Ever since its launch in 2011, Minecraft has become incredibly popular with children. It manages to combine creativity, an open and expansive world and relatively simple mechanics; these factors have helped it to become a gateway for kids to become interested in coding.
Our Minecraft coding camps take all of this to the next level. Our camps run every summer and use an educational and fun approach that children love (and parents value).
In this short guide we’re going to explain more about what happens at our Minecraft coding camps, what you can expect as parents, and how it could transform your child’s passion for gaming into a possible career.
What is a Minecraft coding camp?
What is a Minecraft coding camp? A Minecraft Coding camp at FunTech is a week’s course, where on each day your child learns fun yet educational aspects to Minecraft. Our coding camps are all Ofsted registered and run at various locations throughout the southern part of the UK. The core aspect to our camps involves coding and modding with Minecraft.
Modifying or ‘modding’ video games is a great first steppingstone to becoming engaged with the way the computers, programs and games work behind the scenes.
You have most likely had to drag your child away from their game many times, but the game itself is not only fun but it can also teach important skills and improve creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
We aim to use this versatility to help engage children and teach them applicable skills including coding, creativity and problem solving that could benefit them in whatever they do going forward.
At our Minecraft coding camps you child will attend a five-day course which will introduce them to the basic concepts of coding through Minecraft. These skills allow them to figure out how all the mechanics and programs come together to create the game they love.
These mechanics can then be taken apart piece by piece, allowing them to get a proper understanding of how each function works and how they can manipulate, configure and organise them into mods that change and enhance the game how they want.
What courses do FunTech offer?
We have over 250 individual camps operating throughout South East England, available for children between ages 7 and 16.
We have 15 different courses, each focused on a different aspect of coding or computer skills; however, we offer two specific Minecraft focused coding camps for kids who want to turn their love of the game into useful life skills:
Minecraft With Mods – (Ages 7 to 10)
Over the five-day camp, your child will be introduced to the ins and outs of Minecraft, including farming, crafting, surviving and exploration, and learn how to use the materials and functions within the game to create anything they can imagine.
They will also learn colour theory, an introduction into If-This-Then-That programming and, most importantly, how to modify Minecraft to create custom blocks, items, tools and even their own monsters!
Minecraft Engineering – (Ages 9 to 12)
Redstone is the heart and soul of Minecraft engineering, and over this five-day camp, your child will get to grips with it to create fully operational circuits within the game.
As the week progresses, they will learn how to operate and invent more and more complex things, allowing their imaginations to run wild. This not only engages them but also teaches the fundamentals of binary, electronics and logic tables through a game they enjoy rather than in a classroom.
How the coding camp week works…
Our summer day camps run from Monday to Friday, opening at 9:00 am and closing at 5:00 pm. For parents who may struggle with work or other commitments, there are options for earlier drop-offs at 8:30 am and pick-ups at 5:30 pm (please check your specific camp welcome pack for details as some camps’ start and end times may vary slightly).
These earlier drop-off and later pick-up times carry an extra charge of £10 for one or £30 for all five days.
Our approach to safety
Our course follows standard health and safety procedures, as well as fully trained first aiders. When signing up to the course you will be able to fill out a full medical form with any emergency contact details, allergies, health and dietary information so that we know exactly what your child needs.
Our classes have around 10 children per class, meaning that the tutor will have full control over the class and be able to pay attention to each child individually.
When handling children’s behaviour, we operate on a yellow/red card basis. If a child receives a yellow card then we will hold a discussion with them, their parents and the parents of any other child involved about our expectations with behaviour. Further offences will have them receive a red card, leading to an expulsion from the camp.
Format of the lessons
A classroom setting isn’t always the best way for certain children to learn, especially if they are more creatively minded. Because of this, we pride ourselves on our courses being fun and engaging whilst teaching children important skills.
We employ top-quality tutors who will be able to engage and teach your child without the pressure of an academic environment, allowing them to learn at their own pace.
We are aware there may be a concern that your children will just be sat all day every day on a computer, but we know the importance of getting away from the computer and having regular breaks.
Because of this, our daily lessons have 15-minute screen breaks in both the morning and the afternoon, as well as a 90-minute lunch break, with activities, challenges and competitions to get them up and about and away from electronics.
Where are our Minecraft coding camps?
We have hundreds of available camps taking place in sixteen separate areas around the inner and outer London areas, as well as a few others around the South East.
Each location has a different selection of camps, with some locations featuring more camps than others. Because of this, it is important that you check whether the location you are interested in is running your specific camp.
Our Minecraft-centric coding camps run in fourteen of our locations, including:
- Aldgate
- Barbican
- Chester
- Hampstead
- Maidenhead
- Marylebone
- Milton Keynes
- Northwood
- Oxford
- Reading
- Richmond
- Tonbridge
- South Bank
- West Kensington
- Westminster
- Wimbledon
To see all locations and Minecraft coding camps, please click here.
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