Pokémon GO can be a good fit for a child if a parent sets it up and stays involved. Under 13s use a child account that needs a parent's approval, the game is rated PEGI 7, and the two things to watch are where your child walks and what they buy.
This page sticks to what the official pages say. It was checked on 21 October 2026, and the rules can change, so look at the linked pages if something matters to you.
Who runs Pokémon GO now
Pokémon GO was made by Niantic. In 2025 Scopely bought Niantic's games business, and the purchase was completed on 29 May 2025. Scopely is owned by Savvy Games Group. The old Niantic parents pages now redirect to Scopely's, which says Scopely Explore was formerly known as Niantic.
pokee.si is an unofficial fan site and has nothing to do with running the game.
What age is it for
The three ratings listed on Scopely's parents page do not agree.
| Rating body | Rating |
|---|---|
| ESRB | Everyone, with Mild Fantasy Violence |
| PEGI | 7 |
| Common Sense Media | 13+ |
Scopely adds that these ratings do not decide whether a game is kid-friendly or supports child accounts. Its own answer to "is it kid-friendly" is that all ages are welcome, but parental consent is required if the user is under 13 in most regions. The page does not give a separate minimum age for Pokémon GO. It says the age of digital consent varies by country or region, and is 13 in most places.
How a child account works
Children under 13 use a Kids @ Scopely Explore account. Pokémon GO also accepts Pokémon Trainer Club accounts as a separate kid-friendly login. The steps for a Kids account run like this:
- The app asks for a birthday when it first opens. If the child is under 13, they see the Kids login.
- The child types a parent or guardian's email.
- The parent proves who they are, for example with credit card details or the last four digits of a US Social Security number. Scopely says third-party providers carry out that check.
- The parent creates the child account and signs in to the Parent Portal.
If an adult account is used by a child, Scopely says it will disable it once it finds out. Pokémon GO is one of three games that work with Kids accounts, along with Pikmin Bloom and Peridot.
What parents can control
The Parent Portal lets a parent review and approve:
- access to the phone's GPS and location
- friends and social features, such as sending and receiving gifts
- sponsored content and advertisements
- shared AR experiences
- Pokémon GO Party Play
Parents are told when a new permission request comes in, and can control what personal information is collected about their child. Scopely also says child accounts cannot message other players and will not see ads, and that it does not share or sell any adult's or child's information to third parties.
One point from the page is worth passing on to your child: nicknames show to other users in some features. Avoid a real name or other personal details.
Money and in-app purchases
Pokémon GO costs nothing to download and sells items inside the app. Items can be bought with PokéCoins, the in-game currency, or with real money. Players can also earn some PokéCoins in the game, mainly by leaving a Pokémon to defend a Gym. That detail comes from Wikipedia, because we could not reach the official help page.
The Parent Portal list above does not include purchase approval. Scopely's page tells parents to check the in-app purchase settings on the phone itself and refers them to the Google Play and Apple parental control guides, plus the screen-time tools on Android and iOS. If your child has a phone, set that up before the first session.
Walking and being outside
Pokémon GO sends players outdoors to find Pokémon. Scopely's parents page links to tips for staying safe while on the move and to a guide on starting a conversation with your child or teen. Read both on that page, since they come from the people who run the game.
Everything in this section is our own suggestion, not Scopely's advice:
- Agree where your child may go, and that they stop walking before they look at the screen.
- Start by playing together, so you can see what the game asks for.
- Treat a Pokémon on a busy road as not worth catching.
Adventure Sync
Adventure Sync is optional. When it is on, the game records your walking distance while it is closed, using Apple Health on iPhone or Google Fit on Android. The distance counts toward Candy and hatching Eggs, and the game gives a weekly summary and weekly rewards. You can opt in at any time, so it is fine to leave it off at first. The official post does not say what permissions it needs, so check the app settings if you turn it on.
A short checklist
- Set up a Kids @ Scopely Explore account (or a Pokémon Trainer Club account) for anyone under 13.
- Decide in the Parent Portal which of the permissions above to allow.
- Turn on purchase limits in your phone's own settings.
- Choose a nickname with no real name in it.
- Agree walking rules before the first outing.
- Know where to report a problem: Get Support, in the app settings.
Other Pokémon games for younger kids
Pokémon GO is not the only way in. For a console game, see the parent's guide to Pokémon, which lists PEGI ratings for the recent games, or the first Pokémon game for a 5-year-old. Your child may also ask you how to say the names they find in the game. Every one of the 1,025 Pokémon on pokee.si has an audio clip, and how to pronounce Pokémon names covers the tricky ones.