Pokemon Question

[adejong]

I am a mother of a child that loves Pokemon. I must admit I know very little about Pokemon. My son wants a Pokemon party and I am looking for any and all info that might help me to plan a memorable party for him. I would like to have what we would call "Pokemon Training". We have a local place in town that has a rock wall, rope swings in to foam pits, etc. that I think would be fun for the kids. Pokemon training was the best I could come up with considering my limited knowledge. I guess my main question is... I have come up with a certificate of completion (of the training course) to give to each child as they leave the party but I would like to sign it by a Pokemon Master (if there is such) to make it look more "official". I guess what I am asking is...is there a person comaprable to Yoda (Master Jedi) in Pokemon. If so, who? Does this make any sense???? Any and all suggestions/comments would be greatly apprecitated! Thanks so much for your time.

[classy_cat18]

Sounds original. The children could be the "Pokemon" that complete the course, but it'll make more sense to have them feel like they're the Pokemon trainers since trainers clearly need to be in good shape to travel and train.

But there is something like a Pokemon Master in the games. In the Diamond and Pearl versions, there's Champion Cynthia (female). Or there's Professor Rowan, the person that gives the main character their first Pokemon.

And there's my two cents.

[Magmar]

How old is the child?? I work in day care and have years of experience working with kids of ages from 3 to 12, so I could possibly be of some help to you..

[adejong]

7 years old

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

As for a Pokémon Master, I think no one is more suiting than Professor Oak. He's the Pokémon researcher and expert who sends the young trainers on their journey in the very first Pokémon games and also makes appearances at or near the end of all other games of the major series except a few. So I'm sure he's one of the best known characters, also being a well known secondary character in the anime. Professor Oak is depicted as a calm and knowledgable male in his 50s with grey hair, usually wearing a white laboratory coat.

[Crystalmaster Mike]

If you're looking for a picture of Oak, since raw text alone may not be so much of a prize, here is how he looks like when he's smiling: http://burakki.narod.ru/heroes/ookido/ookido.jpg
I googled that picture. It came up on the 3rd page after searching for 'Professor Oak' (minus apostrophes). Apparently he's not great at smiling when his picture is being taken, heheh, because he looked serious in all the previous pictures.

[Blademaster]

If Mike's pic is coming up the way it is on my computer, this link may work better:

http://www.thebestlinks.com/images/9/91/Pokemon_Prof_Oak.PNG

[Heald]

I just came here to see what the 'Pokemon Question' was that someone had posted in the GD. I don't think the criteria could be much broader.

Also, Oak is probably the best bet.

[adejong]

Thank you all very much for your input. The picture is great and I think it will work well for what I intend to do.

Thanks again for for your time and input.

[Heald]

My pleasure.

[Magmar]

Hey!

Children through the 2nd grade tend to be the age where most of their Pokemon experience relies on knowing the names of the Pokemon through the anime. As most of the children in this age group are not advanced readers, many just play the games in a scroll fashion, meaning they just press A and learn what attacks knock out the enemies fastest by memory rather than word recognition.

As such, they are most familiar with the wild, outdoorsy, personal aspect of Pokemon, rather than the impersonal, computerized video games. Also at that age, they are still in the age where imagination can take over for them. "Pretending" to be trainers would not be a problem here at all. :)

Also, I'm asking someone else to step in for me, as I'm starting to drift out of the Poke-loop; what are the three "starters" on the anime right now? Generally, when receiving their "Pokemon license" to be trainers, they choose between three Pokemon which they'd like to start with as their first; it used to be Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, but I don't think those good old days are aired on TV anymore.

Finally, I live in Rhode Island where we're quite accustomed to accomodating physical fitness and creativity into the program that function indoors due to inclement weather; our winters usually start around Halloween and last through April. If snow is an issue, I know plenty of cheap ways to build obstacle courses (for under $20, even!) and, geography permitting, you could even have supervised sledding with an "Ice-type Pokemon" theme. I can give details on that if you like.

[Toxicity]

Also, I'm asking someone else to step in for me, as I'm starting to drift out of the Poke-loop; what are the three "starters" on the anime right now? Generally, when receiving their "Pokemon license" to be trainers, they choose between three Pokemon which they'd like to start with as their first; it used to be Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, but I don't think those good old days are aired on TV anymore.

Up until the newest episodes were released in America, said old days were aired, if I remember correctly. But last I saw, it came on at six in the morning.

But for Diamond and Pearl's sake, the newer starters are as follows...

Turtwig (http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/Wierd-Halo/Pokemon/Naetle.jpg), a leafy tortoise.

Chimchar (http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff32/karl_daverick/Chimchar.jpg), a fire-themed chimpanzee.

Piplup (http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/glckaratemouse_2/piplup.jpg), a Water-type penguin.

Maybe use those with Pikachu, or as Magmar suggested, variations of the same theme could be done, geography permitting.

[Blademaster]

Naetle (http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/Wierd-Halo/Pokemon/Naetle.jpg), a leafy tortoise.

I'm not a guru on DP Pokemon - I don't even know every DP attack yet.

But that DP Grass starter is a Turtwig. Not Naetle. Naetle is just a Romanization of the Japanese name, 'Naetoru.'

[AdventureSerum]

Scroll through it all, eh? Hmph. I never did. Then again I was in the "upper reading level" group. I remember my cousin playing before he could read, though. He was a lot better at catching Pokemon than me, too... >.>

[Starry Might]

Hey, adejong...welcome to TPM!

I think it's really cool that you're taking an active interest in your kid's fondess for Pokemon. :D

Anyways, I didn't want to respond to this until I got a definite idea for your Pokemon party, but now I do.

In addition to those Certificates of Completion, why not give the kids Pokemon Gym Leader badges, as well?

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Badge

You could (using the pictures in the previous link as a reference) recreate them on card stock, cut them out, and glue button/pin fastener things on the back so you can pin them on the kids' clothes and/or hats. :D