Pokémon Day Care

A Pokémon Day Care (Japanese: ポケモン　 Pokémon Day Care) is a place for Pokémon Trainers to drop off their to be raised in the care of other people. Most locations are staffed by a Day-Care Couple, but some are only staffed by a Day-Care Man and one is staffed by the Day Care Lad and his older sister. Pokémon in Day Care gain one experience point per step the player takes. Where it is possible to leave two Pokémon, it is also possible for them to and produce s.

Overview
In the core series, leaving a Pokémon at the Day Care is technically free, but withdrawing it will cost 100 plus an additional 100 for each level the Pokémon has gained.

As they level up in the Day Care, Pokémon will not undergo evolution. If a Pokémon reaches a level where it can learn a new move, it will always learn that move; if the Pokémon already knows four moves, its first move will be forgotten and the new move will be placed last. A Pokémon may even forget HM moves, which normally cannot be replaced, while it is in the Day Care.

While the Day Cares in Orre and Kanto can only raise one Pokémon at a time, all other Day Cares can raise two Pokémon at once. If the player leaves two Pokémon of opposite genders and the same Egg Group at a Day Care (or any Pokémon that can breed and a ), an may be produced.

In, if a Shadow Pokémon is left at the Day Care, it will gradually be purified. In, however, Shadow Pokémon can no longer be left at the Day Care.

In Generations and, when a Pokémon is taken out of the Day Care, its experience will lower to the minimum value for its current level. Also in Generation I, the Day-Care Man will not accept any Pokémon that knows an HM move.

In, the Pokémon Day Care will initially only raise one Pokémon at a time; two Pokémon may be left after the player has received the Bicycle in Nimbasa City. In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the Pokémon Day Care isn't accessible until the player has defeated the Pokémon League, as Skyarrow Bridge is blocked until the player has completed the game.

Alola does not have a Pokémon Day Care. Instead, its primary functions are split between Poké Pelago's for leveling up and Paniola Ranch's Pokémon Nursery for breeding.

In the anime
Several Pokémon Day Cares have been shown in the.
 * Eggseter in Johto
 * Appeared in Extreme Pokémon!. Several Day Cares are present in the Eggseter, including one run by Mr. Shellby. These Day Cares are run by Nesters who care for Pokémon Eggs and protect the babies that hatch. Races are held in the town, where winners receive s as prizes. Ash received an Egg by winning a race.
 * Near Dewford Town in Hoenn
 * Appeared in A Mudkip Mission. This Day Care is run by Old Man Swamp who raises only . The Day Care receives Eggs from the Pokémon League and raises them to be starter Pokémon.
 * Near Saffron City in Kanto
 * Appeared in May's Egg-Cellent Adventure. It is run by Christopher and Jeannie, along with their daughter. received an Egg from this Day Care center.
 * Solaceon Town in Sinnoh
 * Appeared in If the Scarf Fits, Wear It!. It is owned by Angie's parents.
 * Near Nacrene City in Unova
 * Appeared in Here Comes the Trubbish Squad!. It is owned by Karena. received an Egg from this Day Care center.
 * Near Driftveil City in Unova
 * Appeared in The Lonely Deino!. This Day Care is owned by Bobby.
 * Near Humilau City in Unova
 * Appeared in Unrest at the Nursery!. It is owned by a Principal and.

The Day-Care Couple on in Johto helped, by letting him train on the Pokémon entrusted to them. This training helped Exbo evolve into, after which he perseveres harder and accumulates enough experience for Polibo, Gold's , to eventually evolve into a during their stay in Ecruteak City. They also taught him to battle without his billiards cue and goggles, as well as how to exploit type advantages.

At the end of this chapter,, , and were seen at the  Day Care with  and. The Day-Care Couple from Johto also appears, telling the trio about they once knew, having known to affect a Pokémon's personality before hatching.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga
In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys, the Day-Care Couple are young, as opposed to the usual older couple. In Let's Use Fighting Type Pokémon!!, they invite 🇬🇼 to a tournament run by the Day-Care Center, and in A Huge Mysterious Tree!!, they give him a Pokémon Egg.