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With more than 140 million monthly players, Minecraft is one of the world’s most popular online games, attracting a loyal following of young fans. But the pixelated world of crafting and adventure has been at the centre of debate about its impact on kids – with some of the most recent research revealing it’s actually a game-changer for learning.

Blocks, creatures and community are the core of Minecraft, with players able to do everything from craft elaborate worlds to go on adventures. Minecraft is rated suitable for kids aged seven and older, with the makers claiming it ‘should be a safe space for everyone’ and it also has parental control tools.

One of the biggest draw cards for parents is that Minecraft is a game that prompts kids to think, problem solve, create and explore. There’s even a Minecraft Education version that’s being included in school curriculums around the world.

“Minecraft was like therapy for my autistic son. I can’t really explain it but it would settle him right down.” – Jacinta, Mouths of Mums member

A new Australian study found when kids play Minecraft together, it fosters teamwork, communication and social skills.

“From what we see of children’s interactions on Minecraft, it’s far more than just a digital pastime; it’s a virtual playground where children can develop problem-solving skills, collaboration, and language abilities,” study author and University of South Australia researcher Dr Vincenza (Enza) Tudini explained.

“Team and problem-solving skills are also prominent in Minecraft. Unlike traditional video games that tend to focus on competition and scoring points, Minecraft is an open-ended experience that encourages children to build, explore, and interact, with players often working together to achieve common goals.”

Minecraft gameplay

The educational component is echoed by the parents we reached out to on Mouths of Mums’ social platforms.

Mum Bianca de Lima said she and her husband also enjoy playing the game, along with their nine-year-old son.

“It was brilliant for my son because it gave him some common ground with his peers (he is a genius and never knew what to talk about with them. He also ADHD and autism) and he actually made some friends.”

But Bianca tempered her enthusiasm for the game with at least one negative.

“The down side is he became obsessed with it. If he couldn’t play he was asking someone else to play so that he could watch… and tell us EVERYTHING! Including that we were doing things wrong (in our own world and of our own design). He has calmed down a bit now. He still loves to play and watch others and he still tells us EVERYTHING (he has read a LOT of books on every subject surrounding it) but he is no longer obsessed with it and begging people to play.”

Other parents told Mouths of Mums they can see huge positives in kids playing Minecraft.

“Benefits include teaching kids teamwork, geometry skills, resource management, problem solving, community engagement (because kids share their creations), it also encourages confident exploration and creativity because it’s not developed to have a linear story line propelled by quests or in-house purchases,” said Carly May Nichols.

“My son has been playing since he was 8. He’s now 16 and still loves it. It’s far more beneficial than warfare shooting games.” – Kellie

Other parents say they’ve used the parental controls to tailor the game to their children.

“I guess it depends on the kids. Not a one size fits all,” said Elena Rose Warren. “We use it in our OT sessions and have an online homeschool group that my son’s enjoys playing with. But because he takes things literally (ASD level 2) we’ve turned off the zombies and killing characters etc.”

“My son learnt to spell from a young age. He’s excellent with language, he got one of the highest marks in his class from playing Minecraft.” – Rochelle

Minecraft gameplay

However, experts agree that while the benefits are many, there are also challenges in keeping kids safe.

“All online spaces have safety risks. While Minecraft promotes positive social interactions, public servers can expose children to online risks such as bullying or interactions with unknown players,” Dr Tudini said.

Minecraft has developed its own five tips for safe gaming, to help empower parents.

  1. Understand Online Interactions:
  • Teach children not to share personal information like their real name or address.
  • Familiarize them with Minecraft’s reporting tools for inappropriate behaviour.
  • Encourage open communication about any uncomfortable interactions.
  • Adjust chat settings to control who can contact your child.
  • This guide can help you and your child understand how to use Minecraft’s reporting tools
  1. Set Up A Child Account:
  • Use the Xbox Family Settings App to create child accounts with age restrictions.
  • Customize content settings to block unsuitable games and apps.
  • Enable weekly activity reports to monitor gaming habits.
  • Activate the “Ask to Buy” feature for in-game purchase approvals.
  • Check out this page on setting up a child account
  1. Recognise In-Game Purchases:
  • Explain the difference between virtual currency and real money.
  • Set spending limits on your child’s account.
  • Review purchase requests together to align with family rules.
  • See here to understand how to set up approval needed for purchases
  1. Balance Screen Time:
  • Create a schedule that includes designated times for gaming, homework, and outdoor activities.
  • Use tools within the Xbox Family Settings app to set playtime limits.
  • Promote regular breaks during gaming sessions.
  • Model balanced screen habits by engaging in non-screen activities as a family.
  • Check out this guide on setting screen time limits in the Xbox Family Settings App
  1. Build a Safe Online World:
  • Help your child set up private servers to play with friends they know in real life.
  • Teach them how to use moderation tools to manage player interactions.
  • Organize supervised group activities within the game.
  • Stay informed about the latest updates and safety features in Minecraft.
  • See here for how to set up a private server

What do you think? Is Minecraft good for kids? Let us know in the comments below.

  • My son would certainly argue that this is true. My only real problem with Minecraft is (1) screen time in general and (2) There is potential for kids to be exposed to strangers.

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  • Ive heard from some of my teacher friends and family their school uses the minecraft app and i can see the benefits of it when used in the right context for learning. My kids dont seem to have any desire for this game at all as its a bit too blocky and uninteresting for them

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  • I think it’s like most things – it can be either brilliant or horrendous depending on the child and how they use it. Although I’m generally a bit wary of computer games, it is true that Minecraft is better than most, and kids certainly seem to love it. Mine do !

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  • It is so good to think the schools are getting involved and encouraging this kind of creativity in a way that the kids enjoy. Minecraft seems to be a great game to encourage healthy thinking in kids and work in teams. Good for families to be involved with in a safe manner. Of course restrictions on time spent would be a good idea.

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  • It does seem to be really good for kids. Both of my kids love it and I have one with Asperger’s and one with ADHD. It really helps them to focus and harness that energy, in the case of my son. His school is using it as a reward for good behaviour and I have also heard of it being used in programs to assist with kids on the spectrum and seems to be really helpful.

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  • Do you know what and where else great and exceptional learning can take place, especially for kids?! Outside in the real world in nature, interacting and engaging face to face with other human beings. Kids sitting in front of a screen at any point in their childhood is highly detrimental if you ask me and any one who defends it is fending off the guilts over the amount of time their kids sit and play video games!

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  • My daughter and her friends used to play all the time when they were in high school.

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  • Our grandchildren love it and talk about it non stop. They are limited to one hour a day on a game console and that is plenty. They talk about it with friends, play and create, use their imaginations. It’s good to see them chatting away in the park with new friends and a common subject.

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  • Oh wow, very interesting research. As a tween / teen I needed these hard facts to tell my mum that The Sims was enriching and beneficial hahah. But it’s great to see people acknowledge that online games can help kids develope or enhance some positive attributes, not just the boomer articles that blame games on all the woes of kids.

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  • Minecraft seems to be the thing to do at the moment, hence Woolworths have Minecraft card boxes to giveaway due to the popularity of it. I don’t have any little ones involved in watching Minecraft and have very little knowledge of it but there is always a chance of obsession with any online game so time restrictions might be a way of keeping it in check.

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  • These tips can indeed be transferred to other areas in family life too. Achieving balance is always essential and good for maintaining good health and wellbeing. Parents need to model similar behaviours and be good role models for children too and they also need to limit all forms of screen time.

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  • Mineccraft is amazing. It’s one of my sons favourite games and it’s also encouraged in school too because it is so educational. Our school actually has a minecraft club which has so many members and they all work
    together to create, build and problem solve but yes of course with anything there must be a balance.

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  • Mineccraft is amazing. It’s one of my sons favourite games and it’s also encouraged in school too because it is so educational. Our school actually has a minecraft club which has so many members and they all work
    together to create, build and problem solve but yes of course with anything there must be a balance.

    Reply

  • I like the five tips Minecraft has developed for safe gaming, to help empower parents and kids alike.
    My kids don’t play Minecraft anymore, but years ago they were really into Minecraft. especially my son. I do believe it is quite a constructive and educational game that encourage creativity and problem solving skills

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  • The important point in the article is all about balance and it really is so important for everyone in a family to have balance in all things. Screen time needs to be limited for adults and for children. There needs to be a good mix of inside time and outside time.

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  • Actually some practical and useful tips in this article! Nice to see some balance. I’m not a huge advocate of screen time, but also recognise it’s going to happen and for the reasons mentioned in this article, I think Minecraft is good. I personally find it really boring, but if your kid likes it, a great opportunity to teach the lessons outlined in this article.

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  • Some great useful and helpful tips for parents for this who have kids who want to play this game. I have never played it before so I am entirely familiar with the game but if it is fostering the right things like teamwork etc then why not, the world is changing and we all need to embrace it.

    Reply

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