What Is Minecraft And What Is All The Fuss About?

Millions of kids across the globe are spending their time digging holes in a virtual landscape called Minecraft –  a game where you dig (mine) and build (craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large world of varying terrains and habitats to explore.

Probably one of the most popular educational games out there – the game supports the development of math, creativity and social skills as well as goal setting. There’s even an Education Edition of the game – which engages children in a more academic way – without them even realising that they are actually learning!

Minecraft is an open-ended “sandbox” that doesn’t come with instructions, so the gameplay is really confusing but that’s what probably makes it more irresistible. Kids are forced to explore — first in the game, then out of it.

To figure out what to do, your kids will need to do research and read sites or watch minecraft channels on YouTube. So every waking moment your kid is not actually playing Minecraft, they are probably watching Minecraft videos on YouTube. These videos attract millions of view each day. There are a number of tutorials for ideas on new things to create as well as challenges for new gameplay ideas to try. You can also find video footage of people playing the game as well as mod showcases which show off cool things children can download to modify the Minecraft worlds.

Here is a list of the top 12 best-for-kids YouTube Minecraft channels:

1. Stampy (aka Mr. Stampy Cat, aka stampylonghead) – A British cartoon cat hosts lively videos on this lighthearted channel. Stampy offers Let’s Plays and tutorials on a range of Minecraft topics
2. iBallisticSquid Totally kid-friendly – English-accented banter with Stampy and uploads Let’s Plays, mods, and challenges
3. Paul Soares Jr.This self-described husband, father, entrepreneur, and gamer offers family-friendly Let’s Plays and tutorials in a kindly, straightforward style.
4. PrestonPlayz. This young Minecraft YouTuber has earned a large following based on his solid playing, awesome parkour maps, and positive attitude.
5. Popular MMOs. Although it’s known for epic battles and massive explosions, Popular MMOs’ host is a friendly, folksy guy named Pat, whose knowledge of and enthusiasm for the game plus killer mods draw big audiences. He also frequently plays against his fiancée, Jen (who hosts her own Minecraft channel, GamingwithJen).
6. TheAtlanticCraft. Gamers Joe (JoeBuzz) Cody (the CodyMaverick) and manage to make their Let’s Plays, mods, mini-games, and more both kid-friendly and technically advanced. The two have a fun relationship as they battle and explore very sophisticated worlds. Language on this channel can however get heated so it’s best for older kids.
7. Little Lizard Gaming. Best for younger kids – Irish brothers Ryan and Scott Fitzimons run the super-popular Minecraft channel Little Lizard Gaming which features play-throughs, how-to’s, and mods.
8. TheAtlanticCraft. Cody (theCodyMaverick) and Joe (JoeBuzz) once again manage to make their Let’s Plays, mods, mini-games, and more both kid-friendly and technically advanced.
9. MinecraftUniverse. One for all ages – Charming TrueMU (real name: Jason Probst) hosts this popular channel that’s jam-packed with adventure maps, parkour maps, mini-games, and even original electronic songs available for download. He often plays spirited games against other advanced Minecraft players in a group called Team Crafted.
10. The Bajan Canadian For Older players who really want to geek out on Minecraft Twenty-year-old Canadian video game commenter Mitchell Hughes offers a wide range of technically adept Minecraft videos, mostly played with a gentle, nerdy patter against his mild-mannered gamer pals.
11. Maricraft Hosted by female gamer Mari Takajashi , Maricraft features mostly Let’s Plays of spirited battles with her pals in wacky Minecraft.
12. CaptainSparklez With one of the biggest audiences on YouTube, CaptainSparklez dazzles with his technically advanced worlds and warm, entertaining commentary.