One of the reasons Minecraft is so addictive is that there’s no limit to what you can create. You can build your own world and without instructions, how and what you do is entirely up to you. It gives users complete control which can be interesting. And the creative side of Minecraft is fun too. You can use your imagination to create a world that is exactly how you want it to be.
But one risk that comes with it is the fact that repetitive activities are needed to get results in the game. Some of the projects you can make within Minecraft can take hours to make. It can be easy to make time for something and not realize how much time has passed.
Minecraft lets them do anything!
Kids love Minecraft because the game lets them do just about anything! They can slay a dragon, build a castle, hunt fish, dig caves, all in one area. As a sandbox genre game, Minecraft tickles kids’ ability to imagine, create, and think for themselves out of situations that most feature-specific games don’t. Minecraft indulges kids’ desire to explore and experiment, and because it’s all simulated, it’s not that dangerous.
Minecraft has multiplayer and if we’re worried about kids not having social interactions due to the pandemic, Minecraft has offered the solution by creating servers where they can play with each other. While we may have our doubts about how gaming helps children, some studies have shown that games with social aspects (e.g., meet up with friends, multiplayer) serve as an alternative route to help children develop their social skills and self-esteem.
Why?
That’s what he likes to do. Although I can’t figure it out, he likes it and it makes him happy. We are in 2016 and this is the trend. If I concluded that it’s stupid or a waste of time and refused to let it look, I’d be no different than my parents who tell me rap music is ridiculous. They were completely old and did not understand this. As long as it doesn’t harm him or someone else, he’s free to watch. Especially if I know he’s watching safely on the YouTube app for kids.
(Here are 12 kid-friendly Minecraft YT channels.)
Benefits include practice, focus, and persistence
One benefit of having an intense interest is that it promotes skills like practice, sustained focus and perseverance – attributes that are incredibly powerful to a child’s success in school and in the professional world. An intense interest could also contribute to a sense of positive self-worth and self-efficacy. People tend to feel good about themselves when they really put their effort into something and receive external praise for their accomplishments.
For the most part, I encourage parents to let their children follow their passions and interests. Sometimes these early interests can portend a future passion and a willingness to put in the intense effort necessary to become proficient in their professions or to have a lifelong hobby that gives them great pleasure.