Five years ago this month, Minecraft 1.0 was officially released for download. Who would have guessed that a block-based video game would become one of the greatest gaming phenomena of all time? Although the game has been enjoyed by adults all over the world since its release, many parents have seen their children obsessed with Minecraft for just as long. But why are children so fascinated by this game, even years after they have started playing it?
The simple answer: Minecraft is many different things to many different people. It’s a playground for artists, architects, engineers and computer programmers, where imagination is the limit when it comes to building whatever they want. It can be both social and solitary, relaxing and invigorating. It’s fun and also educational. It is a vast place to explore, where players can venture into grand and unknown worlds, climb mountains and cross oceans. Or they may be stranded on a deserted island and test their survival skills with only the most basic resources. In short, Minecraft is what you want it to be!
What is Minecraft?
Minecraft is what we call a sandbox adventure video game, which means that it provides a creative landscape with no fixed goals or endgames and plenty of possibilities. Its characters have a blocky, chunky, lego-like design that looks pretty childish. Mojang Studios developed this video game in 2011. It is one of the best-selling video games with over 238 million copies sold worldwide and nearly 140 million active users, as of 2021.
The main difference between Minecraft and other video games suitable for children is that it does not have any specific goal for the player to achieve. While other video games have specific goals or objectives, such as Mario rescuing the princess in “Super Mario” or multiplayer racing games such as “Team Sonic Racing”, Minecraft is unique in that it has no storyline, gives you no instruction, and offers instead players have the opportunity to create a world from their own imagination.
Step 3: Find replacement activities
You need to replace your time playing Minecraft with activities that meet the needs of Minecraft. If you like Minecraft for its creativity, find hobbies that allow you to be creative.
We’ve created a comprehensive list of 60+ hobby ideas that you can try. Alternatively, you can try our hobby tool, which will help you find activities you’ll enjoy.
Yes!
But with supervision and with some caveats.
First I have to say I’m NOT a Minecraft player, however I’ve just played it with my kids on their server… (so I’m only saying this as a mom looking over my teenage shoulders)… My two boys and their friends are gamers, they play it all the time, when they can play video games i.e.. we have rules for play times. The photo above was taken by one of my son friends.
Minecraft Pros:
Minecraft is not just a mindless activity, nor is it like any other gaming app. In both creative and survival modes, players are required to think, create, and strategize. There is a need for spatial understanding (geometry) and design. Also, as mentioned, many children find the enjoyment of the game increased by playing with more people. Doing this requires collaboration and communication.
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