Minecraft

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is a sandbox game originally developed by Mojang Studios (later acquired by Microsoft) where players build and explore worlds made of blocks. It has two main modes: Creative (unlimited building with no dangers) and Survival (gather resources, build and fight mobs). The game is available on PC, console and mobile. Bedrock Edition (cross-platform, with marketplace) and Java Edition (PC, with mod support) are the two main versions. Players can join multiplayer servers, use Realms (private hosted worlds) or buy skins, maps, texture packs and add-ons through the marketplace.

Age rating: PEGI 7 / ESRB E10+. A Microsoft account is required to play. Accounts for children under the local digital consent age are treated as child accounts and must be linked to a parent’s Microsoft family.

Why do kids like it?

• Ultimate creative freedom. Children can build anything they can imagine — from houses to entire cities and complex machines.
• Playing with friends. Multiplayer makes it a social experience where children collaborate on projects together.
• Educational value. Redstone teaches logic and circuits, architecture requires planning, and survival mode teaches resource management.
• Mods and custom maps. Extensions mean the game never gets boring — there is always something new to try.
• Minecraft culture. The YouTube and streaming culture around Minecraft is enormous. Many children watch as much as they play.
• Kid-friendly aesthetic. The blocky style feels safe and approachable for most children.

What are the real risks?

• Public multiplayer servers. Anyone can join if the server is open, and strangers can send chat messages.
• Unmoderated server communities. Server admins and moderators are not vetted by Microsoft. Some servers feature mature content or themes.
• Marketplace spending. Minecoins are used to buy skins, maps and texture packs — costs can add up quickly.
• Third-party mods and malware. Mods downloaded from unofficial sources (Java Edition) can contain malware or inappropriate content.
• Contact can move out of the game. Realms invitations and server communities can lead children to private worlds or linked Discord servers with less oversight. See our Discord guide for more.

Settings to check

1. Link the child account to Microsoft family: Go to account.xbox.com/settings and add the child’s Microsoft account to a parent’s family group.
2. Restrict multiplayer: Open account.xbox.com/settings → Online Safety → “You can join multiplayer games”, and set to Allow or Block.
3. Restrict chat and invitations: Open account.xbox.com/settings → Privacy → “Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites”, and set to Friends Only or Block.
4. Set spending limits: Open Microsoft account → family settings → purchases and spending, and limit Minecoin and marketplace purchases.
5. Manage screen time in Family Safety: Open Microsoft Family Safety → child’s account → screen time.
6. Review Java Edition: Check installed mods and servers; account.xbox.com/settings controls multiplayer, Realms and communication for child accounts.

How to talk about it

“Do you mostly play on your own or on servers with other people? Which servers do you use, and who runs them?”

“What makes a Minecraft server feel safe or unsafe to you?”

“Do you download mods? Where do you find them, and how do you know they’re safe?”

Last reviewed: July 2026