Minecraft for Confused Mommies (and Daddies)

“How old do you have to be to play Minecraft?”

My five-year-old son might as well have asked me how babies were made. This was a loaded question, and I needed to carefully craft (pun intended) my response. He had launched a solid campaign to gain access to Minecraft ever since he watched his older cousin play over a year ago. And the truth is, the main reason I don’t allow it is because I have no idea what Minecraft is. That and the fact that electronics plus my son is a recipe for disaster. I decided it was only fair that I know what I’m saying no to.

As with most things, my first interaction with Minecraft was at Target, specifically a boy’s t-shirt. The pixelated graphics made me think it was a throwback to an old-school video game. You’ve seen it–the green squares, sometimes a guy with a pickaxe.

Minecraft is a game that revolves around blocks–imagine unlimited access to blocks that come to life. Then, imagine never having to step on those blocks or cleaning them up or worrying about a younger sibling swallowing them or spending tons of money on buying more. Sorry, back to Minecraft. The game comes to life through imagination. There are no rules, no winning, no set goal.

Minecraft has various modes; however, Creative and Survival are the two more popular options for children and the only ones addressed in this article.

• Creative mode is where all players should probably start, and most young children should stay. Every player is assigned the generic avatar “Steve” and put into a Minecraft world where they are given unlimited materials to build including wood, stones, decorations, and even potions!
• Survival mode has a limited “daytime” (10 minutes from what I gather) where the player must find or create items needed to survive including food and shelter. When night falls, the players must fight off monsters including zombies, creepers, and skeletons or die. You can shelter your children from potential nightmares by setting the game in Peaceful mode, which removes the monsters.

Minecraft also offers a multi-player option. This means that you or a sibling or friends or STRANGERS can play with your child depending on how you set up your network.

Well, sigh. This game does sound pretty cool. It encourages creativity, perseverance, problem-solving, and potentially collaboration if played with others. It has the potential to teach strategy, geometry, and time management. Some educators are even bringing Minecraft into the classroom. BUT obviously, Minecraft isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

• Minecraft can be extremely addicting. Every household has their own approach and limits for screen time but having a visible timepiece as well as clearly setting expectations can only help.
• The game has its own terminology. Mods, mobs, smelting, griefs, and biomes. Oh my! The best way to stay engaged and know what your child is getting into is by playing yourself. This is the same reason I traded in my flip phone for an iPhone after my son was born. If I didn’t keep up, he was more likely to pull a fast one on me.
• Fighting monsters, killing animals for food, disturbing others’ creations, dying. It is up to the parent to determine what features the child is mature enough to handle.
• There are a lot of videos on the internet related to Minecraft. Most are fine, but some contain foul language or other content that isn’t suitable for children.
• The game itself does not require an internet connection. However, if you allow your child to play with others, you will need to determine who will have access to the network–just your home, a customized group of friends, public network. There’s a lot of technology stuff related to this that I’m not skilled in addressing.
• The commercial world has embraced Minecraft. Apparel, legos, books, and figurines seem to be flooding the retail space.

The more I know, the more confused I am. I can see how this would be a great game for my son, BUT I need more time to stress about it. So for now, my answer is, “older than you, buddy!”

Do your children play Minecraft? How old are they? What have been your experiences?

About the Author

Amee Bailey is a former actuary turned SAHM to two wonderful children, ages 5 and 1. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee and a University of North Carolina graduate, Amee moved to Jacksonville after college for a job opportunity. Two years later she met her husband and the rest is a blur! Amee maximizes the blessing of staying home with frequent trips to the park, navigating the mom-dating scene, and obsessing over every parenting decision. She considers a day successful if it ends with two children and a husband, dinner on the table, and a dance party.