We’ve all heard of Minecraft. The game of pixelated cubes where kids build and explore the world, braving monsters and the elements to survive. But did you know that this game can be a great tool to help your child learn? It can! Many classrooms worldwide have started to use this fun game to help engage students in active learning, so whether your family is playing this at a Minecraft-themed GameTruck party or at home, this game can be a helpful educational tool. Learning should be fun and exciting. What better way than a video game your kid loves? 

If you’ve never played Minecraft before, try playing it with your child. You can be an active member in their academic development by simply having fun playing a video game with them. Here are three skills that Minecraft helps teach kids. 

Math

How many minutes until nightfall? Is there a way to divide our resources fairly among all the players? How do we build a town that’ll house everyone? These are all example math questions that kids have asked without realizing they’re learning. To be successful in Minecraft, they must practically apply general math principles. In an educational study of teachers using Minecraft for math instruction, 71% of teachers saw “improvement in student numeracy and computational thinking.” A Los Angeles teacher told ID Tech that his Minecraft Math program helped students grow 65%, going from 18% to 83% during end-of-the-year retesting. 

History

Who wants to memorize a long list of historical dates, places, and facts? Very few people! This is where Minecraft can step in to save the day! You can import in-game, fully reconstructed versions of famous places and landmarks for kids to tour. They can engage in learning from anywhere in the world, creating fun memories with their friends as they learn history. Minecraft presents a fun alternative to memorizing historical lists by encouraging students to be hands-on with history through gaming. 

Soft Skills

One way we as parents can prepare our kids for their future careers is by teaching them “soft skills.” They are useful for almost any profession. Soft skills include teamwork, problem-solving, creative thinking, and communication. Minecraft can help kids develop these soft skills in a fun, virtual environment. 

In a recent educational study of teachers who used Minecraft in the classroom, 98% of teachers said problem-solving was the top skill students took away from playing Minecraft in the classroom. From devising a plan to fend off monsters to building a secure farming compound, the numerous learning opportunities present themselves in engaging ways. Developing and nurturing soft skills are another educational benefit to playing Minecraft. 

With all of these benefits, it’s easy to see why teachers and parents use this video game as an educational tool. If you’ve never played before, consider giving it a try with your kids on your next free day! You may not be a teacher, but you can help them engage in active learning by having fun with them playing Minecraft. Give it a try! Book your Minecraft party with GameTruck today!