Why Minecraft and Roblox Can Be Great Games For Kids

If your children aren’t already playing Minecraft right now, then there is a good chance that they are hooked onto the latest gaming sensation, ‘Roblox’. Played by children all over the world, Minecraft is the top-grossing video game of all time, having sold over 230 million copies. The digital gaming giant Roblox, (dubbed by many as the “new Minecraft”) boasts over 220 million active players each month.

In fact, even if you have not already heard your child saying things like “zombie pigman”, “enderdragon”, or “robux”, these strange words no doubt have already permeated conversations between them and their friends. In a time where the digital world has so fully suffused into all aspects of life and society, it is inevitable that games and gaming have become an integral feature of our children’s lives.

Most parents have the preconception that gaming is a massive drain on their children’s time and energy. Whilst we agree that excessive gaming can definitely be a problem, we would like to, in this article, make the case that the two highly popular gaming sensations, Minecraft and Roblox, may actually have some benefits for children when played in moderation.

I’m Not a Gamer, What’s the Difference Between Minecraft and Roblox?

Both Minecraft and Roblox are what are known as “sandbox” experiences. That means that players are free to explore and interact with the gaming environment without any pre-specified goals or objectives to achieve. You decide how you want to play or what you want to do. You can think of them like the digital equivalent of Legos or building blocks, rather than objective-based games like Pacman, Mario, or Call of Duty.

The difference between Minecraft and Roblox lies largely in terms of scope. Minecraft is a video game. Roblox, however, is a gaming platform in which players design, host and play games that they have made using the Roblox engine. This means that Roblox is in essence, a collection of many different types and forms of video games. You may find yourself playing “cops and robbers” one minute, and then playing a variation of “squid game” the next. Minecraft, on the other hand, is one game with many different kinds of things you can do (for example, building a castle or fighting monsters).

Independence and Resourcefulness

The systems in Minecraft and Roblox are not easy to get into and understand. New players, especially younger kids, may find things daunting, especially without a helping hand to guide them on their way. Even seasoned veterans are constantly learning new things or discovering newer and better methods to replace their previous methods of playing the game.

Yet, in spite of this learning curve, the Minecraft and Roblox player bases grow year by year. Why is that? Simply put, both Minecraft and Roblox encourage their audience to learn and master skills on their own. Players who find themselves struggling in their games can turn to the internet (a veritable treasure trove of information) for a solution to their problems. By independently identifying guides or tutorials to overcome challenges, children are motivated to continue looking for solutions and strategies on their own. Being able to overcome their obstacles within their games is intrinsically rewarding and an efficacious pay-off for their hard work.

Additionally, players can also share their own discoveries with other people. Whether it is something they built in Minecraft or a game that they designed in Roblox, it can be immensely satisfying to host your creations for other people to enjoy, explore, and learn from. Community resources like the Minecraft Wiki, for example, can be edited by anyone, allowing players from all over the world to pool their knowledge and experience on anything, from in-game facts to player guides.

Technical / Hard Skills

Roblox is a fantastic springboard for children to learn technical skills like coding. Roblox Studio, the engine with which players design their games, is largely based on the Lua coding language. Lua is a popular but relatively easy language taught to beginner coders. This means that even young children can learn to use the Roblox Studio to design and create their own game for themselves and their peers to enjoy.

Players who are inspired to implement concepts from other games that they like, have to learn rudimentary coding in order to bring these features into their games. They also learn how to test run and correct any errors in their coding, important skills for any budding coder.

Creativity and Imagination

Minecraft and Roblox are at their roots, based on very simple premises. Players are encouraged to think outside the box (get it?) in order to push their systems to the limit in order to make their grand dreams a reality. For years, Minecrafters have been constructing renditions of famous monuments in history in spite of the game’s limited, pixelized graphics. Not to be outdone, Roblox players have made use of their simple game engine to design games that rival even those designed by actual game developers.

Not only can children aspire to bring their own vivid imagination to life in their games, they can also draw on the inventions of others to inspire their work. They learn that creativity cannot flourish in a bubble and to broaden their horizons when embarking on projects of their own.

Social Skills

Games like Roblox and Minecraft, whilst can be played solo, tend to be social affairs. Players can join servers to game with other players in potentially massive online communities.

Some may argue that communication in Minecraft and Roblox may not be examples of healthy (let alone grammatically correct) conversing. We certainly would not argue with that. But playing with others is more than just texting on a screen. Minecraft and many games on Roblox tend to be collaborative affairs. Players need to learn to work together and strategize in order to accomplish their goals. These are important skills and lessons that will no doubt aid their real-life collaborations as well.

And whilst online friends are no substitute for the real thing, friendships formed through games like Minecraft and Roblox may extend beyond the game. The online world will be one of the rare opportunities for your child to meet and befriend with children from the other side of the planet, exposing them to different cultures and ideas and allowing them to connect with people they would otherwise never meet.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to villainise all video games, but there are definitely benefits for kids if play time is given in moderation. In the age of screens, parents have to keep up to date on the latest developments and trends. By embracing the positives that technology and gaming offer, parents can push their children towards mediums that spark growth and character development. In this way, they develop an intrinsic learning attitude towards video gaming.

At Wonderlit, we fully believe in adopting technology into our lessons to give our students a head-start in the information era. From interactive whiteboards to digital libraries, we strive to develop a safe, interactive learning space for our students to embark on wondrous learning journeys with us. Find out more about our innovative programmes here