Parent and Carers’ guide to Minecraft

What is Minecraft

Minecraft is a virtual world where more than 30 million players across the world are building, creating and surviving.

Created by a Swedish developer, Markus Persson less than three years ago, Minecraft players can play individually or in multiplayer worlds, crafting Lego styled structures out of cubes.

Minecraft players can play in two modes, creative or survival.

In creative mode, the user can access unlimited resources and don’t need to worry about hunger or staying alive.

In survival mode, players have to find their own resources, food and survive attacks from Creepers, zombies and spiders.

The great thing about Minecraft, is that younger children can play, creating their own worlds on individual play without the worry of cyber bullying or the problem of ‘dying’ all the time. There is no set objective, levels or points to meet, creating a really tensionless and aggression free play time.

Minecraft can be as simple or complex as players like. Although the basic premise of the game is create or create and survive, it’s possible to add adventure maps, mods and other assorted bonkersness to tailor the game to age, level or interest.

 

Who is it for?

Minecraft is suitable for all ages, particularly from six years upwards.

 

Is it safe?

It’s completely safe to let your child play in individual mode. If children play on a multi-player server, it is possible for cyber bulling to happen.

 

Where do I get it?

Minecraft can only be bought from www.minecraft.net for £17.95