Introduction
In this Blog, I will discuss the educational value of Minecraft and how it has evolved in our home.
As a busy mum of four boys, I understand the challenges and joys that come with parenting young children. Like any parent, I have always been mindful of the toys they played with, the shows they watched, and the content they consumed, aiming to provide them with the best opportunities in life and protect them from harm.
When my older boys received their first laptop at the age of 10, I had envisioned them using it for creative writing in Word, exploring fun drawing apps, and maybe searching for educational content on kid-friendly platforms like YouTubeKids.
However, to my surprise, their interests and activities on the laptop turned out to be quite different from what I had initially anticipated. It didn’t take long for my boys to grow bored with the activities I had initially envisioned for their laptop use and turn to more interesting games and video’s on YouTube.
Enter: Minecraft
They soon heard about Minecraft from their friends, sparking their curiosity and prompting countless requests to have it. At first, I was hesitant and against the idea of them playing Minecraft. I heard about the addictive nature of gaming in general for young kids and without much knowledge about Minecraft itself, I made the decision to restrict their access to it.
As time passed, my kids became more persistent, wearing down my resistance until I finally gave in. Looking back now, I have to admit that allowing them to play Minecraft was actually a wise decision!Â
Minecraft is Educational For Kids!
All of my children now enjoy and engage with Minecraft, and to my surprise, they have gained tremendous benefits from it. I am constantly amazed when they share newfound knowledge about building structures, levers, farming, and more, all learned through Minecraft. They have also developed negotiation skills, something I struggled with as a child and still do as an adult. They have created intricate worlds, managed pig farms, and harvested crops to sustain their villager workers. These seemingly “crazy” activities are actually educational in nature. In fact, one of my boys who studies Technology in secondary school has found that many of the topics covered in that subject were already familiar to him through his experiences in Minecraft.
Now, I don’t advocate for excessive screen time for kids or anyone else, for that matter, moderation is key. I believe that children should also spend time outdoors, playing with friends, breathing in fresh air, being bored, using their imagination and developing social skills. However, I have come to realise that there is a place for screen time in their lives, and when utilised in moderation, Minecraft can fill that screen time with educational and fun content.
Conclusion  Â
While I encourage a balanced approach to kids online gaming activities, I must admit that Minecraft has proven to be a valuable, educational and creative experience for my children. I would encourage parents to do their own research, become familiar with the features in Minecraft and think about allowing their children to carefully engage with Minecraft.
