Pokémon Day Care

A Pokémon daycare is a place for Pokémon Trainers to drop off their Pokémon to be raised in the care of other people, usually an old couple or an old man. Pokémon left at a daycare gain experience based on how many steps the player takes.

In the main series, it is free to put a Pokémon into the daycare and to take it out costs $100, plus an additional $100 per level gained while in the daycare.

This is not a preferred method of Pokémon raising for many reasons. Aside from the cost, Pokémon will not evolve while in a Pokémon daycare, though they evolve if raised one level after being taken out of the daycare. The moves Pokémon learn in the Pokémon daycare will be dependent on level - the Pokémon will automatically learn new techniques and forget the old ones, including HM moves and egg moves. This means that a Pokémon could end up learning unwanted moves, but this can be remedied with the move relearner. In addition, a Pokémon can not gain EVs while left in the daycare.

However, daycares are good for two things. One is leveling up Pokémon so that it's easier to record evolutions in the Pokédex, without having to spend much time using the Pokémon in battle. The other use is breeding.

Some Pokémon daycares can keep up to two Pokémon at a time. Pokémon kept there will occasionally breed and have a Pokémon egg, if certain conditions are right. Breeding is not possible at Pokémon daycares that only raise one Pokémon at a time.

In Pokémon Colosseum, leaving a Shadow Pokémon in the daycare will help purify it. In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, though, Shadow Pokémon are no longer allowed.

Locations

Pokémon daycares can be found in the following locations:

• Route 5 in Kanto (one Pokémon)
• Route 34 in Johto (two Pokémon)
• Route 117 in Hoenn (two Pokémon)
• Solaceon Town in Sinnoh (two Pokemon)
• Four Island in the Sevii Islands (two Pokémon; available only after defeating Elite Four)
• Agate Village in Orre (one Pokémon)
• Solaceon Town in Sinnoh (two Pokémon)

In the anime

Several Pokémon daycare centers have been shown in the anime, in all four main regions.

• Eggseter in Johto
  • Appeared in Extreme Pokémon!; races are held here, of which the winners receive eggs as prizes.
• In Dewford Town of Hoenn
  • This daycare only has Mudkip eggs.
• Near Saffron City in Kanto (where May received her Eevee egg)
  • Appeared in May's Egg-Cellent Adventure; May received her Eevee egg from this daycare center.
• Solaceon Town in Sinnoh
  • Appeared in If the Scarf Fits, Wear It!; owned by Angie's parents.

In the manga

The daycare couple on Route 34 in Johto helped Gold, by letting him train on their Pokémon. This in turn made his Cyndaquil evolve into a Quilava.