4 Family Friendly Minecraft Servers for #SocialGaming
While many children are happy to play Minecraft with family and friends on local area networks (LAN), eventually your child will want to play on a public server with a larger community of Minecraft-obsessed fans.
Public servers, for the PC/Mac editions of Minecraft, are the most accessible way to co-play. Usually, private individuals host these servers and with a variety of plugins, they can provide creative pre-built adventures and give players the ability to work/trade, role-play, solve puzzles, recreate scenes from their favorite movies, and more. Additionally, it is a great way for children to make friends and learn from others.
Of course, with great freedom comes great responsibility! Finding family-friendly servers for your kids can be overwhelming. Numerous worries ranging from bullying to bad language to predatory behavior can keep parents from taking the plunge. So how can parents ensure that children are safe while playing online? Truthfully, there is no way to guarantee that a server is perfectly safe, but there are many servers designed specifically for families and children.
Before allowing your child to play online, be sure to set some ground rules for ensuring their safety. You may also want to download this handy online gaming safety tip sheet for reference.
Here are our top 4 Family-Friendly Minecraft Servers
#1 – Minecraft Realms
Technically this is not a server but we include it here because it is a great alternative. Minecraft Realms are a monthly subscription service hosted by Mojang and just a basic world map where children can build/create in survival or creative. Currently, there are no mods allowed/available. Invite up to 20 players but only ten can log on at a time. Owning a realm is an excellent way to have a small server-style world for your child and friends.
#2 – Intercraften
Intercraften is a whitelisted server (meaning you have to register and be added to the allowed player list to play). You can learn how to register on their website. Intercraften is an immensely popular family-friendly server, and the moderators are helpful and diligent about keeping it safe. Their chat is also heavily monitored and censored to keep inappropriate language off the server. Parents and kids are allowed to join the server, and there are many activities available. Children seem to enjoy playing Capture the Flag (CTG). There is also a creative world, a mining world, mini-games and challenges, as so much more.
#3 – CrazyPig
CrazyPig is an amateur server run by parents from all over the world. It is, however, not whitelisted which means anyone can join without having to apply or provide personal information. Language filters in place which helps to keep inappropriate language out of the chat and ensure a safe environment for all players. Moderators are active and will remove those players who do not adhere to the rules. CrazyPig includes two difficult survival mode maps, a mini-game world, an easy survival world level that is is ideal for younger players, and a creative world where players are assigned specific areas in which to build.
#4 – Cubeville
Cubeville is a basic multiplayer server that is not whitelisted. There are a few modifications, but the game is a basic survival game where you must collect materials and defend yourself against monsters. While the ability to fly and teleport are limited, there is a great skyway minecart system that will get you where you want to go on the map. There is a currency system and The moderators are extremely helpful here, and many are the parents are children who play on the server. There is an active forum if you need help, many free farms to help you get started.
