In this “block shaped” game you can spend countless hours fighting against mobs like creepers, endermen and zombies, you can build houses and other constructs, or discover the vast landscape of this strange looking game that doesn’t seem make any sense at first, but it’s super fun. Minecraft is played by people of probably all kinds of ages, from children, to teenagers and even adults. Yes, including me. I love making time for this game from time to time.
Minecraft has been very popular for many years and still is. This is also the case with children and it really shows in different types of stores (e.g., H&M, C&A, KKEC, etc.) selling Minecraft merchandise. But is this iconic game likely to affect kids? Or could it even be educational?
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Benefits of Minecraft for Kids
We hear it all the time: don’t let kids have too much screen time! It hurts their eyes! It hurts their bodies! But what about the benefits of screen time and video games? The future, after all, is digital. While it’s important for children to balance physical activity and video games, video games have many benefits that are often overlooked.
Here are eight benefits for kids playing Minecraft.
Does Minecraft make kids smarter?
Online games like Minecraft can make children ‘smarter’ in the sense that they are encouraged to learn by building and not just memorizing. Being able to build something can help children be more aware and empowered.
Personal skills are important in building a career. Self-awareness – a life skill – is important for knowing what you want in a game or in any situation. Instead, the game provides situations that require teamwork. It provides an opportunity for children to learn to balance their wants and needs while also closing a deal or compromise with a team if necessary.
Is Minecraft bad for your child?
Minecraft is used as a learning tool in many schools. Teachers use the highly addictive game to educate students on various subjects such as math, physics, history and more. This teaching methodology can help students explore, imagine and learn differently than in the conventional classroom.
Minecraft is definitely educational. Not only does it have great entertainment value, but it also promotes healthy activities, teaches valuable teamwork lessons, and boosts basic skills, so Minecraft isn’t bad for your child, it’s a great side activity for them! However, children’s play times should be monitored and excessive play should be discouraged.
Nintendo Switch
There are no live streaming options built right into the Nintendo Switch, so you’ll need to rely on one of the capture card options mentioned in the PlayStation and Xbox sections (or choose a other option, such as Genki Shadowcast). You also need a Switch with a dock and HDMI output, so it’s the original or OLED model, not the Nintendo Switch Lite.
With your Nintendo Switch docked, you can connect the HDMI-out port on the dock to your favorite capture card: from AverMedia, Elgato, or any other manufacturer. You need a USB cable to connect the card to your PC and optionally another HDMI cable to your TV, unless you’re OK with watching your gameplay through Windows.