For over a decade, Minecraft has acquired about 140 million active players around the world. For kids, it could serve as a fun way to play games while learning how to code without making it seem like an educational activity. So whether you are working on a real-life, story-based, or logical project, there is so much pleasure found within the walls of Minecraft.
For starters, you might ask, what is Minecraft?
Truth is that Minecraft a game but not just any game! This is a game that involves collecting digital blocks and placing them in a three-dimensional world where its players get to create things themselves. The best news is that there are neither instructions nor a defined set of goals for its players because it offers the free will to collect digital blocks and create all sorts of things with them.
One interesting fact about Minecraft is its expansive nature that allows creativity from being a form of entertainment to a beneficial program. Now you know what Minecraft is, the next question you probably should ask is “how exactly will my kids learn to code with Minecraft?”.
Let’s get right to it.
How does Minecraft teach coding?
Directly, you need to know that Minecraft will not teach your kids how to code. However, it can be used to engage their interest in coding in such a way that they get to learn a lot from it. What Minecraft does is offer your kids an exciting environment where they can learn programming and then teaches them how to apply it in a way that does not seem like work.
To achieve this, Minecraft uses a digital block structure programming language consisting of 1’s and 0’s that instructs the program on what to do and how it runs. These instructions are then communicated to the computer using lines of coding.
Coding often involves lots of numbers, strings, and letters, which can be a great way to help build your kid’s problem-solving skills, creativity, and logic. So if your child is interested in a programming career or has an interest in computers and video games, you need to teach them the basics of coding for kids.
What coding language does Minecraft teach?
Several coding languages have different terms specific to them due to their complex nature and what they are created for. For instance, while some were created to help build websites, others were built to help in mathematical calculations depending on their coding language.
Minecraft uses Java as its major coding language because it is a very precise programming language that offers a good foundation for anyone who wants to learn how to code. Because Java is very popular, a lot of computers use it to run their programs together with other programming languages and this has helped to increase Minecraft’s popularity.
Today, Java is used for several projects like monitoring NASA’s Mars rover, and programmers all over the world use it to get the job done. Individuals also use it for communication in their daily activities yet Java remains the most effective coding language.
The truth is that coding languages can be very tricky, frustrating, and complex to learn especially when trying to perform a task and this may discourage you from learning. However, through Minecraft, your kids develop an interest in computers and programming concepts through things they love thereby building the basic foundation early.
What coding concepts can kids learn with Minecraft?
With Minecraft, there is a million opportunity for your kids to learn easy and simple to understand coding concepts. Each coding concept has a unique experience that uses numerous programming languages to make websites, apps games, and more. Some of these coding concepts include the following:
#1. Conditional
The conditional coding concept allows a program to execute a certain piece of code based on a finding. Here the computer performs a task on discovering a particular condition in the program which could be positive in negative depending on the instruction given.
To analyze the given condition, Java uses Boolean variables. These Boolean values can also be returned after an expression is evaluated and compared depending on if it is true or false.
For example, if it is daytime, the computer obeys the instruction to use a texture to make the Minecraft world appear as it would in the day (sun, visible clouds, shadows, etc). On the other hand, If it is nighttime, the computer will use a nighttime texture to make the Minecraft world appear as such.
#2. Loop
Loop is another coding concept that allows a player to fire arrows as long as the number of arrows available in her arsenal is greater than zero. However, if the number of arrows reaches zero, the condition becomes false, and will no longer be able to fire an arrow.
The while loop often performs a block of statements whenever a particular condition is true. It also stops performing the command when such command is no longer true.
#3. Method
A method is another coding concept that can be invoked at any point in a program using the identity of the method. It is often likened to a subprogram that programmers use to develop and execute programs at any point even without a list. A method is often used by programmers to save time so that they don’t have to keep typing different sections of the code repeatedly.
Conclusion
More than ever, coding is a skill that can be used both creatively and to build a career. Minecraft has created an environment for kids to have a visual representation of what coding entails in an interesting way that can help set their career choice.
Minecraft enables kids to code so you can see exactly what goes on in the game in real-time situations, unlike other games where you have to open and close repeatedly just to ensure that the change made was implemented. Now that you know what Minecraft coding is about, today is a good day to take that step and introduce your kids to the programming world.
