If you’ve seen a pack of middle schoolers huddled around a random electrical box in a park or seen your own kid sprint to the backyard because a "Dragonite" spawned, you’re looking at location-based gaming. These games use Augmented Reality (AR) and your phone’s GPS to overlay a digital world onto the real one.

The most famous example is obviously Pokémon GO, which basically saved the concept of "going for a walk" for an entire generation. But the genre has expanded. Now we have Monster Hunter Now for the kids who want more action, Jurassic World Alive for the dino-obsessed, and even Pikmin Bloom, which is essentially a gamified pedometer that leaves digital flowers wherever you walk.

The "vibe" of these games is generally positive—they encourage exploration and exercise. But because these games literally track every step your child takes, they create a very specific kind of digital footprint that parents need to manage.

Let’s be real: getting a kid to go on a "nature hike" can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. But tell them there’s a rare spawn three blocks away? They’ve got their shoes on before you can find your keys.

These games turn the mundane neighborhood into a treasure map. They offer:

Ask our chatbot about the best walking games for different age groups

The gold standard. It’s generally the safest entry point because the community is huge and the parental controls (via Niantic Kids) are robust. It’s 100% the "Ohio" of location games—it's everywhere, everyone knows it, and it can be a little weird sometimes, but it’s the baseline.

This is the "cozy game" version of GPS gaming. You walk, you grow little plant creatures, and you plant digital flowers on a map. It’s much less competitive than Pokémon and feels more like a wellness app.

Think Pokémon GO but with more "skibidi" energy—it’s faster, more aggressive, and involves timing-based combat against giant monsters. It’s great for older kids who find Pokémon too "babyish."

Very similar to Pokémon GO but with dinosaurs. You collect DNA to create hybrids. It’s a bit more aggressive with its "pay-to-win" mechanics, which can drain a bank account faster than a T-Rex eats a goat.

When we talk about privacy in these games, parents usually worry about "stranger danger." While that's a factor, the more realistic risks are Data Privacy and Physical Safety.

These apps are data monsters. They don't just know where your kid is now; they know where they live, where they go to school, and what time they usually walk through the park. If your kid’s username is "SamJones2012," any player who sees them in a local "Gym" or "Raid" now has a name, a birth year, and a general idea of their daily routine.

In Pokémon GO, players can drop a "Lure" at a specific location to attract Pokémon. This also attracts people. While 99% of the time it’s just other nerds looking for a Dratini, it is a mechanic that draws people to a specific physical coordinate.

Niantic (the maker of Pokémon and Monster Hunter) recently pushed an app called Campfire. It’s basically a social network/map that shows where people are playing in real-time. It allows for direct messaging between players.

Before you let them head out the door, do a quick "Privacy Audit" on their device.

Most of these games have a feature called "Adventure Sync." It tracks your steps even when the app is closed. It’s great for hatching eggs or growing Pikmin, but it means the app is always pinging the server with your location.

In these games, you can send "Gifts" to friends. These gifts often include a "Postcard" showing exactly where the gift was picked up (e.g., "The Starbucks on Main St"). If your kid sends a gift from the PokeStop right next to your house, their "online friend" now knows exactly where you live.

Check out our guide on setting up iPhone privacy settings for kids

Don't make this a lecture about "The Dangers of the Internet." That's the fastest way to get a "bruh" and an eye-roll. Instead, frame it as Strategic Play.

At this age, the game should only be on your phone. You go for a walk together, you hold the phone, they do the catching. It’s a shared activity. There is zero reason for a 7-year-old to have a standalone account with location permissions on their own device.

They can have the app on their device, but "Adventure Sync" is off, and they only play in "safe zones" (your backyard, a specific park, or with a group). This is the time to teach them about not over-sharing on apps like Niantic Campfire.

They’re likely going to play with friends without you. This is where the "no real names" and "situational awareness" rules are tested. Make sure they understand that "incognito" is the safest way to play.

Location-based gaming is one of the "better" types of screen time. It’s active, it’s social, and it’s genuinely fun. You don't need to be the "tech police" and ban it. You just need to be the "tech navigator."

By locking down the social features, using anonymous identifiers, and keeping the "Friends" list restricted to real-life humans, you can let them hunt monsters without the monsters (or the data brokers) following them home.

Learn more about how Niantic handles your child's data Explore other outdoor-friendly tech for families