All of a sudden Minecraft has taken the world by storm and become one of the most popular in the gaming industry. It is one of the first games to become widely discussed in classrooms, not just in our front rooms! People spend a lot of time finding the best games online, but it seems the word spread quickly for Minecraft with very little persuasion. If you’ve got little ones in your family you will understand how they long to play the games you’re on. Whether you’re gaining first place on Mario Kart or exploring the beauties of Zelda, it’s often difficult to get your little bro involved in your gaming.

Minecraft is a hot topic amongst teachers, because it is proving to be extremely useful to children’s creativity, problem solving and confidence. Although Minecraft is a virtual domain where you create your own world and activities using simple building blocks, it is quickly becoming much more than this. So why is it so popular with kids? Well, there are actually no rules involved. There are no explicit instructions, no aims or specific methods, you just explore and roll with whatever you find. Many experts are comparing Minecraft to Lego, in the sense that you get a tonne of pieces to build something imaginative; you can then craft and create this in your own time using your own mind. Parents can sometimes be a little on the cautionary side when it comes to exposing their kid to a computer game. We hear all over the news that children should cut down their screen time and start playing outside, but where’s the fun in that? The truth is, computer games are becoming more and more realistic and serve a really purpose in adult and child cognitive development. Approaching Minecraft in a healthy way will not have a negative effect on a child’s wellbeing. You might just notice the many positive impacts a game like this can have on them. Their emotions can become more steady, they can establish social connections and even heighten their confidence. Here are a handful of ways that Minecraft can be a barrel of fun for you and the kids within your family.

1.You Can Get Involved With Them!

Whether it’s your little brother, cousin, niece or your own child, Minecraft has the amazing ability to allow you to play along with them. In fact if you choose to learn the ropes too you will be able to help them discover even more. Teach yourself about the amazing possibilities of Minecraft seeds, so you can impart your knowledge into them. Seeds are strings and letters and numbers that are utilised as the starting point to create your Minecraft worlds. This clever algorithm can allow you to re-create identical worlds, so read more about it online and enhance your knowledge.

2. Play Anywhere Anytime

Unlike most other high end computer games you can play Minecraft anywhere at anytime. You don’t need to invest in high tech software or controllers; all you need is a functioning computer, smartphone or tablet. Depending on the age of the child it’s probably best they don’t have access to their own phone or iPad just yet, so teach them how to find the game on your technology so they can get going themselves. Another plus side is there is no violence at all, so you don’t need to worry about scaring young ones or encouraging fighting.

3. Build Their Confidence

The open nature of Minecraft allows a child to step out of their comfort zone and truly explore a new environment. This will do wonders for their confidence as they will soon discover anything is possible with the building blocks within Minecraft.

4. Get Their Creativity Flowing

Whatever route they decide to take in the Minecraft game they will certainly be exposed with a plethora of opportunities to be creative. From architectural strategies to decorative design, they might just discover something they are truly passionate about.

5. Improve Problem Solving and Teamwork

There is actually proof that video games can help kids in schools and Minecraft is living proof of this. Your child doesn’t just need to solve solo missions, you can also set up servers for the entire family to join in. Multiplayer adventures are incredibly popular and encourages youngsters to work with other people. This is a skill they will need throughout their entire life, so why not teach them early? As well as working as a team, the kid will soon learn how to find new resources and experiment with innovative materials. Their brain will be opened up to a whole new world of problem solving missions, that will help them achieve greatness later in life.

6. There Are So Many Levels

Even though a child under the age of thirteen needs parental permission to set up an account, there is no limit to what they can achieve once they are signed up.

7. Achieve Super Skills

Skills such a budgeting, financing and negotiating are all cleverly intertwined into the Minecraft game. They will also learn the skill of patience, which we know isn’t always easily achieved with little ones.! Without even realising they will be exposed to a whole host of opportunities to enhance their skill sets. Allow them to be creative, explore and gain new skills you never thought could be attained at such as young age.

It is now plain to see that Minecraft comes with a tonne of advantages for our younger generation. From cognitive skills to creative abilities it is certainly worth exposing kids to a game like this. However, like any other game, Minecraft could become addictive if you don’t regulate the time they spend in front of the computer. If you’re thinking of showing a little one the ropes make sure you stick to a time limit and don’t allow them to play non-stop. Ultimately, you want to open up their minds and allow them to explore something completely new. So discover the magic of Minecraft for mini gamers now!