With Minecraft being one of the most popular video games ever released (it’s the top-grossing video game of all time), it’s very possible that your 5-year-old child is has asked you to let them play it.
But what kind of content does Minecraft exactly contain? And is it ok to let your 5-year-old play Minecraft without supervision?
Is Minecraft appropriate for 5-year olds?
The game is rated 7+, meaning Minecraft should not be considered appropriate 5-year-olds. The PEGI system classifies a 7+ rating as a game that “contains non-realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters (…) that could be upsetting to very young children.”
Based on the age rating and the feedback of parents around the globe, Minecraft should not be considered as appropriate for 5-year olds, but as with any decision on media, the final say should be your own decision as a parent.
Our Minecraft courses for 7-year olds and up
We know how hugely popular Minecraft is with young children across the globe, and so have online Minecraft courses and summer camps for them. But the lowest age a child can take part is 7. We do not offer our Minecraft courses to 5-year-olds based on the Minecraft age rating guidelines.
\7-year olds around the UK and have actually created one of our summer camps around the topic. It’s grown to become one of our most popular camps, being aimed at kids age 7 years and up.
To find out more, go check out the FunTech Minecraft with Mods course.
How young kids play Minecraft
Minecraft is a sandbox game, meaning there’s no set objective or final goal—you have complete freedom to create and explore as you wish.
With its signature 1×1 colored blocks, you can either embark on a survival adventure, facing the challenges of nature, wild animals, and lurking monsters, or focus on building massive structures limited only by your imagination.
Over the years, players have crafted incredible and intricate creations, from detailed replicas of famous landmarks and majestic castles to grand stately homes and even fully functional computers.
Is Minecraft good for kids?
Because of the seemingly endless creative freedom Minecraft allows you, many people say that it can be a useful tool to allow children to develop both creative and practical skills by playing it.
In fact, we recently published a blog post which spoke about how Minecraft can be good for 7-year olds and up in helping them define a later career in life. You can read that here.
Some schools have even incorporated it into their syllabus in order to make learning more engaging for the technological generation.
Is Minecraft Violent?
But what about the game itself? It’s natural to be concerned about the content your child is exposed to, especially since some popular video games are known for their intense violence and gore.
While real-world violence is rarely linked to video games, it’s understandable to worry about your child becoming frightened or desensitized to on-screen violence.
Fortunately, Minecraft features only mild combat and remains largely bloodless, with the option to play peacefully. The game includes monsters like zombies and skeletons that appear (or “spawn”) to challenge players, along with the infamous Creepers that silently approach before exploding. However, combat is minimal, and players can choose to focus entirely on exploration and creativity instead.