In this guide
What is Minecraft?
Minecraft is a video game which allows users to build structures and explore areas in a block-based world. Minecraft holds the record of the highest-selling game of all time, and despite its 2011 release, it remains the 3rd most-played game in the world..
The game is rated PEGI 7, meaning it is appropriate for anyone aged 7 or older. Minecraft is available on almost every gaming device, including Xbox, Playstation, PC, Android, and iOS..
How it works
Minecraft focuses on gathering materials from the game’s world and building structures out of cubes, with various game modes available for players to do this. These include a survival mode in which players must fight enemies such as zombies and skeletons and a creative mode where players are able to create whatever they like without any restrictions.
Players can play alone in single-player worlds, but they can also go online and play in multiplayer lobbies with friends or strangers from all around the world. Players need an invite to join private multiplayer servers, while anyone can access public servers from the Minecraft menu.
A multiplayer chat function exists in the game which gives players the ability to communicate with each other while playing. All players in the server will see messages in the multiplayer chat. Players can also use ‘whispers’ to send private messages to other players, which no one else in the server can see.
Minecraft is also a highly customisable game. As it is based around building structures, players can access different servers and view other players’ creations. You can download modifications for the game from the internet, which can change the game in various ways. Some will only bring small changes, such as adding an axe that chops down trees faster. Others will add guns or drugs to the game.
Once you purchase the game, you don’t need to spend more money to play. Players can buy ‘Minecraft coins’ with real money and use them to purchase maps and other content. You can purchase a ‘Minecraft Realms’ subscription for £3.29 a month or £6.69 a month for Realms Plus, which allows you to create your own servers. This is important for online play, as a private server gives a safe place for children to play with their friends without strangers joining.
Educational version
The developers designed Minecraft Education specifically for the classroom. Teachers can use this version to provide students with lessons on various subjects. This allows students to exercise problem-solving skills and learn in an engaging way.
Your child can only play this version at home if their school has received an educational license for Minecraft Education.
Minecraft parental controls
Children and teens account for a large portion of Minecraft’s user base. Because of this, the game has a suite of parental controls to keep this audience safe while playing. The game automatically applies parental controls to any account owned by a player under 16 years old. In order to manage these controls, a parent must create a Microsoft account and link it to their child’s Minecraft account.
These parental controls include:
- Multiplayer controls: Parents can switch off multiplayer, meaning their child will not be able to play online with strangers
- Communication: You can apply filters to the chat to censor profanity, mute specific players, or disable multiplayer chat altogether
You must set other controls, such as screen time limits and purchase restrictions, within the console or gaming device settings. You cannot set these controls directly through the Minecraft application.
Benefits of Minecraft
- Nurtures creativity and problem-solving
- Less violent than many games and the graphic style is non-realistic
- Automatic child accounts for anyone under 16 years old
- Private servers so children can play and socialise with children they know
- Some parental controls provided
What to watch out for
While Minecraft does offer some parental controls, these are limited so parents must remember to set other controls from the device settings, not just Minecraft’s own parental control settings.
Read our parental controls guides to find out how to apply settings on the most popular gaming devices:
Parents must also keep an eye on what servers their child joins. While joining private servers with friends they know in real life is good, joining public servers could expose them to inappropriate content and language or being contacted by strangers looking to cause harm. Set controls so that they can not enter these servers. Speak with them often to find out if they’ve seen anything inappropriate or upsetting while playing.
As a video game, Minecraft can be addictive and cause an increase in screen time. You should monitor how long your child is spending on their device and ensure they have a balanced digital life.
Overall Minecraft is appropriate for children 7 years or older, as its PEGI 7 age rating reflects. However, we recommend that younger children play single-player mode only, and older children do not enter public servers.