Pokemon cards? Can someone explain them to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what they are? How do the kids learn to play them? Some of the kids in 1st grade are using them and not sure I want my DS getting into them.

Because Pokemon leads to harder stuff?

Yep. First it's Pokemon, then it's Magic: The Gathering, then next thing you know their turning tricks down at the Game Stop for ultra-rares. ;-)

:mrgreen: Except you don't go to Game Stop for gaming supplies. Don't forget D&D.

Which as we know leads to murder.

:lol: My husband loves it all... hope he has good life insurance for me...

OP, in all seriousness, its a good idea for one parent to try to figure out what is going on. When one poster said some of the dad's get involved, mine does with other kids knowing some of the games as the cards can be very valuable and the younger kids often get burned in trades. They will go for the card that looks nice over cost/use value. (I'm grateful he does it all as I have no interest). The cost is the main reason we haven't pushed or encouraged it.

You really think dads need to get involved to prevent their six year old kids from getting "burned" in Pokemon trades. Seriously?

The cards are not "very valuable". In fact, they have no value except for what the kids work out. Sometimes the kids make good trades. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they have regrets or conflict about trades with their friends. And then they work it out.

This is age-appropriate experiential learning through play. It's healthy and wonderful. And NOT the purview of over-protective, micromanaging Helicopter dads.

Tell DH to save his "very valuable" Pokemon cards from his 1980s childhood and instead buy his kid $20 worth of random cards at a Target. Then let the kid do his or her thing.

There's truly no reason Helicopter Pokemon Dad needs to micro-manage his kid's play.

Obviously you do not know about this kind of card playing. No, we will teach our kid about the cards and how to trade. The value of the card impacts playing.

I know enough about this kind of card playing to know that my first grader and her friends had a great time figuring it out on their own.

I listened from the other room on many a Playdate as they read over the cards, shared half-baked ideas about what they meant and what they are worth, argued, negotiated and worked out various trades, and made up rules and "policies" about trade-backs etc that worked for them.

They also play with bigger kids at aftercare, older siblings and cousins. Sometimes those kids' rules are different. Sometimes they try to pull a fast one. And sometimes they even succeed. But the first and second graderS hold their own overall. And have a great time doing it.

To me, this is safe, low-risk, child-directed play. There's a lot of trial and error. There are good decisions and bad. There are lots of emotions, cooperation, competition, self-regulation and group dynamics. NONE of which requires an adult to instruct, guide, manage or oversee.

In terms of "Value," I really don't care if my eight year old gets suckered into trading away a card that could be worth $100 on eBay someday. She doesn't care either.

YMMV, but we're not buying or selling cards on eBay or in any other marketplace involving actual money. Pokemon is a kids game, not an investment plan. She got her cards either from her friends on her birthday or as hand me downs from teenage cousins and friends. When she eventually grows out of them, we'll similarly pass them on to a younger kid - not liquidate them for cash.

My bottom line: Pokemon is a kids' game. Why not give your kids the opportunity to work together to figure it out? Even the rules. Not everything needs to be explained or proscribed by a parent. It's ok for kids to do it "wrong" and then learn by experience how to do it differently. They don't need so much pareBram protection from error or loss. Save that for when there's real risk or danger involved.

You may want to take the time to learn the game before you ramble about selling them on eBay as that is not the point of where the value is. There is much more to the game than trading.

[Anonymous]

There is an online tutorial to help kids learn how to play the card game:

http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-tcg/play-online/tutorial/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what they are? How do the kids learn to play them? Some of the kids in 1st grade are using them and not sure I want my DS getting into them.

Because Pokemon leads to harder stuff?

Yep. First it's Pokemon, then it's Magic: The Gathering, then next thing you know their turning tricks down at the Game Stop for ultra-rares. ;-)

:mrgreen: Except you don't go to Game Stop for gaming supplies. Don't forget D&D.

Which as we know leads to murder.

:lol: My husband loves it all... hope he has good life insurance for me...

OP, in all seriousness, its a good idea for one parent to try to figure out what is going on. When one poster said some of the dad's get involved, mine does with other kids knowing some of the games as the cards can be very valuable and the younger kids often get burned in trades. They will go for the card that looks nice over cost/use value. (I'm grateful he does it all as I have no interest). The cost is the main reason we haven't pushed or encouraged it.

You really think dads need to get involved to prevent their six year old kids from getting "burned" in Pokemon trades. Seriously?

The cards are not "very valuable". In fact, they have no value except for what the kids work out. Sometimes the kids make good trades. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they have regrets or conflict about trades with their friends. And then they work it out.

This is age-appropriate experiential learning through play. It's healthy and wonderful. And NOT the purview of over-protective, micromanaging Helicopter dads.

Tell DH to save his "very valuable" Pokemon cards from his 1980s childhood and instead buy his kid $20 worth of random cards at a Target. Then let the kid do his or her thing.

There's truly no reason Helicopter Pokemon Dad needs to micro-manage his kid's play.

Obviously you do not know about this kind of card playing. No, we will teach our kid about the cards and how to trade. The value of the card impacts playing.

I know enough about this kind of card playing to know that my first grader and her friends had a great time figuring it out on their own.

I listened from the other room on many a Playdate as they read over the cards, shared half-baked ideas about what they meant and what they are worth, argued, negotiated and worked out various trades, and made up rules and "policies" about trade-backs etc that worked for them.

They also play with bigger kids at aftercare, older siblings and cousins. Sometimes those kids' rules are different. Sometimes they try to pull a fast one. And sometimes they even succeed. But the first and second graderS hold their own overall. And have a great time doing it.

To me, this is safe, low-risk, child-directed play. There's a lot of trial and error. There are good decisions and bad. There are lots of emotions, cooperation, competition, self-regulation and group dynamics. NONE of which requires an adult to instruct, guide, manage or oversee.

In terms of "Value," I really don't care if my eight year old gets suckered into trading away a card that could be worth $100 on eBay someday. She doesn't care either.

YMMV, but we're not buying or selling cards on eBay or in any other marketplace involving actual money. Pokemon is a kids game, not an investment plan. She got her cards either from her friends on her birthday or as hand me downs from teenage cousins and friends. When she eventually grows out of them, we'll similarly pass them on to a younger kid - not liquidate them for cash.

My bottom line: Pokemon is a kids' game. Why not give your kids the opportunity to work together to figure it out? Even the rules. Not everything needs to be explained or proscribed by a parent. It's ok for kids to do it "wrong" and then learn by experience how to do it differently. They don't need so much pareBram protection from error or loss. Save that for when there's real risk or danger involved.

You may want to take the time to learn the game before you ramble about selling them on eBay as that is not the point of where the value is. There is much more to the game than trading.

Yes, I totally agree.

I was referring to the PP who introduced the idea of dollar values by saying this:

"The EX cards for instance are worth something like $20-$100 depending on rarity & a kid can actually lose value by trading."

Our kids don't see the value that way. Neither do we. So we just let them play as they like without interference.

[Anonymous]

My son LOVE the cards- but not for playing. He loves to collect all of the different pokemon. It's cute. Gotta catch them all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what they are? How do the kids learn to play them? Some of the kids in 1st grade are using them and not sure I want my DS getting into them.

Because Pokemon leads to harder stuff?

Yep. First it's Pokemon, then it's Magic: The Gathering, then next thing you know their turning tricks down at the Game Stop for ultra-rares. ;-)

:mrgreen: Except you don't go to Game Stop for gaming supplies. Don't forget D&D.

Which as we know leads to murder.

:lol: My husband loves it all... hope he has good life insurance for me...

OP, in all seriousness, its a good idea for one parent to try to figure out what is going on. When one poster said some of the dad's get involved, mine does with other kids knowing some of the games as the cards can be very valuable and the younger kids often get burned in trades. They will go for the card that looks nice over cost/use value. (I'm grateful he does it all as I have no interest). The cost is the main reason we haven't pushed or encouraged it.

You really think dads need to get involved to prevent their six year old kids from getting "burned" in Pokemon trades. Seriously?

The cards are not "very valuable". In fact, they have no value except for what the kids work out. Sometimes the kids make good trades. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they have regrets or conflict about trades with their friends. And then they work it out.

This is age-appropriate experiential learning through play. It's healthy and wonderful. And NOT the purview of over-protective, micromanaging Helicopter dads.

Tell DH to save his "very valuable" Pokemon cards from his 1980s childhood and instead buy his kid $20 worth of random cards at a Target. Then let the kid do his or her thing.

There's truly no reason Helicopter Pokemon Dad needs to micro-manage his kid's play.

Obviously you do not know about this kind of card playing. No, we will teach our kid about the cards and how to trade. The value of the card impacts playing.

I know enough about this kind of card playing to know that my first grader and her friends had a great time figuring it out on their own.

I listened from the other room on many a Playdate as they read over the cards, shared half-baked ideas about what they meant and what they are worth, argued, negotiated and worked out various trades, and made up rules and "policies" about trade-backs etc that worked for them.

They also play with bigger kids at aftercare, older siblings and cousins. Sometimes those kids' rules are different. Sometimes they try to pull a fast one. And sometimes they even succeed. But the first and second graderS hold their own overall. And have a great time doing it.

To me, this is safe, low-risk, child-directed play. There's a lot of trial and error. There are good decisions and bad. There are lots of emotions, cooperation, competition, self-regulation and group dynamics. NONE of which requires an adult to instruct, guide, manage or oversee.

In terms of "Value," I really don't care if my eight year old gets suckered into trading away a card that could be worth $100 on eBay someday. She doesn't care either.

YMMV, but we're not buying or selling cards on eBay or in any other marketplace involving actual money. Pokemon is a kids game, not an investment plan. She got her cards either from her friends on her birthday or as hand me downs from teenage cousins and friends. When she eventually grows out of them, we'll similarly pass them on to a younger kid - not liquidate them for cash.

My bottom line: Pokemon is a kids' game. Why not give your kids the opportunity to work together to figure it out? Even the rules. Not everything needs to be explained or proscribed by a parent. It's ok for kids to do it "wrong" and then learn by experience how to do it differently. They don't need so much pareBram protection from error or loss. Save that for when there's real risk or danger involved.

You may want to take the time to learn the game before you ramble about selling them on eBay as that is not the point of where the value is. There is much more to the game than trading.

Yes, I totally agree.

I was referring to the PP who introduced the idea of dollar values by saying this:

"The EX cards for instance are worth something like $20-$100 depending on rarity & a kid can actually lose value by trading."

Our kids don't see the value that way. Neither do we. So we just let them play as they like without interference.

Again, the point of the cards is that it is a game, and why kids don't play it as a game and just collect it, is because no one takes the time to teach them to play the game. Many of the higher dollar value cards are due to their meaning in the game, not the pretty pictures and its about winning the game and what cards build a good deck. We view it as a card game, not as a collector's item. Dad will figure out the game and teach it to our child when he has the interest (they have many other games they play so we aren't pushing it). We're also hoping he'll skip it and just jump to Magic. I'm amazed at how parents will buy something and not fully understand what they are buying.

[Anonymous]

My kids used to exchange them and collect them last year, this year they don't look at them, but my daughter has been into exchanging and collecting these little plastic figures called shopkins. It was strong at the beginning of the year, but also has fizzled.

[Anonymous]

For my DS Pokemon is an exercise in negotiation. He doesn't really care as much about the cards as he does the deal making which he considers the "game." He's made some good trades and some that you dads might get upset about. He also regularly gives away cards, even really good ones. He's not gullible but generous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For my DS Pokemon is an exercise in negotiation. He doesn't really care as much about the cards as he does the deal making which he considers the "game." He's made some good trades and some that you dads might get upset about. He also regularly gives away cards, even really good ones. He's not gullible but generous.

You are entirely missing the point about a parent being involved. It is about learning to play the game and helping them practice. Its a game, not just to trade cards or give away to make friends. Its sad that parents are so anti-helicopter that anything that involves hands on parenting they choose to call it helicopter parenting and do not get involved. Take the time to learn the game and teach your child if friends or others have not taught them. Its kinda sad to buy the kids the cards and they have no idea how to use them. As another poster pointed out, there is a lot of positive skills involved. (and some mom's have learn and understand the game.)