique cultural perspectives
Halifax: Growing scene with emphasis on casual, family-friendly play

Community Resources:

Local game stores often host weekly Pokémon leagues
Libraries frequently organize Pokémon-themed programming
Community centres may offer gaming clubs that include Pokémon
Schools sometimes incorporate Pokémon into after-school programs

Competitive Play for Families

Bennett encourages families interested in competitive play to start slowly and focus on fun rather than winning:

Local Tournaments:

Many tournaments have age divisions and skill brackets
Family-friendly events often include activities for non-competing siblings
Low-stakes competitions provide positive first experiences
Volunteer opportunities allow parents to contribute to the community

Online Play:

Modern games include robust online battling systems
Parental controls help ensure safe interactions
Family members can battle each other from different devices
Online competitions often have casual and competitive divisions

Teaching Through Play

The social aspects of Pokémon provide numerous teachable moments:

Sportsmanship: Win graciously and lose with dignity Empathy: Understand that everyone has different skill levels and learning speeds
Cooperation: Work together to achieve common goals Inclusion: Welcome new players and help them feel accepted Communication: Express ideas clearly and listen actively to others

Advanced Tips for Growing Pokémon Families

As your family becomes more experienced with Pokémon, Bennett suggests exploring these additional aspects of the games:

Breeding and Genetics

Advanced players can breed Pokémon to create offspring with specific traits, moves, and abilities. This introduces concepts of:

Heredity: How traits pass from parent to offspring
Probability: Understanding odds and statistical outcomes
Planning: Long-term projects that require patience and organization

Competitive Formats

Different ways to play competitively can keep the games fresh:

Single battles: Fast-paced one-on-one encounters
Double battles: Strategic team-based combat
Draft leagues: Community formats where players select teams from limited pools
Themed competitions: Restrictions that encourage creative team building

Content Creation

Many families enjoy sharing their Pokémon experiences:

Streaming or recording gameplay for family memories
Writing battle reports to improve analytical skills
Creating fan art or stories inspired by their adventures
Building spreadsheets or databases to track collections and progress

Safety and Screen Time Considerations

While Pokémon offers many benefits, responsible parents should consider:

Healthy Gaming Habits

Set clear time limits for daily play sessions
Encourage breaks to prevent eye strain and promote physical activity
Balance gaming with other hobbies and responsibilities
Monitor online interactions in games with communication features

Educational Balance

Supplement gaming with related educational activities
Use Pokémon as a gateway to learning about real animals and ecosystems
Incorporate math and science concepts found in the games
Encourage critical thinking about strategies and decisions

Creating Your Family Pokémon Legacy

Bennett’s success as a champion began with family support and encouragement. While not every child will reach competitive heights, every family can create positive memories and learning experiences through Pokémon.

Consider documenting your family’s Pokémon journey:

Keep a journal of major milestones and discoveries
Take photos of significant moments and achievements
Create scrapbooks or digital albums of your adventures
Record videos of exciting battles or rare catches

These memories will likely outlast any individual game or generation, creating a lasting bond between family members who shared in the adventure.

Embracing the Journey Together

As Bennett Piercy’s success demonstrates, the skills learned through Pokémon—strategic thinking, patience, social interaction, and goal-setting—extend far beyond gaming. By approaching Pokémon as a family activity rather than just children’s entertainment, parents can guide their kids through valuable learning experiences while creating lasting memories.

Remember that mastery comes with time and practice. Don’t worry about understanding everything immediately, and don’t feel pressured to become experts overnight. The joy of Pokémon lies in the journey of discovery, the thrill of unexpected encounters, and the satisfaction of watching your team—and your family’s skills—grow stronger together.

Whether you’re catching your first Pidgey in Pokémon GO or building your first competitive team for tournament play, the most important element is the shared experience. In a world where screen time often isolates family members, Pokémon offers a rare opportunity for interactive, educational, and genuinely fun entertainment that brings people together rather than pulling them apart.

So take Bennett’s advice: just start playing, catch everything you can, battle wisely, train with purpose, and most importantly, have fun with the people who matter most. Your family’s Pokémon adventure awaits, and there’s no telling where it might lead you.