Is Minecraft bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok. I just started playing this with my kids after reading this thread. It IS kind of a fun game, and we have watched some of the YouTube tutorials because it is not at all self explanatory. I do have trouble believing that kids are building these huge complicated structures in one hour a week. Now, granted I just started playing, but it took the kids and I two hours just to figure out how to survive the night without getting eaten by zombies.

We started it a few weeks ago with our 6 year old. We do it on the PS4. Others have said its easier on the computer but its easier for us to limit it on the PS4. After a few weeks, my child is getting it and building more complicated things. He has more fun destroying stuff dad made. I also got him a few mind craft books which he loves. Go on the creative mode if you do not want to be eaten. I don't get the game, but don't care. Dad plays with him instead. Its great you are doing it together.

[Anonymous]

My "problem" with MC is that it's a substitute for actually going out and building forts and exploring real spaces with other kids. Someone else mentioned it can actually be great for socializing (play by phone, etc.) and many mentioned the math and spatial skills and planning, etc. Not to mention the joy of discovery. I get that. I'm ambivalent because I think it's a bit of a subpar substitute for real world experiential equivalents. But with kids not all allowed to ride their bikes into the woods (especially before age 10), I guess it's not the worst thing in the world, YK?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My "problem" with MC is that it's a substitute for actually going out and building forts and exploring real spaces with other kids. Someone else mentioned it can actually be great for socializing (play by phone, etc.) and many mentioned the math and spatial skills and planning, etc. Not to mention the joy of discovery. I get that. I'm ambivalent because I think it's a bit of a subpar substitute for real world experiential equivalents. But with kids not all allowed to ride their bikes into the woods (especially before age 10), I guess it's not the worst thing in the world, YK?

I hear you on MC is substitute for outdoor explorations. But come on, how can they in real world build a Pyramid and Millennium Falcon in the same afternoon in realistic details with full interiors? Minecraft is great. I don't like to play it only because I don't play any game requires speed or too much thinking. But MC is by far the best game for kids.

[Anonymous]

It's no better than LOL or WoW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My "problem" with MC is that it's a substitute for actually going out and building forts and exploring real spaces with other kids. Someone else mentioned it can actually be great for socializing (play by phone, etc.) and many mentioned the math and spatial skills and planning, etc. Not to mention the joy of discovery. I get that. I'm ambivalent because I think it's a bit of a subpar substitute for real world experiential equivalents. But with kids not all allowed to ride their bikes into the woods (especially before age 10), I guess it's not the worst thing in the world, YK?

I hear you on MC is substitute for outdoor explorations. But come on, how can they in real world build a Pyramid and Millennium Falcon in the same afternoon in realistic details with full interiors? Minecraft is great. I don't like to play it only because I don't play any game requires speed or too much thinking. But MC is by far the best game for kids.

PP you're replying to, and I agree-- what I'm responding more to are the friends I have who really let it substitute for at least 50% (and more like 75-90%) of all unstructured after school activities. I really think the things most appealing about MC are what appealed to kids about running in the woods... Except the faster feedback makes it more addictive and a bit problematic.

[Anonymous]

My kids are too young for it. But I havent met a kid who doesnt seem addicted to it, so yes, I think it's bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are too young for it. But I havent met a kid who doesnt seem addicted to it, so yes, I think it's bad. [/quote

Now there's sound logic and reasoning.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to the PP who recommended the t shirts. I found some on Amazon, too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stampy is a great minecraft YouTube'er IMO

Agree on Stampy - his "target audience" are 6-12 year olds (somebody called him a cross "between Mr.Rogers and Pee-Wee Herman"). He makes my 6yo laugh so hard that I almost don't mind his periods of "extended screen time"
And the language is always VERY appropriate.

Just be careful of his first few videos. I think he catered to kids after the first couple. My son pulled up the first few and there is cursing. After that he totally cleans it up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To all the people who swear it is the greatest learning tool ever- Be honest how much are you using it as a babysitter and just justifying that it is any different than sitting your kid in front of a video game?

Actually, people who use it as a babysitter are probably the people claiming it is just about killing animals or no different from other games. Clearly these parents are using it as a distraction for their kids and aren't spending anytime learning about the game with the child.

I am not saying they are wrong. Its just that Minecraft if one of those games you have to spend some time with your child, while they are at the screen, to get the most of it. You need to monitor the videos they are watching to learn, and they will want to tell you all about their inventions. It helps to sign them up for classes, buy books and be ready for lots of discussion on red stone circuitry. Minecraft is not for lazy parents. You gotta go full in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Minecraft is awesome. It's like legos in a computer game. It's the only video game I am happy to see my son play (he's 9). It's open-ended, and therefore allows kids to be very creative. Yes, you do kill animals for food, and it can be part of a problem-solving situation (you have to eat, or you eventually die).

It also helps develop spatial reasoning skills, although to be fair, many video games to that, too. And that correlates with math abilities.

But I love it most for the creativity opportunities. My son has built an entire city with a huge college campus. There's a library, an engineering building, dorms, and a gym. Down the road he built a sky scraper, a Starbucks, an elementary school along with a school bus depot. And there are farms and townhouses, as well as country houses.

And in another world he built an extremely complex roller coaster that goes to the cloud tops and then underground, powered by redstone. You can actually build a working computer "within" the game by using redstone, circuits, and switches.

I play with my son. It encourages teamwork, sharing, problem-solving, and creativity. At some point, if s/he wants, your child can do some basic coding to write a "mod" for the game on the computer. Want to add a green elephant to Minecraft? Add the code.

This is 100% true.. Minecraft is not bad at all, it is a good game that I like to see my son play, it is better then all those game like black ops that encourage violence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My "problem" with MC is that it's a substitute for actually going out and building forts and exploring real spaces with other kids. Someone else mentioned it can actually be great for socializing (play by phone, etc.) and many mentioned the math and spatial skills and planning, etc. Not to mention the joy of discovery. I get that. I'm ambivalent because I think it's a bit of a subpar substitute for real world experiential equivalents. But with kids not all allowed to ride their bikes into the woods (especially before age 10), I guess it's not the worst thing in the world, YK?

I hear you on MC is substitute for outdoor explorations. But come on, how can they in real world build a Pyramid and Millennium Falcon in the same afternoon in realistic details with full interiors? Minecraft is great. I don't like to play it only because I don't play any game requires speed or too much thinking. But MC is by far the best game for kids.

PP you're replying to, and I agree-- what I'm responding more to are the friends I have who really let it substitute for at least 50% (and more like 75-90%) of all unstructured after school activities. I really think the things most appealing about MC are what appealed to kids about running in the woods... Except the faster feedback makes it more addictive and a bit problematic.

I'm with you. My kids get a balance. But I think it is a brilliant creation, and I cannot believe what my kids and their friends are doing in this space. They are older though. They spent there young childhood building forts in the woods or out of pillows (and still do), but Minecraft is way beyond that, especially when they start YouTubing. The storytelling, acting, directing, collaboration, tech know-how, etc. -- it really does parallel the pretend play of their younger days in the woods building forts and playing pirates (which the are way too old and cool to do now). It is an extension of that creative youth that is still cool at an older age. The level of imagination and creativity is pretty astounding. It has improved one of my DC's writing skills considerably.