Learning aids and fair play promoters – Pokémon cards are a gift

No matter how many times I ask my son for an explanation, I’m lost.

The detail involved is seriously impressive. I used to trade fancy paper, so it’s fair to say that these Pokémon cards are in another heavenly realm.

Children need to get smarter. In 2000 there were around 150 characters; Today it’s over 900, and I bet my 9-year-old and his buddies can reel off every one of them.

While the lack of things to do during the pandemic added zest to the obsession among youngsters (and some adults), they were previously popular. They’ve been birthday and Christmas gifts at our house for the past four years, but interest has now reached boiling point, eating every penny of pocket money.

While I don’t know of any adults who trade, the cards have become a speculative commodity since Gen Z YouTuber Logan Paul shelled out $5.3 million for a Pikachu Illustrator card, so it’ll have to take a few tries give.

I’m blown away by them because they are an amazing learning aid that will help mold kids into future effective leaders (if they can then pay me back for all those booster packs). They also encourage fair play and keep them off the screens. When teachers are struggling to get their students’ attention, they should pull out these pocket monsters – I swear they got my son reading.

I would drag him to the library, but it was a desire to digest Pokemon Encyclopedia this encouraged him to books.

The positive points don’t end here. They are also excellent motivation to sharpen numerical skills.

Each card has an intricate stat system that represents damage and health. To trade you need to be able to subtract and add quickly.

Another reason I love them is that the sheer complexity involved will prepare children for an uncertain future where AI and climate change will require additional dexterity. At least I suspect that will be the case.

For example, when I asked my son what the most valuable card was, he didn’t hesitate to answer: First Edition Charizard, which evolved from Charmeleon, which evolved from Charmander.

Then there’s Squirtle, which evolves into Wartortle, which evolves into Blastoise; and Bulbasaur, which evolves into Ivysaur, which evolves into Venusaur. By the way, Blastoise is the second most valuable card in the Pokemon universe.

At that point, my brain was fried and I couldn’t take in any new information. It was like listening to a GAA match on the radio.

I asked for a basic crash course instead, and he explained that there are three categories: Pokemon character cards, Energy cards, and Trainer cards.

Each Pokemon card indicates how “evolved” the character is, and the shiny cards are the legendary Pokemon. But I was lost again. The knowledge required is amazing.

From what I can see – and this is just the fun fights, not the serious trading – the Pokemon craze encourages the ability to strategize, work together, and trade with integrity.

There was a trade regret problem in my son’s class, so one of the boys suggested a one-day trade-back rule. There was a recent flurry that sparked discussions among parents about a card ban (the school has already banned the trade so they are only allowed to show their cards), but the introduction of this cooling off period has smoothed things out.

Boys and girls play which encourages mixing. It’s a nice, social game and you’re not glued to screens.

A warning though – don’t buy fakes. I happily bought a batch online for Christmas – couldn’t believe my luck – and the emotional excitement this created was immense.