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The Minecraft game has become an integral part of global coding activities for kids with the release of its educational edition. This singular act has changed how coding used to be viewed because it has effectively redefined the lines between gaming and coding.
It is safe to say that the Minecraft game has revolutionized how we learn to code because it does two things: entertain users and teach code to willing learners.
This dual function of it has now made Minecraft coding for kids such a big deal these days. The rest of this article will look at what Minecraft coding is and why it is so important for kids.
Read on!
So What is Minecraft?
Minecraft is a bestselling user-creation video game that was released in 2009. It attained this status thanks to its ability to lead users into a virtual world without restrictions. Users in this world then get to create their environment using blocks responsible for Minecraft’s unique rectangular look.
Users also get directions on how to go onto other platforms to research and unlock new features. So, in essence, with Minecraft, players get to explore a world where anything can be built and broken. This explains why it is often described as a sandbox game with minimal limitations on the player.
With such games, players have almost unlimited freedom to create, modify and destroy their environment at their own will, much like the sandcastles that folks build on beaches. This mode in Minecraft is often referred to as Creative Mode. When the game is in this mode, the environment is made up of a flatland where the player has hundreds of different materials, including wood, stone, and metal, that can be utilized to create a world.
There is also a Survival Mode which is a lot more challenging than the Creative Mode. In the Survival Mode, users have to source their food, shelter and weapons, and protective gear to survive.
Both modes teach kids the essence of coding as users use logic gates and create simple machines needed to automate tasks. This explains why Minecraft coding is increasingly popular among kids and everyone who wants to learn how to code. The best part is that Minecraft’s coding language is Java. Java is a multi-purpose, synchronized, class-based, object-oriented programming language with a strong presence in the computer programming space.
Why You Should Try Minecraft Coding for Kids
Minecraft is structured to offer great coding resources for your kid. From the enthusiastic community of players to the multitude of texture packs, custom maps, and game modifications, among other things. Its developers went out of their way to provide players with all they needed to make the game theirs.
There is so much potential for coding with Minecraft. Let’s look at some of the reasons why Minecraft coding for kids is such a great idea:
Its Offers an Alternative Means of Learning
Minecraft bridges the gap between learning how to code and everyday experiences by offering an engaging means for kids to grasp the basics of coding. Moreover, it is flexible enough to cater to the range of subjects in the curriculum. So kids are motivated to delve into mathematical constructs, engineering and architectural concepts and enhance their soft skills.
Even if they have challenges like ADHD and autism.
It Facilitates Creativity
With Minecraft, kids develop problem-solving skills when they take on puzzles. In addition, this game is designed to facilitate experimentation, so it easily expands the limits of their imagination and fosters creative thinking.
How?
By allowing them to build just about anything that they think about using blocks situated in the 3D block of the game. So a kid using Minecraft can build players and worlds since there are no limits to the possibilities. This creative approach to thinking is vital to learning how to code and becoming an expert computer programmer.
It Can Provide Motivation
Since Minecraft is built on exploration and experimentation, it is a great way to motivate kids to learn how to learn something as complex as coding. The thing with kids is that they often have short attention spans. So they are easily distracted.
But with Minecraft’s mechanics, kids are often engaged enough to go through the learning process. Especially with all the game modifications that allow the process to be customized to meet their unique learning needs. Implementing these changes in itself is part of the coding process too.
It Promotes Social Interactions
There is an amazing community of Minecraft players across the globe. You’d be surprised at the number of families with personal servers on which they and their friends can play. So having this kind of interaction fosters the coding learning process because kids get to interact with others like them worldwide.
In these interactions, ideas and experiences are shared, and insights gained, so the process of learning code becomes less stressful and a lot more interesting. But there’s more.
Beyond facilitating the learning process, being part of the global Minecraft community also helps the kids get vital life skills that they need in life.
It Offers Cutting-Edge Skills
Tech is the new oil. In the future, it will be a huge part of the business landscape as its significance is already being manifested in the workplace. Minecraft coding arms kids with the tech skills they need to stay relevant in the tech-centric workplace.
With some idea of computer programming, they will be able to compete in a world that is rapidly being digitalized.
It Provides Different Coding Options
One of the biggest selling points of Minecraft coding is that it provides unlimited options for learning how to code. From the drag and drop coding platform to the visual blocks to the different shortcuts that can be combined, there is always a way for different kids with varying abilities to learn how to code.
Kids Can Learn Real Java
Did you know that Minecraft allows users to access its Java source code? Well, it does. The implication is that such users can easily take their creative abilities to the next level. But more importantly, with Minecraft, kids can easily master Java, which is one of the industry’s simplest and most readable programming languages.
Takeaway
Are you thinking of getting your kids to learn how to code? Why don’t you explore the potential that Minecraft coding offers? Your kids will be better off for the decision.
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