Minecraft helps boost children’s creativity

Does your child like to play with Minecraft? You may not like your child to play video games in general, but after reading this article you will understand that it is not as bad as it seems … As long as there is parental control and above all, that there is a limited time of play for that children have time to dedicate their time to other things such as going out with friends or studying.

Playing with Minecraft can develop children’s creativity , as long as it is in the right circumstances. Minecraft is a video game that allows its players to build complicated structures and entire worlds in three dimensions. Essentially, it is a limitless virtual world of Lego.

THE STUDY THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS

Researchers at Iowa State University compared children’s creativity levels after playing Minecraft or doing other activities in screen time.  The participants were in four groups: they played Minecraft with instructions, they played Minecraft without instructions , they watched television or they played a racing video game.

After their activities, the children’s creativity was measured by asking them to draw a creature from a different planet. Creatures with less human characteristics appeared high in creativity, while those that were more human-like scored low. 

THE RESULTS

Children who played Minecraft were the most creative , but only those who did not receive specific adult instructions before playing. It can be easy to accept that playing Minecraft would foster creativity better than watching television , a completely passive activity. The same goes for a racing video game, during which the player acts in a totally reactive way.

A racing car game directs the child, while in a proactive game like Minecraft, the child directs the game . But why did only children who played Minecraft without instructions show greater creativity? The study raises some possibilities, the most compelling of which is the suggestion that “the instructions may have changed the subjects’ motivation to play.” The children’s choice of how to play and what to build was important in how creative they were.

In the study, the instructions given were told to “play as creatively as possible.” In reality, that direction was more likely to diminish creativity as players tried to meet vague adult standards. While building, children should think, “What can I imagine and how will I do it?”, No, “Is this creative enough?  Will adults be impressed?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PARENTS?

Parents can feel safe allowing their kids to play Minecraft, keeping a few caveats in mind. First, make playing a free choice. In line with the study’s findings, don’t give specific instructions. It’s okay to ask kids about their creations, but it’s important not to judge them, even with excessive praise. Praise can lead to increased pressure to “get it right” in the future. It’s okay to express interest, but keep it from being too conspicuous.

All experts recommend limiting screen time to one hour a day . Minecraft must be counted towards this daily maximum. If parents observe troublesome behavior problems, consideration should be given to reducing overall screen time. Minecraft increases creativity because it puts the player behind the wheel. Unlike traditional video games, this one encourages children’s imaginations. Parents just need to make sure they keep it that way, letting their kids play freely.

Similarly, it is worth making clear that when a child spends too much time on the screen, something is wrong. Although playing video games is not a bad thing in itself, it can be harmful if you do not have good control over it.