My daughter, aged 9, is currently playing this game. She has got to level..

Right, first off. You cannot recruit Zapdos untill you've finished the game.
Here are some tips to get you past thsi ever annoying hot headed chicken:
1: "there is no subtitue for training" a wise man once said.
2: "know your strenghs and weaknesses, a grass type agaist Moltress (I think that's the name?) would be sizzeld. However, water Pokemon would finish it.
3: If your or your partner has a weakness to fire or flying attacks, make them stand back and throw Graveler rocks at it.
To help me help you even more, tell me the Pokemon of your daughters team, and I can easly think of a way to help you beat the pokemon.

Well I will help you .Firstly go and level up in the makuhita dojo(south of the town square)and fight through as many dungeons as you can.these are only 3 floors and quite easy to finish.
Then you should be able to Defeat Moltres(Fire bird).

Or you could simply ask for wondermail codes that give you joyseeds so you can level up and defeat Moltres.

If by saing "fire bird" you mean Moltres then it really depends on the type of Pokemon she has! You also can not recruit Zaptos, Moltres or Articuno until you beat the game!

Moltres
TYPE:Fire-Flying
LV.32(canges after you beat the game)
HP.400

You can only get zapdos after the main storyline. That was just a lie about getting zapdos defeating the firebird (moltres) save befroe fighting and if moltres defeats you turn the power off and youll start from the save point. Your daughter is at the right level to fight oltres but here are some wonder mail codes for joy seeds. ( they raise a pokeon's level by one if eaten)

Just type in the code into the wonder mail option on the title screen

I can't get out!
I'm famished... ...Gasp! Waaaaaaaah!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 1F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
1?8F ??X? 43?6
!F?? 8466 RS??

I'm scared!
I lost in a battle... Rescue is requested!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 2F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
??8F ??S? 4366
RF?? 8?66 R7??

Help me!
I've reached my limit... My consciousness is slipping... Help... Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 3F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
1?8F ??+? 4366
+F?? 8466 RP??

Help!
Whoa! It's too rough here... Aiyeeeeeeeeh!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 4F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
F?8F ??(...)? 437?
8F?? 8?66 RM??

I'm scared!
I don't know how I did it, but I can't exit!
I feel faint... Please help... Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 5F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
??8F ??0? 437?
FF?? 8466 RC??

I can't seem to get out. This dungeon is scary!
Rescue is requested!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 6F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
F?8F ??0? 43N6
PF?? 8?66 R5??

I'm lost. Fighting a tough foe was a mistake... Help!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 7F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
1?8F ??F? 43N?
NF?? 8466 R???

Help!
I don't know how I did it, but I can't exit!
Wroooooaaar! Someone!
Client: Bulbasaur
Objective: Help me. Place: Mt. Steel 8F
Difficulty: E
Reward: Poke + Joy Seed
F?8F ??T? 43P6
NF?? 8?66 R4??

If she hasn't beaten Raquaza, she can't recruit Zapdos. She just has to level up.

She needs a water Pokemon about level 34

First fo all,it would help if I knew what Pokemon she had.Also who ever told you that she needs to get Zapdos to beat Moltres has NEVER played the game,you can't even catch Zapdos until after story mode (beating Rayquaza) which I guess she hasn't done.Your daughter should do TONY PATH to level up a bit and then challenge Moltres.If she's at the Kangaskan statue (save point) just go down to go back outside,and remember don't give up!
Ps.please if you ask another question give the pokemons (ex.charmander) and moves.Or atleast the name.

She has a picachu and a chicorita ; sorry for not putting the species or whatever they are, I have never played the game so haven't got a clue. Sorry.

Thank you to everyone who replied; if there's something she can do with these two I'd be grateful to know, as she's that fed up she's threatening to give up and start again.

Well first of all don't listen to the guys given you wonder mails or sayin train at the dojo because you are probably a fugitive
Right
So my ad vice would be to have your grass types to throw seeds like stun seeds and eat blast seeds 45 damage with pikachu use thunder wave and fire and water use ember and water gun

Her best bet is to give graveler rocks to chickorita to throw at him and pikachu to use thundershock and use oran berries

HI!
I used Pokemon to teach kids and I'm an adult, work with kids as little as 5 and had them beat FR/LG or R/S with just some coaching. You got bombarded by too many conflicting answers, and if you don't know the game yourself, then it's probably totally confusing, so I apologize for the awkward attempts, but they mean well. Now, you're not past story mode and cannot get Zapados, Moltres or any of them now, so concentrate on just using Pikachu to beat them all until you get through story mode, though raising a water type might come in handy, too.
What no one did was try to get you to the places where there's a walkthrough you can follow along to help her through-so go to the walkthrough section for this game (or Red version, mostly identical) here at SC and there will be lots of info there on how the story proceeds, and the best ways to handle the situations you'll be in. That should be your first step to helping her.
I'm a great admirer of those who will actually help their kids play their games, it's a great bonding experience and a lot of fun, too, plus there's a lot of learning opportunities "hidden" in Pokemon games that are good to use as examples of how math works, etc., but since this is what I do in life not only on this site, if you'd like some specialized advice and help from me, I'll happily give whatever I can, just write me at [email protected] and I will do my best so it's more fun, less frustrating, OK! (Just put Pokemon or my name in the subject or I might miss it)Just don't let her give up, please!
Regards, and best of luck! BBG_CREECAT

if she has some reviver seeds and oran berrys and a teamate that has a water type move she should get through it easily

I understand. This is not an answer, because I don't think there is a comment box, but I had a problem with Moltres too, thanks to my Treecko.

You cn just find link boxes through out the dungeon pick them up (look like blue boxes) use them on one on of her moves to link them so they get used all at once and go on the team oppition go on the partner then check iq and go down to exqulsiez move user to make the team mate to only use move and not a normal attack

I had trouble too but I restarted the game and used joy seeds