Why Minecraft Rules in My House

Minecraft: all the joy of LEGOs, but without the pain of stepping on them.

When I give my kids get some screen time throughout the week, I give them something education or constructive. My in-laws have ABC Mouse and my phone battery drains over 9,000 times faster than normal thanks to the PBS Kids games app. But there is only one piece of software that rules over all others in my house. It seems to give my kids a sense of accomplishment and achievement: Minecraft.

Minecraft has been in my game library since it was in beta back in 2010, well before we had kids. I’ve spent countless hours on friend’s servers and in my own worlds since then (seriously, countless). I hadn’t played as often since then, but that’s probably due to a lot of things. Three kids, working a full-time job, and trying to keep my house from falling apart keeps me pretty busy. But when my oldest was five, I decided to introduce her to the deceptively simple world of Minecraft. Instantly, she was enthralled.

I had built a world in Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (because it’s more stable) and started showing her some of what I built. Then she wanted to “drive”, meaning actually using the mouse and keyboard. I had a Proud Dad Moment when I showed her how to use the WASD keys. My kids are becoming PC gamers. 😊

She eventually took over my world and built structures out of dirt blocks because she hasn’t quite grasped crafting yet. But rather than try to “fix” her work, I just leave it. It’s like her artwork that ends up on the refrigerator. It hangs there as a testament to her creativity. Whenever I load up that Minecraft world, I don’t just see a dirt house. I see my daughter’s face light up and I hear the excitement in her voice as she gives me a tour of her latest creation.

So it’s no wonder Minecraft rules in my house. It’s not just about screen time or giving them an activity. My kids seem to gain a real sense of accomplishment and pride when they get to show off their work. And when they build something in it that they are proud to display, I’m more than impressed. I’m proud.