Are you a Pokémon game lover? Then Richmond has the perfect place for you.
The Pokémon Trainers' Gym at Richmond Public Library Cambie branch offers a place every Friday for students to train and battle their “Pokémons” with peers after school.
“So many kids were coming in and borrowing the comics and reading the game guide to the characters, I thought, why not put together a club,” said Steven McCreedy, librarian technician and founder of the program.
Anyone with Pokémon cards or video games appliances can come and battle other Pokémon connoisseurs to “hone their skills,” according to McCreedy.
The program now has an average of 15 participants every week and in summer, the number can peak to 50.
“More adults are familiar with Pokémon Go, which doesn’t include nearly as much strategy as the traditional Pokémon card games and video games,” said McCreedy.
He said the Pokémon game can help children develop their reading skills as well as strategic and critical thinking.
“Sometimes kids don’t particularly like to be asked to read, you might need to find new, I don’t want to say tricks, but new ways to get them into reading,” said McCreedy.
“Pokémon, both the video and the card games, has a lot of reading involved. You have to learn all of the rules, each card has very detailed rules about what you need to do and what the battling abilities are.
“And there is a lot more critical thinking, you have to work out the best strategies and practices and how to defeat other Pokémon rivals. Almost like chess, you have to plan several moves ahead."
McCreedy added that, compared to sitting in front of computers at home, the game brings students together to socialize with others from different schools, in a safe environment.
“The intention is to actually offer a safe space where they can learn something at the same time as they are playing."
