(Topic ID: 171859)

What is being done in your area to introduce pinball to kids?

By Matesamo

7 years ago


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    There are 58 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 2.
    #1 7 years ago

    While reading many of the user stories here on Pinside, I was struck by the number of them that state that they fell in love with pinball as a kid. It was a different era when pinball was everywhere and arcades were plentiful so it was not that hard to find tables to play but then I started to wonder how kids are getting exposed to pinball these days.

    Earlier this year I was playing Pinball Arcade on my Xbox One with my kids when my nine-year old made an off hand comment about the rules and why the drain hole was always at the bottom of the screen and why would they could not mix it up. This caught me off guard and then I realized that she had never played a real pinball machine before and had probably never even seen one in person. She did not even know the table was slanted on an incline so the ball had to drain towards the bottom, she thought it was just a video game genre like endless runners or match-three games. As I explained real pinball to her I could see it really wasn't clicking for her so we took the three hour drive up to Funspot so she could get some hands on time along with my son. After that we looked for local places to play pinball in Rhode Island and there just are not any locations for kids to get the exposure to pinball; we have 21+ Arcade Bars and private clubs but no real places to spend time playing with the kids.

    This got me thinking and I would like to know what it is like in your area. Are there places to play pinball with the kids? Do kids even know what pinball is? Has anybody done a kids only league (outside of the tournaments at conventions)? We have been to many all ages pinball places like Pinball Wizard in NH, Silverball Museum in NJ, The Strong Museum in NY and there have always been plenty of kids playing with the machines which is great for kids in that area but how is it in your neck of the woods? Are kids even important to the future of pinball or will this be a hobby that shrinks with time as the players who were introduced early die off? What do your children/nieces/nephews/grandkids/neighbors kids think about pinball and the tables you own?

    Thank you in advance for any thoughts on the matter!

    #2 7 years ago

    Nothing unfortunately! If I win the lottery that will change though! We could use a good beercade here with a youngn's venue early day time stuff. And more adult based in the evenings.

    #3 7 years ago

    I give a lot of my replays or matches to kids at the arcade.

    #4 7 years ago

    Iconic themes from the 60s- 80s are bringing in the younger generation in droves.

    #5 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Iconic themes from the 60s- 80s are bringing in the younger generation in droves.

    That is a true fact as my Eleven year old son loves the Ghostbusters, DE Star Wars and Jurassic Park machines. His #1 requested table for me to buy is the Star Wars Episode One table, which shows that no one is perfect. (Kidding!)

    #6 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Iconic themes from the 60s- 80s are bringing in the younger generation in droves.

    LOL
    someone sees what i see
    our area:
    have tournaments and leagues where kids can play, give aways for kids pinball related.
    - have machines that have themes recognized by younger demo on location
    - have machines in home and have your kids friends play them.
    -bring your machines to your kids school for special class party events.

    thats about it

    #7 7 years ago

    My own kids and most of their friends don't even touch them. The girls just don't care about them and the boys would rather play Xbox every time. If we have a big gathering then they will get some play.....but not a lot.

    #8 7 years ago

    I was never at all interested in pinball as a kid. I wanted to play the most up to date video game. To me pinball is like fine wine, black and white movies, historical biographies or jazz. You need a certain maturity to appreciate it.

    Not impossible for a kid to like pinball but given the world of amazing in your face entertainment alternatives out there pinball is just not exciting enough for most kids.

    #9 7 years ago

    I set up a machine every year at the local Purim carnival. Some schools have similar generic events each year that I'm considering as well.

    Mike V

    #10 7 years ago

    What games have themes that kids would know?

    I think that may be the key to getting kids interested. I know I have no interest in Elvis for example.

    #11 7 years ago

    My kids and the neighbor kids love them. We have about 20 kids on our street ranging from 2 to 12. They are over all the time. I've been giving some thought on starting a kid league

    11
    #12 7 years ago

    At the end of the school year we bring two games into my sons 5th grade science class. I give about a 10 to 15 minute talk about the Physics of pinball then they play the pins the rest of the class. Most of the kids have never seen a pin before they have many questions about pinball and really enjoy the games. It involves some effort to do this every year but the positive reaction we get from the kids make it worthwhile.

    #13 7 years ago

    Not a goddamn thing. If you asked me to find a machine on location, the closest place I know for sure has one is 40 minutes away.

    #14 7 years ago
    Quoted from klinde1:

    At the end of the school year we bring two games into my sons 5th grade science class. I give about a 10 to 15 minute talk about the Physics of pinball then they play the pins the rest of the class. Most of the kids have never seen a pin before they have many questions about pinball and really enjoy the games. It involves some effort to do this every year but the positive reaction we get from the kids make it worthwhile.

    That is absolutely a fabulous idea! I am going to reach out to my daughters' school and see if they'll let me follow your lead on this one.
    Thx.

    #15 7 years ago

    I am an elementary/middle school science teacher and bring in a machine for about 9 to 12 weeks. I introduce them to it during Simple Machines, laws of motion and forces etc. And they take a pen/Paper test and then a second test where they play pinball and have to identify between balls where they saw the topics we have discussed. After that it remains in the classroom for them to play as an incentive, reward, brain break or after school activity. (I have found the number of visits to my room by fellow teachers in the morning greatly increases when a machine is in there)

    #16 7 years ago

    I live in Long Island, New York. Over the past 5-10 years I have reached out to the property managers (usually Simon Properties) of every major mall on the Island with an interest in opening an arcade within a mall, like they had when I was young (Sega Time Out). They have all consistently refused citing that arcades "bring trouble" and they're not looking to have "hang outs" within the mall. It's disappointing.....

    #17 7 years ago
    Quoted from Matesamo:

    then I realized that she had never played a real pinball machine before and had probably never even seen one in person.

    2 or 3 years ago I met an Adult at the Calgary Pincade Show. He had never seen a real pinball machine in person before. He had just played pinball games on his computer. Looks like he was having fun, playing the real games.

    #18 7 years ago

    Exactly why Pintastic is a family event. We bring in tons of entertainment for kids. The families come for that stuf and see the pinball machines and fall in love with real pinball. If we don't get the younger generation involved at a early age pinball will die out.

    We also do kinds tournaments at the show.

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    #19 7 years ago

    I let kids in.

    The barcades don't.

    LTG : )

    #20 7 years ago

    About three years ago I was trying to figure out a good Christmas gift that santa could bring. I stumbled upon the idea of a pinball machine.

    Kinda weird as when I was younger I was into the video games and not pins really.

    Anyway I got a a Gottlieb Roller Coaster. Kids were initially perplexed but took a liking quickly. They now no doubt like the more modern machines. STTNG is starting to really catch on. We go to the local shows and the kids enjoy the machines that others graciously bring. We also attend the Silverball once a year and they get a big kick out of it. My Son asked within the last year or so what this big box was at a pinball show. I looked at him and explained that it was a jukebox!! He had no idea.

    Glad that the kids have been exposed. Their friends don't seem to get it but they do.

    #21 7 years ago

    It might not be a bad idea to have some games that take quarters instead of dollar bills. Not all kids are rich.

    #22 7 years ago

    I drive around in my van with "Free Pinball" spraypainted on the side. The kids love it.

    #23 7 years ago

    pin a go go. great family friendly show. lots of games from every era. my own kids really love the em games. I see many younger kids attracted to them. I think it might be the simple game play. ems for the most part are easy to understand for everyone.

    #24 7 years ago

    Kids come he with their parents and love the pinball machines. Love Brooklyn's Berg'n

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    #25 7 years ago

    Why does it matter that kids play pinball? Just because I like something doesn't mean kids need to like it. If pinball is gone after I'm dead then why would I care? This whole concept that pinballl is like some religion that needs to be actively spread is ludicrous.

    My grandfather was into bingo. Glad they didn't try to spread that crap to me.

    #26 7 years ago

    I had a 10 year old kid beat me at the rookie tournament at the PNW pin show a couple of years ago, dammit.

    ............ His mom was hot though.

    #27 7 years ago

    I have pinball at my pizza shops...when I go to clean and check on them I put credits on the machines .(thats what the old man at my dads pizza place did 30 years ago for me and my little brothers )...but I also keep the prices the same as when I was a kid 50 1 credit a dollar for 3 ...

    it's funny because one of my friends kid told her ,he and his friends was going up to the arcade at my shop and she's like dude that's not an arcade haha kind of sad the little nuggets will never know what an real arcade was like ....or spending that hard earned paper route money at one ....

    My son and I was gold card members at dave and busters when he was young ..we had a lot of good times there
    But I just went recently to d&b's and there was a lot of token pushing games ...so now the new generation can basically only handle dropping coins into slots ? All I needed was the phyco shower scene music to make it more horrific ....I really feel we give our kids the whole gambling rush when it comes to those things ....there is no skill ..unless of course you count the kid that runs into the machine accidentally on purpose haha ..

    Also If I'm in the shop Ill ask the kids or even the adults do they want to play pinball throw some credits on and try to explain as much as possible to them what they're trying to achieve ..even the history of pinball if they seem interested ...fun house always gets them hooked
    And seriously that's what got me too ...Rudy and his attitude and animation ...no one can resist him I promise ...he is pinballs sweet spot

    #28 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    It might not be a bad idea to have some games that take quarters instead of dollar bills. Not all kids are rich.

    I have one game on quarter a play just for situations like that.

    LTG : )

    #29 7 years ago

    We let kids and family's come in to our house all the time in one day we had over 120 kids come though it is so much fun for them as well as me, and every machine is on free play.

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    #31 7 years ago

    Love it ...that's super sweet ...I'm too much of a brat for that ... they can play the ones at the shop ahaha..

    #32 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    I have one game on quarter a play just for situations like that.
    LTG : )

    There was a Big Guns and Mousin Around when DMS were costing half a dollar. But way back, that meant we got a substantial price increase. From nickels and dimes to a quarter.

    #33 7 years ago
    Quoted from Multiball1:

    I live in Long Island, New York. Over the past 5-10 years I have reached out to the property managers (usually Simon Properties) of every major mall on the Island with an interest in opening an arcade within a mall, like they had when I was young (Sega Time Out). They have all consistently refused citing that arcades "bring trouble" and they're not looking to have "hang outs" within the mall. It's disappointing.....

    Ditto with every mall on the Las Vegas strip.

    #34 7 years ago

    I'm teaching kids in my area to overspend and open additional credit cards to insure they're ready for a future in pinball.

    #35 7 years ago
    Quoted from markmon:

    Why does it matter that kids play pinball?

    To see if it is something that they may enjoy? Do get them off their phones for a little bit? To see people enjoying the same thing that you do?

    Quoted from markmon:

    Just because I like something doesn't mean kids need to like it.

    They don't need to like it but how will they know if they never play?

    Quoted from markmon:

    If pinball is gone after I'm dead then why would I care?

    Do you care about any art, entertainment or historical items and their intrinsic value to society?

    Quoted from markmon:

    This whole concept that pinballl is like some religion that needs to be actively spread is ludicrous.

    The base concept of exposing new players to something that you enjoy does not seem ludicrous to me. To share something you love and hope that others may love it as well if given a chance is something that many people long for.

    Quoted from markmon:

    My grandfather was into bingo. Glad they didn't try to spread that crap to me.

    Why? Maybe you would have enjoyed it, maybe you would have hated it, but spending a day with your Grandfather sharing something he enjoyed does not sound like the worst thing.

    #36 7 years ago

    I own Punchy the clown, Mario mushroom world, nudge-it and bell ringer.... all 2/3rds size games that have 2 leg positions... adult and child heights. This year I brought nudge-it and bell ringer to the SFGE in Atlanta for kids to play. I purchased mario and punchy after SFGE 2016 but next year I will be bringing all 4 games. I hope to have all the ticket dispensers working and some prizes to hand out.

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    #37 7 years ago

    Kids always seem really excited when exposed to pinball, but they'll go right back to playing redemption games and mobile games. The real problem is how do you get them to stick with pinball?

    Right now there are enough 30-60 year olds buying machines to keep the market alive. Over the next 30 years we need a new generation of pinball geeks to keep playing and buying machines or going to locations. If not then the hobby will die or become something you only find in history museums or in grandpa's garage.

    #38 7 years ago

    Though it's a small thing, I route a pin at a pizza shop and rotate the title once a year, and I take a pin annually to a fall festival at my church set on free play. At the pizza shop, kids play the machine more than the adults, and the pin does bring in a few customers, and at the fall festival, most of the people playing the machine are young teens. Very gratifying.

    -2
    #39 7 years ago
    Quoted from FlippyD:

    Kids always seem really excited when exposed to pinball, but they'll go right back to playing redemption games and mobile games. The real problem is how do you get them to stick with pinball?

    This is a perfect example. It's not that kids aren't exposed to pinball. It's that technology has advanced to the point that there are plenty of other interesting things for them to do that they're simply not that interested in pinball. Trying to refocus them onto pinball is just dumb. Let's face it, kids (as a whole) don't really like pinball and probably never will. Sure there are small percentages that get into it. Most will stick with their xbox 360's or whatever instead.

    Quoted from Matesamo:

    To see if it is something that they may enjoy? Do get them off their phones for a little bit? To see people enjoying the same thing that you do? They don't need to like it but how will they know if they never play?

    Ok, I agree it'd be great for everyone to try it at least once. I've had tons of kids over and they would rather do something else. They try it and think it's fun but then they're back on their 360's or playing racing games or whatever.

    Quoted from Matesamo:

    Do you care about any art, entertainment or historical items and their intrinsic value to society?

    No

    #40 7 years ago

    I don't let my kids play video games. There is no xbox or PlayStation crap for them to mindlessly play on in my house...and I'm proud of that. My kids are now 11 (boy) and 13 (girl) and neither have any desire to own or play video games. They do have phones and will occasionally download games but play for a bit only to realize it's mainly a waste of time. My son is quite the pinball player and his friends love to come to his birthday party which is an annual tournament. I buy bigass trophies to hand out as well and the kids seem to love it. I've also brought in a pinball machine to my sons enrichment class for the last two years and gave a little speech about physics, geometry and a brief history of pinball.

    I have noticed a decline in kids tourneys. Specifically, the Ohio pinball show used to do a kids tourney every year, but chose not to for the last two years for some reason...

    #41 7 years ago

    My friends who have kids seem to like them when they are over. They have never seen any before they played mine. They ask questions and figure out the rulesets. Cool they see and play my "ancient" games they would never see otherwise.

    #42 7 years ago
    Quoted from Euchrid:

    I don't let my kids play video games. There is no xbox or PlayStation crap for them to mindlessly play on in my house...and I'm proud of that. My kids are now 11 (boy) and 13 (girl) and neither have any desire to own or play video games. They do have phones and will occasionally download games but play for a bit only to realize it's mainly a waste of time. My son is quite the pinball player and his friends love to come to his birthday party which is an annual tournament. I buy bigass trophies to hand out as well and the kids seem to love it. I've also brought in a pinball machine to my sons enrichment class for the last two years and gave a little speech about physics, geometry and a brief history of pinball.
    I have noticed a decline in kids tourneys. Specifically, the Ohio pinball show used to do a kids tourney every year, but chose not to for the last two years for some reason...

    You don't allow video games but do allow pinball? Personally I love pinball, but honestly how is one better than the other for them?

    #43 7 years ago

    My kids get a lot of exposure to pinball. They play my games at home, they play on location when I take them places. Last month they went with me to my first league night and they played the non-competition games all night long. They also go with me on all my arcade and pinball road trips so they have quite a bit of exposure to it.

    We just moved into our neighborhood last October. There are a few sets of kids in the neighborhood and they have all been to the house to play games. That's what they go for when they walk in the door.

    The notion that kids these days don't like pinball or don't have the attention spans for it is ridiculous. They just need the exposure to it. Starting next year I plan to open the house up for a Halloween party and hook more kids. My real hope is to hook one of the other adults on the street so they can buy some machines for me to play

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    #44 7 years ago

    If only there were a pinball game with modern elements that kids could associate with... like, I don't know - maybe theme it on a cell phone? And make it so you could control the flippers with a smartphone! No one will ever make a game like that though.

    #45 7 years ago
    Quoted from oohlou:

    You don't allow video games but do allow pinball? Personally I love pinball, but honestly how is one better than the other for them?

    Yeah, the possible irony has not been lost on me, for sure. I guess I find that pinball is physical and cerebral where most video games are not. Pinball requires some, albeit small, level of physical movement that vids don't. Call me weird, but I'm also the parent who makes my kids exercise, read literature and have never given them soda in their lives....

    #46 7 years ago

    My eleven year old daughter has five of her middle school friends coming over on Halloween to go trick or treating in our neighborhood this coming Monday.

    To my knowledge, none have seen, let alone played, pinball before.

    I'm sure they'll end up down in the game room to play air hockey. ST Pro will be turned on for them..

    #47 7 years ago
    Quoted from Euchrid:

    Yeah, the possible irony has not been lost on me, for sure. I guess I find that pinball is physical and cerebral where most video games are not. Pinball requires some, albeit small, level of physical movement that vids don't. Call me weird, but I'm also the parent who makes my kids exercise, read literature and have never given them soda in their lives....

    If you're really honest with yourself, are you just letting them play pinball because you like it? There are plenty of video games that require a bunch more thought than pinball. Kids are a weird deal. We have all the consoles, plus a bunch of full sized video games and they don't really care about any of it. My daughter plays Sim City on her iPod.

    #48 7 years ago
    Quoted from Mike_M:

    If only there were a pinball game with modern elements that kids could associate with... like, I don't know - maybe theme it on a cell phone? And make it so you could control the flippers with a smartphone! No one will ever make a game like that though.

    LOL. Got it. Dialed Out, indeed.

    #49 7 years ago
    Quoted from Euchrid:

    Yeah, the possible irony has not been lost on me, for sure. I guess I find that pinball is physical and cerebral where most video games are not. Pinball requires some, albeit small, level of physical movement that vids don't. Call me weird, but I'm also the parent who makes my kids exercise, read literature and have never given them soda in their lives....

    poor kids.

    #50 7 years ago

    We have six pinball machines in our pro shop. During the summer we have junior golf days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. A lot of the kids look forward to playing pinball when they are done with their golf. This picture is of Cooper and his dad Chuck. Chuck played pinball the entire time Cooper was taking his golf lessons, then they played pinball for another hour or two after that. It was great. Cooper was chatting non-stop about his golf the whole time they were playing.

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