trowelwinter56

p>How does Minecraft work, and how safe is it for children? Here's everything you require.

/p>

p>Minecraft is a virtual sandbox' game. https://gameaff.com/ Players create their own virtual worlds and experiences using building blocks or resources. While you'll need to begin with the basics first and then move onto more complex resources, you can eventually build your world in any way you like.

/p>

p>While the price range is variable slightly depending on the platform you're playing on, Minecraft is never going cost more than PS25 and this higher price includes all mods (community created improvements to a game) and skins (aesthetic features to the character). You can play Minecraft on a computer, smartphone, tablet, XBox, Nintendo Switch or Playstation.

/p>

p>Users can play in a single-player mode or multiplayer mode. In multiplayer mode, players collaborate to build their Minecraft world.

/p>

p>Get the best of Parent Zone delivered straight to your inbox by signing to our newsletter. Find out more about us.

/p>

p>Why is it so popular?

/p>

p>Minecraft is a completely free-form game. It doesn't come with a set of rules or a stated objective players are free to build and play however they want. It's often seen as a virtual Lego.

/p>

p>This lets Minecraft players a lot of freedom in how they play. Players can create a new fantasy world or build an entirely new one from scratch, they can fight villains and seek adventure, and they can play as a solo player or with friends.

/p>

p>It can be played at any level. In many popular games, you require an amount of expertise to move on to the next level. This can be frustrating for young children who don't have the capabilities or the time needed to make progress in an activity. Minecraft lets children create their own adventures at every level.

/p>

p>What should parents be aware of?

/p>

p>Age restrictions

/p>

p>Different Minecraft versions have different age restrictions. Some mods might contain more violence than other. It's important to keep in mind that Minecraft includes an in-game chat feature. Age ratings vary from 7+ to 13+.

/p>

p>Minecraft's standard terms and conditions state that children younger than 13 years old must have parental consent to play. In the UK when children under the age of 13 play Minecraft without parental permission it is a violation of the site's terms and conditions however, it is not illegal.

/p>

p>Minecraft is extremely popular with primary school kids, despite the age limit. It's not a problem for youngsters.

/p>

p>Chat functions

/p>

p>There are two distinct chat functions in Minecraft; Realms and server chats. Realm chat is hosted by the game's developers, Mojang and moderated by Mojang. They manage it. Every player is able to establish a chat rooms on their server. Usually, players invite their friends to join their Minecraft server and join the chat, but some players offer an open invitation, which allows anyone to join.

/p>

p>Remind children about the dangers of speaking to strangers online.

/p>

p>Remember that players might also be using Discord, a different chat platform with different safety settings. Remind children not to move to other platforms to communicate with people.

/p>

p>Chat features allow children to chat with other children who have similar desires in gaming. However, there is no way to determine who these people could be. Recommend that young children don't chat with other players chat in games unless they are familiar with them.

/p>

p>It is also important that children do not give out any personal information or transmit their conversations to other online areas that could be considered private.

/p>

p>Minecraft YouTube? videos

/p>

p>Lots of Minecraft users are fans of fan-created YouTube? videos to improve their skills and learn new techniques.

/p>

p>Many of these videos are suitable for children. Minecraft does not contain any graphic content. However, some videos include spiders, monsters, and zombies that children might find scary. Some of the videos have commentary with profanity or sexual references, and some discuss or even encourage bullying. These videos might be suitable for you.

/p>

p>You might look up "profanity-free Minecraft servers". However, it might be worthwhile to look over the videos prior to letting children view them.

/p>

p>YouTube?'s Safety Mode can be turned off to block content that is inappropriate.

/p>

p>Listen to Parent Zone's podcast, Tech Shock.

/p>

p>Reporting functions

/p>

p>At present, Minecraft does not have an immediate report function therefore, your child must be careful when joining a server. Your child may be exposed to inappropriate language and snarky comments when they play with someone older than them. However, Minecraft do reserve the right to terminate any player who violates the terms and conditions.

/p>

p>You can make a complaint about players by visiting Minecraft's helpdesk and making a complaint. This is something that an adult may prefer to do rather than an infant. It's a little complicated.

/p>

p>You can report any user who violates the rules to a moderator, who may ban them.

/p>

p>Have you noticed something that doesn't appear exactly right? You can email librarian@parentzone.org.uk to submit comments and feedback.

/p>