Pokémon GO is a game that aims to bring people together and motivate them to go outside. But what if that’s not possible? Then some players help.
Pokémon GO was released in 2016 and sent the world into a Pokémon frenzy. Some will certainly remember how back then pretty much everything and everyone was out to catch the little monsters with their phones.
However, not everyone always has the opportunity to go outside. Even in the early days of the game, an image of Nurse Joy from the series circulated, calling for players to place lures at nearby children’s hospitals. This way, children who are health-challenged and bedridden could also catch Pokémon.
A post by user Silver-Sun3559 in the Pokémon GO subreddit is currently reminding us of this trend, which you can check out here (Link to the post on Reddit). And it turns out: Even today, there are still people who follow this idea and try to bring joy to children with the game.
This is what the community says: The post has garnered a lot of attention in the subreddit with over 8,000 upvotes and more than 120 comments. Numerous community members are exchanging thoughts about it and sharing that they still think about it today and occasionally activate lures at hospitals.
- “I go to the Children’s Memorial Hospital in Toronto once a month and activate a whole bunch of lures for the kiddos,” writes a user (via Reddit).
- “I always did this when I worked in hospitals. Definitely do it for the kids!” writes another user (via Reddit).
- “I will do that when I’m near one. That’s such a nice idea,” finds a user (via Reddit).
- “I work at Children’s Health and sometimes see kids playing when I do my rounds,” shares someone else (via Reddit).
- “I would have appreciated that too when my son was in the neonatal ward lol,” writes another user (via Reddit).
The last point is indeed one that several commenters address: After all, parents are often in the hospital with their children when they are being treated. Other hospitals and situations are also mentioned in which one simply waits in the hospital – and appreciates any distraction. And if that distraction is Pokémon collecting.
What should be considered? In general, the situation today is certainly different from 2016 when everyone was out hunting Pokémon, and even some crazier stories came out. But of course, one should still be careful not to go where one does not belong – and there are plenty of places like that in hospitals. Therefore, one should be mindful of where exactly one places lures.
Indeed, there was a hospital in 2016 that opposed the trend. It explained that luring can also lead to disappointment, as some children could not get out of bed to chase Pokémon in the hospital or go outside (via globalnews.ca). Such actions should always be approached thoughtfully and one should assess whether the situation allows it.
What do you think of the idea of bringing joy to children with Pokémon GO? Have you done something in this regard, do you know corresponding stories? Share it with us in the comments and exchange views with other trainers. Want to know what’s happening in the game? Then check out the event overview for Pokémon GO in August 2025.
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