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I started my son on Minecraft (and BotW) at 4 years old - early, yes, but mainly because he’s part of the pandemic generation. I know there’s a stigma around vi

I started my son on Minecraft (and BotW) at 4 years old - early, yes, but mainly because he’s part of the pandemic generation. I know there’s a stigma around video games and kids but (for the right games) I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve seen him develop problem-solving and creative skills in Minecraft, not to mention it’s what kickstarted his interest in reading. My personal experience is that they pick it up very quickly - a couple of months - and then quickly go on to blow your mind. Minecraft is so much better than the digicrack that passes for actual “educational” games. The Prodigy products are an abomination, those people should be ashamed of themselves.

Dalewyn 4y ago
Once upon a time there were actual educational games. The Jumpstart series from Knowledge Adventures, The Cluefinders series from The Learning Company, The Magic School Bus games from Scholastic and Microsoft, the Carmen Sandiego games from Broderbund, and more. And of course, everyone's favorite: The Oregon Trail and subsequent sequels from MECC and later The Learning Company. It's a shame that market simply isn't viable anymore. Those games played a big role in nurturing my love for computers.
- darkteflon 4y ago
  I remember many of those very fondly, thanks for the memories. As far as explicitly educational games go, the Dragonbox apps are often recommended around these parts. I’ve recently downloaded them, although I have yet to try them. And I also feel like in general the educational value of games like Minecraft, BotW, etc is often undersold - partly out of stigma surrounding the medium as a whole, partly because they’re often teaching skills that are difficult to directly measure. I have no doubt that when he’s a bit older, things like Cities: Skylines, Factorio, Dyson Sphere Program, Kerbal, Outer Wilds, Rimworld, etc will continue to entertain and educate.

Dalewyn 4y ago

Once upon a time there were actual educational games. The Jumpstart series from Knowledge Adventures, The Cluefinders series from The Learning Company, The Magic School Bus games from Scholastic and Microsoft, the Carmen Sandiego games from Broderbund, and more. And of course, everyone's favorite: The Oregon Trail and subsequent sequels from MECC and later The Learning Company. It's a shame that market simply isn't viable anymore. Those games played a big role in nurturing my love for computers.

darkteflon 4y ago
I remember many of those very fondly, thanks for the memories. As far as explicitly educational games go, the Dragonbox apps are often recommended around these parts. I’ve recently downloaded them, although I have yet to try them. And I also feel like in general the educational value of games like Minecraft, BotW, etc is often undersold - partly out of stigma surrounding the medium as a whole, partly because they’re often teaching skills that are difficult to directly measure. I have no doubt that when he’s a bit older, things like Cities: Skylines, Factorio, Dyson Sphere Program, Kerbal, Outer Wilds, Rimworld, etc will continue to entertain and educate.