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Minecraft Homeschooling

Created On: September 9, 2016   |   Updated: August 19, 2023   |  

Minecraft is popular among children so why not use that to your advantage and use it as a teaching tool? I’ve put together some really great minecraft homeschooling resources to get you started!   This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience.  This means I may receive a small commission if you purchase anything through these links.  Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Adventures In Addition and Subtraction Workbook

Adventures In Multiplication and Division 

Fun Schooling Math Mysteries 

Math For Minecrafters Word Problems 

Free Minecraft Addition Worksheets Packet – Blessed Beyond A Doubt

Here are 14 pages of Minecraft addition worksheets! Some of the worksheets are simple one digit problems, while others are quadruple digits with carrying!

Teaching Area, Perimeter, and Volume With Minecraft – Encouraging Moms At Home

In Minecraft’s cubed world, use this to teach area, perimeter, and volume. This post was written by a homeschooled teen!

Basic Minecraft Multiplication – YouTube

Designed for around third grade, utilize Minecraft’s cubed features to help teach multiplication! This video shows you how.

Minecraft Math: Hidden Picture Color By Number Pages – Homeschooling 4 Free

Use Minecraft to gear interest to mathematics with these color by number pages.

Minecraft Themed Math Worksheets – Life Of A Homeschool Mom

Explore math with these free addition, subtraction, and multiplication worksheets.

Minecraft Kindergarten Printables – 1+1+1=1

For little ones who love Minecraft, try these kindergarten printables! There are literacy printables and math printables.

Free Minecraft Printable Multiplication and Charts – Encouraging Moms At Home

Sometimes combining something we know with something unfamiliar can make it easier to learn. Practice multiplication tables with these Minecraft charts.

Minecraft Math: Distinguishing Area and Perimeter – Teaching Math Literacy

If you have a SMARTboard, use it to practice area and perimeter hands-on!

Minecraft Addition and Subtraction Coloring Pages – Coloring Squad

Grab these 40 free Minecraft addition and subtraction coloring pages, that are color-by-number.

Minecraft Lab For Kids

Minecraft History Project: Ideas and Lesson Plan – Adorable Chaos

With Minecraft’s structural background, explore ancient pyramids and historical cities through Minecraft!

Making History Fun With Minecraft – Encouraging Moms At Home

Make history fun through Minecraft. Explore different inventions throughout history, and other important monuments like the White House and Capitol Building.

Building An Interactive History Museum In Minecraft – Education Possible

Create a history exhibit on a famous historical figure in Minecraft! In this example, it is Susan B. Anthony, but you can use it for any historical figure. Very cool way to teach history!

Minecraft EDU: Colony Project (5th Grade) – YouTube

These fifth graders learned about the 13 colonies through Minecraft. From basic survival skills to the history and culture of the time, study early American history through Minecraft!

History With Doctor Who And Minecraft + Free Notebooking Pages – Busy Homeschool Days

With the Skrafty Homeschool Minecraft Server, homeschool using the historical aspects of the Doctor Who series, and combine them with Minecraft to bring your history to life. Topics include Winston Churchill and WWII, Pompeii, the Titanic, Van Gogh, Man on the Moon, the Oregon Trail, and more. This link includes free notebooking pages you can use.

How To Teach History With Minecraft – Venture Beat

This teacher used Minecraft to teach his students about Japanese internment in America during WWII. He also includes a video of his example, how he “re built” the Japanese internment camp Manzanar within Minecraft.

Using Minecraft To Learn About World Landmarks – Momgineer

Use Minecraft to built and recreate famous world landmarks, such as Christ the Redeemer, the Taj Mahal, and the Eiffel Tower.

Teaching Gardening For Kids With Minecraft – Encouraging Moms At Home

Use Minecraft to explore the life skill of gardening. You can learn about the different plant requirements, such as different sunlight and watering needs.

Exploring Science with Minecraft – Adorable Chaos

Physics, geology, exploring, earth science, and more can all be included with Minecraft. With building being a major theme in Minecraft, you can also explore engineering.

Learning Biomes With Minecraft – Encouraging Moms At Home

Study different habitats with Minecraft as a starting point, such as swamps, jungles, forests, and deserts.

Star Wars Day: STEM + Minecraft – Kelly’s Classroom

Incorporate all four aspects of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) into these Star War and Minecraft themed activities. Minecraft’s creative mode is best for this.

Learning About Wild Animals With Minecraft – Encouraging Moms At Home

Learn about different wild animals through Minecraft! You can create a zoo within the game, or use lap books for off-screen research.

The Scientific Concepts Using A Virtual World: Minecraft – Academia EDU

Written from a strictly academic standpoint, this article explores in an in-depth way how science can be used educationally. Ecology, physics, chemistry, and biology through Minecraft can be used for all ages, including high school.

The Minecraft Cell: Biology Meets Game-Based Learning – Edutopia

Explore biology and DNA molecules through Minecraft. This ninth grade science teacher walks you through four tips on teaching with Minecraft.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Minecraft Writing Prompts – Write Shop

Encourage writing with these free Minecraft writing prompts. Write Shop also has a part 2 full of more writing prompts. With Minecraft topics, these prompts can encourage creative writing.

Minecraft Story Map for Kids – Healthy Family Magazine

Build a story with this story map for creative writing. Map out our protagonists, antagonists, setting, conflict and resolution, and more with this two page freebie.

Minecraft Themed Reading Logs – The Multi Taskin Mom

Grab these free reading logs! There are three different logs; one has 10 books to write in, and the others 15 and 20.

A Homeschool Mom’s Guide To Minecraft Learning – Adorable Chaos

Kids obsessed with Minecraft and you don’t know what to do? This mom includes some basic information on how to use Minecraft in your homeschool. Plus, for those who don’t know anything about Minecraft, she includes a list of must-know Minecraft terminology!

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Homeschooling with Minecraft

My kids are serious Minecraft maniacs. As are most in the US today, it seems. I am seeing more and more businesses related to Minecraft popping up. Especially of interest to me are the sites that integrate Minecraft with education!

My kids have taken classes at both GamED Academy and Homeschool with Minecraft (a site now, sadly, gone) and loved it!

So it’s got me looking for more ideas for using Minecraft and homeschooling…Googling is turning up new ideas!

This page is a place for me to save all the links I’m finding around the net for homeschooling with Minecraft. Enjoy! And if you have more to add, please comment below!

• GameED Academy –“Exciting Academic Curriculum, Safe & Monitored Minecraft Servers, Voice Chat with Peers, Growing Social Skills, Team Building, Creativity and Fun! With courses in History, Science, Creative Writing…“
• Minecraft EDU –bringing Minecraft to the classroom. You have to have an Office 365 Education account for this. But I hear amazing things about Minecraft EDU, if you can get into it!
• Skrafty Homeschool Minecraft classes –Online classes (This is a religious-based server…I have heard there are religious elements here and there. But I have never experienced it firsthand.)
• Ideas for Minecraft across the curriculum –page of links

And also: A book!!

12 Comments

Youth Digital offer a great Minecraft mod design online course. Highly recommended! We got a greatbdiscount througg Homeschool Co-op website.

Haha, luckily they can’t judge what we wear through computer screens 🙂

Thank you for this list! I appreciate it. Even GameED Academy… She has some great options and we are totally okay with the modesty part 🙂

Which minecraft are you using for homeschool? I purchased Minecraft Pocket Edition, however, it is not at all what I thought it would be. I think I may have purchased the wrong edition.

Yeah, Pocket edition is not the full version. You have to go to the Minecraft website to purchase the full version for your computer. That’s the version we use, the pc version. Pocket edition is for mobile devices, and I’m told by my kids it is missing a lot of features.

Here’s an article that compares the 2 a bit: http://www.learningliftoff.com/better-minecraft-pocket-edition-minecraft-pc/

When you order the PC version is it for only one person? Or is it like the xbox version where multiple people can have a profile? I have 4 kids and that could get expensive.

I checked with my 17yr old daughter whose been playing Minecraft since she was quite little, and here’s what she says: “Yes, the pc version is just for one person… If multiple people want to share an account you can create separate worlds and each person can have their own world, but you’ll have to share a username and skin. And if they want to play together with each other on a server, you’ll have to have an account (and computer) for each person. You can change your skin whenever you want, but you can only have one skin at a time. Multiple kids on one account, would all be wanting to swap out their skins all the time…and they’d have to decide on one username.”

If you can get the Education version of Minecraft (hard as you have to buy it in volume from Microsoft) then the game comes with much more content, like chemistry & physics. Check it out as its mind blowing and the kids are glued to it and are being taught without even knowing!

Wow, thanks for the heads up! I had meant to pursue this and got offtrack! I’ll look into it again! Thanks!

Hi we’ve just started on GamED Academy and finding it really good so far – the vids are a bit patronising but we’re getting used to them and the info is sinking in. The Science class so far includes digging for fossils and bones and nothing Creationist…as yet….will be keeping en eye out for anything evangelical snuck in though!

GamED Academy isn’t as bad anymore and the old owner left, the newer owner is much more laid back and doesn’t really care about skins as long as they aren’t naked or bloody.

I just finished making a Minecraft Boom Learning deck to teach my kids grammar. It’s free if anyone is interested. Please share if you like it! Thank you!

https://wow.boomlearning.com/deck/minecraft-grammar-episode-1-statements–questions-XnQZSA9NBjnD5i9Bt

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Homeschooling With Minecraft – Easy ways to make learning fun!

My youngest son is eleven.

He loves the outdoors, animals, and sports.

He also loves Minecraft – like a lot.

As he has gotten older, I have struggled to find ways to make learning engaging and fun. (Why is it that so many middle school programs suddenly shift  exclusively to textbooks and worksheets?)

I have found one of the easiest ways for me to challenge him, and keep his attention, has been using Minecraft as part of our learning.  He gets to enjoy a favorite activity, and I am able to see how much he is progressing in any given subject.

Minecraft is one of the best homeschool mom-hacks I know.

Here are some of the ways we have incorporated Minecraft into our learning.

Minecraft Signs

Oh my goodness – this changed everything for my son, who struggles with reading and spelling. Instead of practicing sight words or completing spelling tests on paper, we type the practice words into signs on Minecraft. It’s a lot more fun and I have found he retains the learning so much more than if we were using a standard approach.

History Projects and Book Reports

This is one of my favorite ways to use Minecraft for learning. In the same way I completed shoe box dioramas in school, my son creates scenes from historic events or a book he is reading. In our state, students are typically required to complete a state history project related to the California missions. My son created his project entirely in Minecraft – and it was great!

Math Is Given

Area and perimeter, multiplication and complex addition – all are inherent in Minecraft builds. While I could use this to “teach math,” I have chosen to instead smile and keep it to myself. My son easily completes math assignments on his own, so I consider Minecraft to be a real life application of the knowledge he has gained. If he was struggling in math concepts, I can imagine using Minecraft to help him visualize the math equation. In fact, Minecraft is a perfect place to solve math word problems!

Biome Scavenger Hunts

The Plains, Desert, Forrest, and Savannah biomes are just a small sample of  what is automatically built into the game. In order to learn more about the different terrestrial regions present in real-life as well, I asked my son to show me the different biomes in Minecraft and tell me about their climates, plants, animals and features. It was an excellent discussion and I was honestly surprised at how much he had learned already, just by playing the game.

It is rare that an online activity, one that my son actually enjoys, can provide so much educational value and learning.

Minecraft is a gold mine for our homeschool.

Do your kids love Minecraft too? Have you used it for learning as well?

Shawna Wingert

About the author

Shawna Wingert is a special education teacher turned writer, speaker, and consultant. She is also a homeschooling mom of two brilliant boys with differences and special needs. Shawna has written four books for parents of special needs – Everyday Autism, Special Education at Home, Parenting Chaos, and her latest, Homeschooling Your Child With Special Needs.

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Free Minecraft Unit Study Planner for Your Homeschool

Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. You can read my full affiliate disclosure  HERE .

Are you interested in creating a Minecraft unit study or including some Minecraft-related activities into your homeschool? I’ve got you covered with some fresh ideas and a free Minecraft Unit Study Printable in this post.

Whoever says that homeschool kids are “unsocialized” have clearly never seen my son out and about wearing his Minecraft creeper jacket . That kid can strike up a conversation with just about any other child about their common love of this phenomenon called Minecraft.

Video games sure have changed since I was a kid! ( Back in the day… ) Minecraft especially has become quite popular, and widely used not only for entertainment, but also for education. If you have a son or daughter that loves the game, you might have wondered how to use Minecraft in your homeschool.

I’m honestly blown away by the creativity and critical thinking my kids have displayed while collaborating in this “game”. And if your kids love Minecraft too, a Minecraft unit study or activity might be just the thing to get them excited about what you are studying!

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is a game where players create their own worlds using different materials they find within the game.

Minecraft is tough for me to play because…there are no rules (I like rules). My Lego-obsessed son picked it up quickly, probably because it’s a bit like building with virtual Lego (but no bricks to step on – bonus!). Kids can explore their creativity in the game and build pretty much anything they want to.

…Related Post… Build & Learn the States with Lego

They can also play alone, or on a server with friends. There are two main modes to play in: “creative mode”, where you have access to anything you need to build to your heart’s content, or “survival mode” where you have to build a shelter and make weapons to survive mob attacks.

Before I knew much (ok, anything) about Minecraft, I was worried it might be a violent game. But, it’s really not. Creative mode is great for all ages; Survival Mode is rated for ages 10+ but kids slightly younger might be fine with it as well.

Benefits of Incorporating Minecraft Into Your Homeschool

Even though it’s a video game, there are many valuable concepts your kids can learn while playing that they will take into other areas of their lives.

Without even realizing it, your kids will be developing planning and organizational skills. They have to problem solve, especially in survival mode, if they want to figure out how to build a mob-resistant shelter and survive!

My son has learned how to research and look up how to do certain things in the game. And Minecraft has got to be great for his memory – the amount of things he has to remember in order to build or make something astounds me (I can’t even remember how to make a crafting table, let alone build anything on top of that).

While playing with friends , collaboration and working as a team are critical. Minecraft has given us many “opportunities” to instruct our kids in correct behavior towards their siblings! If they are using the chat feature to type, their typing skills might also improve.

Some kids may also eventually dig into the coding and programming aspect if they want to learn how to make their own mods (“modifications” to the original game).

Creative Ways to Use Minecraft in Your Homeschool

The other week, I had mentioned to my son that I needed to come up with a fun way to help my daughters practice their spelling words.

He asked me for a list they needed to practice, and dove into Minecraft creative mode where he build a spelling game for his sisters to play. I was amazed as he walked me through it – they had to enter the game, and were presented with two versions of the word (one spelled correctly, one misspelled). They had to choose the correct spelling, and it would let them move to the next word. Otherwise, they had to start back at the beginning.

Now, this took him quite a while to make (so I’m not sure it is very efficient each time we need to practice a new list!), but his creativity and how he was able to use different “commands” to put this together impressed me so much.

Minecraft Educational Activities

You don’t have to get this complex, though, when incorporating Minecraft into your homeschool. Here are just a few practical ideas you can have your kids try right away that span multiple subjects. Once you get going, I’m sure you’ll think of lots more!

• Use Noteblocks in the game to create your own music.
• Recreate any famous landmarks (or entire eras) you are studying in your homeschool.
• Build spelling words out with blocks.
• Write a short story about a world you created (or create a graphic novel about it!).
• Write a video game report about Minecraft.
• Create geometric shapes and calculate area, perimeter, or volume. You can also play this printable Minecraft multiplication game to incorporate math.
• Research the types of rocks used in Minecraft and make comparisons between the Minecraft version and “real life”.

Minecraft Unit Study

You can easily build an entire Minecraft unit study if you use this method in your homeschool. For example, you could pick a topic like biomes, and study the characteristics of different environments like forests and deserts (apparently there are 42 biomes in Minecraft, and you can even learn about them all here ). Other topic ideas might be building shelters, ores & minerals, or geology and natural materials.

Next, you’ll want to plan out your timeline, the subjects you want to cover, and any extra activities you want to incorporate. In my free Minecraft Unit Study Planner you can grab below, I have created an easy space for you to record and map out all of this information.

Minecraft Coding

Another way you can use Minecraft in your homeschool is by teaching your kids how to program and code mods for the game.

CodaKid offers Minecraft Coding Courses your kids can take online to learn Java programming and create unique mods they can share with friends.

Play With Them

Finally, I think it could be very valuable to spend some time sitting down and actually playing Minecraft with your kids.

This is hard for me, because I don’t necessarily love video games…but I love spending time with my kids, learning about something they enjoy. And they will love teaching you how to play and playing with you!

I actually challenged my son to make a “school” in Minecraft so I could go through different parts to learn different things. We are slowly working our way through it and we are both having a blast.

Minecraft Server for Homeschoolers

If you don’t already have Minecraft downloaded, you can play it on a variety of devices, including Nintendo, Xbox, Wii U, and PlayStation.

If you are interested in having your kids play with friends in a controlled, monitored environment, Skrafty is a great option . Skrafty is a dedicated, heavily monitored server just for homeschooling families. They also offer classes for homeschoolers that involve Minecraft builds for each lesson – so it’s a great option for bringing Minecraft into your homeschool!

Apex Minecraft Hosting is another great option if you want to create your own Minecraft server.

Grab Your FREE Minecraft Unit Study Planner

Putting together a Minecraft Unit Study is not only fun for your kids, but you’ll love seeing them learn about something interesting and engaging to them.

Grab my Minecraft Unit Study planner and get topic ideas, planning pages, notetaking templates and journal sheets for your own Minecraft Unit Study.

Grab your FREE Minecraft Unit Study Planner

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Recommended Minecraft Books for Kids

Have you used Minecraft in your homeschool or put together a Minecraft Unit Study? Share your favorite ways to use Minecraft in the comments!

And if you enjoy doing unit studies with your kids, you might enjoy these additional items from my shop:

• Sharks: A Homeschool Unit Study
• Milton Hershey: A Homeschool Unit Study on the Candy King

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Minecraft for Learning Fun in Home School and Classroom Resources

• JACQUELINE WILSON

Minecraft for learning is a great tool for gamer kids! Here’s a parents’ guide to Minecraft in the classroom / how to homeschool with Minecraft, including Minecraft education lessons, worksheets, books and more education resources for teaching with Minecraft to keep kids learning beyond the game!

Using Minecraft for Learning In Homeschool And Classroom

Confession? I didn’t really get Minecraft as a parent before my daughter started playing. Once she showed me around the Minecraft game and I (tried to) play with her, I couldn’t believe all the things she was learning by playing this popular online game!

Is Minecraft good for learning?

13 Creative Ways Kids Learn With Minecraft:

• Mathematics: Create structures using specific measurements, calculate resources needed, and understand proportions.
• History and Geography: Build historical landmarks or recreate geographical landscapes to learn about different cultures and locations.
• Science: Explore biomes, ecosystems, and animals. Learn about basic principles of physics through block interactions.
• Architecture: Develop architectural skills by designing and building structures, understanding balance and aesthetics.
• Programming: Creating simple circuits and mechanisms introduces basic programming concepts.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Join multiplayer servers with friends or people you know to work on projects, fostering teamwork and communication skills.
• Problem Solving: Encounter challenges within the game and figure out solutions, promoting critical thinking.
• Language Arts: Write and share stories, create signs with descriptive text, and engage in role-playing scenarios.
• Art and Design: Express creativity by designing unique landscapes, buildings, and pixel art.
• Resource Management: Learn about scarcity and resource allocation by managing in-game resources effectively.
• Creativity and Imagination: Encourage open-ended play to stimulate creativity and imaginative thinking.
• History of Architecture: Explore different architectural styles and time periods by recreating historical buildings.
• Citizenship and Ethics: Discuss and implement ethical considerations, promoting responsible gaming and online behavior.

Keep scrolling for the full Minecraft lesson plans and Minecraft learning resources for classroom and homeschool below!

Benefits Of Playing Minecraft:

• Improves STEM skills
• Helps with problem solving
• Practices math concepts
• Introduces coding and helps with Minecraft java learning
• Helps with teamwork and collaboration
• Facilitates creativity
• Engages students in learning
• Complements reading, writing, math
• Allows remote learning with friends for socializing

It’s an entire Minecraft school of learning for fun schooling!

MORE GAME SCHOOL RESOURCES AND FUN SCHOOLING IDEAS: Use Game School To Rock Your Learning Plus FREE Printable Parent Guide Games In Learning: How to Use Game Based Learning Effectively Best Computers for Game School and Learning At Home One Of The Best Learning Games We’ve Ever Used! Free Typing Games to Learn Typing At Home 58 Best Board Games Recommended By Parents Interactive Writing Games (perfect for Homeschool Language Arts Program) Get a Virtual Scavenger Hunt Celebrate Mario Day How To Use Dominoes For Learning Best Gamer Gifts For Kids (When You’re On A Budget!)

Minecraft Ideas for Education And Minecraft Lesson Plans

LEARNING NOTE: Don’t miss helpful Minecraft FAQs after this section — great for parents and teachers resources!

Minecraft Cool Math Games

Practice math using these fun Minecraft math resources:

• Math For Minecrafters Addition and Subtraction
• Fun-Schooling Math Mysteries & Practice Problems with Minecraft: Math Stories and Practice Problems 2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade
• Math for Minecrafters: Adventures in Multiplication & Division

Minecraft Reading and Language Arts

Make reading fun with Minecraft!

• Reading Success for Minecrafters: Grades 1-2 (Reading for Minecrafters)
• Reading Success for Minecrafters: Grades 3-4 (Reading for Minecrafters)
• Cursive Handwriting for Minecrafters

IMPORTANT GUIDE NOTE: We’re researching more great Minecraft resources and updating outdated information. Check back for the updates soon! We’ll be expanding the resources for Minecraft!

Minecraft FAQs for Parents And Teachers

Along with the fun learning with Minecraft tips and Minecraft educational activities, let’s cover a  quick Minecraft review for parents FAQs and teacher information.

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is a game-based learning platform / video game / online game that allows kids to build worlds, mine those worlds, and explore. Kids can play as a lone player or connect with friends online (multi-player) to explore each other’s worlds through their Minecraft account.

Is Minecraft a learning game?

Minecraft isn’t marketed as a learning game. However, kids can learn many things from playing Minecraft like coding, STEM, reading, strategy, communication and more!

What age is appropriate for Minecraft?

The age rating for Minecraft is 8-10+. There is mild violence and characters that may seem scary. Although kids can play Minecraft alone, there are multiplayer Minecraft versions that allow kids to connect with others online, so kids need to be old enough to be safe online.

Should I let my 7 year old play Minecraft?

The Mine craft game has a learning curve and can be complex, which may be difficult for younger kids. There are also Minecraft Enderman and Minecraft Creepers (the “bad guys”) and other minecraft characters that some younger kids may find aggressive or scary, but there isn’t any “blood.” However, you can play on Creative mode on the Peaceful setting for no conflict. As always, use your best judgment. You may want to play Minecraft with your kids to assess the game.

Is Minecraft safe for kids?

Is Minecraft OK for kids? The biggest thing about Minecraft is that on some versions and platforms kids can connect with other players online in the multiplayer mode. You should monitor your kids online play and make sure they know the rules about connecting with others through online games.

Is Minecraft a violent game?

There is some minor violence in Minecraft where characters can hit each other or “kill” animals (“non-realistic looking violence”). However, there is no graphic bloodshed or extreme violence. Mostly, players create and build worlds where they mine, explore and gather items.

Can you play Minecraft online free?

For educators, there is a minecraft learning edition where teachers and educators can use the game in the classroom for up to 10 kids for free. Once you hit the player limit, you will then pay a subscription cost for Minecraft. Great for distance learning!

Learn how to get  Minecraft: Education Edition

Your kids can also play Minecraft online and on gaming consoles (like Nintendo and PlayStation).

What’s the difference between Minecraft and Minecraft Education?

Minecraft is an online game for anyone to play and includes multiple access platforms (like Java for PC play). Minecraft Education is based on the Bedrock platform and allows an entire classroom setup in one area for teaching and learning. All the kids in one class can interact in that area.

Can you play Minecraft on Chromebook?

Chromebooks run the Chrome Operating System (OS). There is not a Chrome version of Minecraft. However, you can play Minecraft for Linux that you download for Chromebooks.

►ALSO CHECK OUT:  Best Computers for Game School and Learning At Home

WE HOPE YOU FOUND THESE MINECRAFT FOR LEARNING RESOURCES HELPFUL!

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How to Incorporate Minecraft into Homeschooling

Game-based learning is a powerful tool for any homeschool curriculum, and it’s favored by families and educators alike. Whether you’re educating a high school student or a seven-year old, the Minecraft: Education Edition platform provides an unmatched opportunity to foster creative thinking skills. Playing in Minecraft also reinforces skills like problem solving, project management, and teamwork, making it easy to understand why so many school programs have used it for coding and STEM lessons.

If you’ve been considering the world of Minecraft and want to help your student get the most out of the experience, here’s the information you need to help them succeed.

What Is Minecraft?

Students and grown-ups alike can get lost playing in the three-dimensional worlds of Minecraft. Currently accessed through a Microsoft account, the platform uses Java programming. Many parents and educators look to Minecraft not only as a video game, but as a creative outlet, an avenue for adventure and exploration, and a world for learning and multi-player collaboration.

Far from a “boring” syntax coding course, Minecraft gives kids a glimpse into a virtual environment and the opportunity to customize it as their own world. As kids explore and create, there are opportunities to learn and code. Players can work as individuals or in a multiplayer environment to build, troubleshoot, create objects, and explore.

How Can I Use Minecraft for Homeschooling?

Teachers and homeschooling families love Minecraft and use it to help foster many fundamental skills. Printables, workbooks, and worksheets are available to help many families make the most of the experience and leverage Minecraft as an educational resource, but courses at TheCoderSchool can also help take the Minecraft experience to the next level.

Homeschool groups use Minecraft education accounts to:

Introduce coding concepts

Coding in Minecraft provides gameplay opportunities, problem-solving exercises, and creative thinking challenges. Minecraft teaches coding using Java, which is a common language that beginners can learn easily, and continue to leverage for future coding projects and applications.

Improve language arts skills

Educators can lean on Minecraft when they need to build reading, creative writing, and public speaking curriculum. Students can be encouraged to talk about their worlds, write descriptive overviews or tutorials, draw maps, and give presentations of their creations.

Minecraft servers can also be used to connect different homeschool families, whether they’re friends in your homeschool group, or students in a co-op on the other side of the world. Allow your student to be a tour guide for their own world in a multi-player setup, or let them create a travel manual to help their friends explore the pixel-rich space they’ve created.

Explore STEM concepts

Lesson plan opportunities are abundant when you begin to consider how you can use Minecraft as a homeschool resource. Building structures and interactive experiences allows young learners the chance to express creativity in engineering, architecture, and design. Not only will they be putting Minecraft math skills to use when calculating building materials and constructing buildings to scale, but they’ll also learn from trial and error about the origins of building materials and other scientific theories.

Learn about history

Many educators lean on Minecraft for history lessons, encouraging a student to do research on a historical landmark and rebuild it in their Minecraft world.

Build personal character

Students learn about teamwork, project management, and cooperation when building structures and cities in Minecraft. They’ll need to be reminded to pace themselves, as the best worlds aren’t created quickly, but slowly and strategically over time. Young learners will benefit from learning patience and as they experience trial-and-error in engineering and coding.

Find Kids Coding Classes Near You

Give your kid a fun schooling experience by using Minecraft in your homeschool or after-school curriculum. While Minecraft: Education Edition is a great place for homeschool families to start, live classes through TheCoderSchool can also make it easier to help educate on coding for beginners so students get the most out of the game.

With locations across the United States and flexible courses, including virtual learning, in-person classes, or private Minecraft coding camps , we strive to provide new challenges and opportunities for the next-gen to take their curiosities with technology to the next level. 

Find Minecraft camps and classes near you and get in touch with the educators at TheCoderSchool today if you have any questions.

How to Create a Minecraft Unit Study

Hey, just so you know ... This post includes affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. You can read my full affiliate disclosure HERE.

If you have a Minecraft lover in your homeschool, then you'll love these ideas for creating a  Minecraft unity study. As homeschooling becomes increasingly popular, different styles and methods do as well. One of the most-used methods among today's homeschoolers is the unit study method. Believe it or not, you can build a full (and fun) unit study based on the popular game of Minecraft. 

If you want to start with simply using Minecraft in your homeschool, I have a great post about that here . If Minecraft isn't necessarily new in your homeschool and you're looking for ways to build on it, keep reading!

Decide on a topic or theme.

Since our overall theme for this unit study is Minecraft, you can choose to go with Minecraft in general or break it down into an aspect of the game. Some topics or themes to consider are:

• gathering resources
• building a shelter
• weapons and armor

To help walk you through putting together your own Minecraft unit study, let's take the topic/theme of understanding and using materials.

Choose a time frame for your unit study.

Depending on how interested your kids are in the topic can determine how long a unit study lasts. However, it's also a good idea to have a length of time in mind. Since we chose one small aspect of Minecraft for this sample unit study – materials – let's start with a two week time frame. This will give you enough time to introduce the topic and do a variety of lessons and activities to help teach it thoroughly.

Pull together a variety of resources.

Of course you'll need the actual Minecraft game installed on a compatible device, but you can also use a variety of other resources. My son has an amazing book,  Mega Builder: The Most Complete Guide to Minecraft Secrets, Creations, Hacks, and Strategies . It offers 500+ pages of Minecraft awesomeness for kids interested in learning different aspects of the game. There are other boxed sets and individual books that can be found on Amazon. You can also find compatible curriculum and resources from places like Thinking Tree Books. 

Whatever you decide to use, pull it all together in one place, bin, binder, etc. The key is to be organized along the way to make the unit study much easier to implement. With the materials topic in mind, you may want to find science-based resources that deal with dirt, wood, stone, clay, sand, and the like.

Plan unit study activities.

Once you've pulled together your resources, it's time to put them together in a lesson plan format. There are roughly 30 materials that fall into the categories of building blocks, mining ores and minerals, natural materials, and craftable materials. You may want to narrow the list down to one or some of those topics. With building blocks in mind, you can plan the following activities:

• Learning where dirt, wood, stone, gravel, and sand are found.
• What these are used in.
• The best tools used with the particular material.
• How to build using them.
• Real-life applications.

Since Minecraft is all about building, your kids will have a blast putting what they learn to use. Once they learn where the materials are found, what they are used in, and the best tools for mining, they can then begin creating scenarios with them. For example, dirt is found overworld almost everywhere. It is used in early shelters and farming. The best tool to use is a shovel. 

This also raises some good critical thinking questions such as why is a shovel used? Can other tools be used? Which one(s) are the best to use overall? They can look around the Overworld and find dirt because it's one of the most common blocks, but it is advised to use a different material for building a shelter. (That would be another great critical thinking question to ask!)

Tips for Putting Together Your Own Unit Study

Putting together your own unit study can seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Keep these practical tips in mind as you do it.

There's no right or wrong way to do it.

Contrary to popular belief, there are no wrong or right ways to put together a unit study. It should always depend on the developmental needs and learning styles of your kids more than the amount of resources you use.

Follow your kids' interests.

If you notice your kids are really enjoying this kind of unit study (or any for that matter), continue on with more lessons and activities. Most unit studies merge several subjects together so there's no real need to worry about missing something. One quick search can help you fill any gaps you may feel are present.

Don't hesitate to stop or change things up.

If you notice your kids aren't too keen on what's being taught, that doesn't mean something is wrong. Perhaps the timing isn't good or there needs to be a switch in resources. When necessary, stop the unit study and try approaching it at another time or with different resources. 

Final Thoughts

If you'd like a printable planner to use to map out your Minecraft unit study, head on over to Blessed Homeschool and grab this one for FREE ! You’ll get a list of Minecraft-related topic ideas, planning pages, note taking templates, and more to help you easily create a Minecraft unit study your kids will love.

Using a Minecraft unit study in your homeschool can be tons of fun. There are many ways to approach it and certainly enough aspects to keep your kids learning. Don't forget to check out my other Minecraft posts here . In the meantime, comment below if you use Minecraft in your homeschool and if you've ever considered making it a unit study.

Related Posts

• 20+ Cool Minecraft Presents for Kids
• Educational Benefits of Minecraft You Never Realized
• How Playing Minecraft With Friends Helps Children (And Why You Should Encourage It)

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7 Ways to Use Minecraft When Homeschooling

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In our homeschooling, we use  Minecraft  for a variety of lessons, because it is an activity that our children enjoy and can be worked into different subject areas.

Here are seven ways that we use Minecraft when homeschooling, but there are probably many more that you could think of if you really wanted to connect it to learning.

Homeschooling Using Minecraft: 7 Ways to Use Minecraft for Homeschool

We take part in  Minecraft Homeschool  classes that focus on a specific historical time period.

The out of game lessons are rich in historical background and give us a starting point for further exploration.

With builds that need to be as historically accurate as possible, we have discovered that a great deal of independent research is done by the kids as they make sure that their Viking longboats or burial grounds are as accurate as they can make them.

It is important to  them  to get it right.

We tie the historical time period into lessons even further by introducing literature and readings from and about the specific events or subjects being studied.

2. Minerals and Ores

There is a lot of mining that takes place in Minecraft, so it is the perfect time to discuss minerals.

Building a stone cutter and a furnace also open up conversations and learning about  smelting  and fossil fuels.

It is rather surreal to hear your six year-old discussing smelting with complete understanding as to what it means!

What is the difference between deserts and tundra?

What might you find in one area versus the other?

Since Minecraft worlds can contain a variety of different  biomes , it opens the door to learning about different biomes.

We will often start new creative worlds using the Pocket Edition and spawn in from the iPad and iPhone to play together as we explore the landscape.

4. Creative Writing

Building a new world is fun, but creating a travel brochure about your Minecraft world makes the children stop and think about what they are building and why.

They fine tune their world with an end brochure in mind.

What will attract visitors to their world?

What descriptive language can they use to entice vacationers to come?

Not only are the creative components of the build important, but so too is the advertising brochure.

5. Teamwork

Let’s face it, sometimes being around siblings all day can be exhausting and can test even the strongest sibling bonds.

For us, Minecraft is used to help strengthen the familial bond (we all play together) and encourage teamwork.

The children learn how their actions can positively or negatively impact the world and they learn how important it is to work together.

Teamwork is also a large part of the  Minecraft Homeschool  experience and we  love  that it is.

Since building in Minecraft consists of placing blocks, it is easy to work such concepts as perimeter, area, and volume into everyday builds.

Sometimes the children are given specific requirements for a build (i.e. – a building with a certain perimeter, area, and/or volume) and other times they are tasked with building and then reporting the measurements.

It is a great way to make those math concepts come to life and be much more concrete.

7. Character Building

If you have ever played Minecraft, you know that it takes time to build things that are aesthetically pleasing and, if you are playing in Survival mode, to gather up enough resources.

There is very little instant gratification in the game.

This is one of the key reasons why Minecraft works so well for our homeschool life.

The children learn that, if they want to find diamonds or make glass, that they have to be patient and do the work to get them.

They become persistent.

Giving up does not even cross their minds, because they know that their hard work  will  pay off.

When was the last time a math workbook taught a child that?

Minecraft may not work for every family, but it works for ours.

If you use it with your children, share how you use it below.

We would love to get more ideas for integrating it into other areas of course work.

Still not sure if Minecraft would make a good addition to your homeschool lifestyle?

Leave a question below or post one to our  Facebook  wall.

I would love to talk with you about how it has been beneficial to our family and how it could possibly work for yours.

(You can also reach me on  Twitter  if you would prefer that!)

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Homeschooling with Minecraft: From Chaos to Complete Curriculum

“Mama, when can I get Minecraft? All my friends have Minecraft!….” (pause 5 minutes) “What about now, can I have Minecraft NOW????” Sound familiar? That was the soundtrack of my life for a couple of years.

Before the pandemic, computer time at my house was strictly limited and computer games were only educational. My daughter’s pleas to add Minecraft to the mix were non-starters – monsters, mayhem, and unsupervised internet interactions were 100% off the table.

While mayhem and unsupervised internet is STILL off the table… what a transformation! Four months into our Minecraft journey, when my daughter and I sat down to plan 5th grade, she asked that “everything be taught with Minecraft.” And while I did my best impersonation of a teenager eye roll, I accepted the challenge, because… Minecraft can be so much more than monsters and mayhem. Given the sheer JOY it brings to my daughter, the challenge to teach “everything” using Minecraft is well worth it at our house.

There were several steps between nixing Minecraft and adopting Minecraft as a primary teaching tool:

• The first step on our journey of transformation was internet research . To say I am not a gamer is an understatement, and Minecraft lingo was completely foreign to me. Creative, survival, single player, multiplayer, realms, mods vs. moderated, OYE! Once I understood that Minecraft CAN function as a computer-aided design tool, I began to understand why my daughter (an aspiring architect) would be so attracted to the program. Techiemom (link below) helped me get over my fear of the unknown.
• The second step on our journey was defining parameters . Since we were approaching Minecraft as a design tool, my daughter was initially limited to “single player” (no creepy strangers, no playmate interaction to supervise) and “creative” mode (no monsters, no fighting). Just an unlimited blocky universe in which to build whatever she could imagine. And WOW could she imagine!
• The third step on our journey was expanding skills . Though she was willing and eager to learn though trial and error (something she struggles with “IRL,” or “in real life”), it was quickly clear that Minecraft had far more capabilities than she would discover on her own. I was thrilled to find a virtual summer camp hosted by MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta, link below). MODA had a full line up of Minecraft virtual summer camps, all approaching Minecraft as a tool for design. Using MODA’s multiplayer Minecraft server and Zoom, she spent long summer days building with her new buddies while learning about architecture, engineering, planning, the design process, and even fashion. MODA’s multiplayer server gave my daughter plenty of mates to build with – and practice friendship skills like negotiation, compromise, how to give and receive feedback, and generosity. I was thrilled to have her interacting with peers who were vetted by MODA, with MODAs strict rules for interaction and moderation (ie, there is an adult charged with enforcing the rules). No creepy interactions with potential stalkers! No online bullying!
• The fourth step on our journey was “The Big Challenge” – when she challenged me to teach “everything” through Minecraft. And why not, when working in Minecraft increases her confidence, her willingness to take risks and learn from errors, gives free rein to her creativity, and brings enormous JOY to her day?

To meet the challenge, we joined Skrafty, a homeschool Minecraft server (link below). I wanted to find a venue where she could take classes with academic content which tapped her Minecraft enthusiasm. There are several servers to choose from, but we tried Skrafty. Skrafty is run by homeschoolers, for homeschoolers. There are classes which have a Minecraft component – and a LOT of areas to simply play different variations on Minecraft with other homeschooled kids. The two classes we have tried so far have provided a fine base to build from, and they have given me ideas about how to integrate Minecraft into academic content.

Skrafty is now my daughter’s primary Minecraft play space, with a constant stream of peers to interact with. The server is tightly moderated for inappropriate language using an automated system. I feel confident there are not stalkers, the kids won’t exchange identifying information, or engage in inappropriate language. However, automation is great at spotting specific words and not so great at spotting unkind interaction. Relative to the MODA server (which is more like a conversation at a table with an adult and a bunch of kids), Skrafty is more like a big playground. There IS an adult presence, but a lot happens that adults don’t necessarily hear or see. The unanticipated benefit of our 3 months with Skrafty is high levels of social interaction and peer negotiation. After a full year of pandemic isolation, the friend drama was an unexpected, but positive, component of Skrafty.

And how are we doing on the “Minecraft for Everything” challenge? Pretty well. Here’s the rundown:

Literature/History/Art: A Skrafty class called “Medieval Literature” is the spine for our literature, history and art unit study for this year. (The online class covers 8 novels, leaving plenty of room for supplement.) Minecraft related assignments so far include: a pixel art representation of Robin Hood, which led to a discussion of symbolism in art, building a Medieval apothecary, which led to research on Tudor building techniques, and building a Gothic cathedral, which led to virtual field trips to cathedrals all over Europe.

Writing: My daughter self-identified as “not a writer” – until she wanted to tell the story of her Minecraft adventures. Now she is writing a series of short stories about the adventures of her Minecraft character. She is even willing to tackle the revision process, complete with lessons on grammar and punctuation, to prepare her stories for “publication” to our family.

Spelling and Typing: Communication in Minecraft is often limited to typing, which is a HUGE motivator to my daughter to work on both her spelling and typing. We got a one year subscription to Touch Type Read Spell to get her grounded in touch type finger position, and add our own spelling/typing lists to the program with words she needs for communicating in Minecraft. Suddenly she is motivated to practice!

Math: While we haven’t abandoned standard math curriculum, Minecraft is FULL of opportunities to supplement math instruction with “hands on” (well, “mouse on”) math lessons, from calculating perimeter, volume, lines of symmetry, multiplication, ratios, and coordinate planes.

Microeconomics: Another unanticipated benefit of Skrafty is a play space called “Economy Zone,” which combines survival Minecraft (monsters) with a kid powered economy. I had not planned to teach market analysis, business planning, cost of goods sold, marginal pricing, and principles of advertising, but those have been some of the hottest topics this fall, all generated by her experience in the kid economy. Skrafty provides a great environment for testing business strategies in real time.

Though summer camp season is over, MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta) continues to be an important part of our lives. DEAL ALERT: until the end of 2021, MODA has a grant to provide its on-line educational programming for FREE. They have a twice weekly schedule of “one off” special topics classes aimed at upper elementary kids. Upcoming topics include “Engineering – Paris” and “Build a Lego Holiday Village.” Programs are offered in Minecraft, Lego, and Tinkercad, but the instructors are flexible – children can work in their preferred platform. There isn’t the same level of learning that the summer camp format allowed, but it provides an opportunity to interact with peers around a specific topic and be inspired by what other people are building. Check them out while they are free!

Links: Step One: Techie Mom helped me see how Minecraft could be more than just monsters. https://techiehomeschoolmom.com/how-to-use-minecraft-for-homeschooling/

Step Three: MODA, aka Museum of Design Atlanta, has virtual programming for kids interested in design using Minecraft, Legos, Tinkercad and more. FREE through the end of December! https://www.museumofdesign.org/Kids

Step Four: Skrafty provides homeschool classes and tightly moderated Minecraft play space. https://whenyouriseup.com/minecraft-homeschool-server/ Skrafty says of itself, “We have 100s of online homeschool self-paced courses and awesome live classes taught by teachers who agree with our statement of faith.” That faith perspective is embedded in many classes, like science. That may be an asset for you, or not. We do not use Skrafty for science instruction, nor for history instruction without careful preview.

Anne Boynton is in her 24th year of homeschooling, and loving every minute of it.  (OK, let’s be honest, loving MOST minutes of it!).  Her home base is in Lynchburg, VA.

Opinions expressed by individual writers in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of Directors of The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers, nor do they represent an official position of VaHomeschoolers.  Writers’ views are their own, and readers are encouraged to research and explore homeschooling issues to their own satisfaction. Inclusion of links does not indicate endorsement.

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How to Use Minecraft in Your Homeschool

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Video games are a very controversial subject when it comes to some parents and children. Some parents love them. Others hate them and consider playing these games to be a waste of time. However, it’s a well-known fact that game-based learning is very effective. When it comes to academics, the video game Minecraft is steadily growing in popularity.

What kid doesn’t love Minecraft? Honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to find one.

This game has the potential to help kids learn and grow intellectually. When you use your imagination and get creative, it becomes a powerful learning tool that any teacher can appreciate. It’s for this reason that many parents are using this specific game in their homeschools. When you combine that with the natural love that most kids have for the game, it just makes sense that you could work it into your curriculum.

Here are some ways to use Minecraft in your homeschool curriculum:

• Teach mathematics in a fun and entertaining way. In the game you use blocks to build things, which opens up the door to learn about measurements, perimeters and volume. In a sense, the game helps to bring math problems to life as your child works to figure out the dimensions of his next building.

• Explore the world of science. This virtual world is a great place to learn about different biomes and landscapes because it gives kids a realistic view of what these things really look like. This game also requires lots of mining, which introduces kids to minerals, ores and other elements.

• Inspire creativity. Since the game involves building and creating your own worlds in a 3D environment, kids are free to design and build anything they want. They can recreate their home, family or anything else they can imagine.

• Minecraft helps build character. When building cities, landscapes, etc. in the game, you have to take your time and work towards your goal. Creating a virtual reality world is not something you can do quickly. Therefore, it teaches patience, persistence and determination. It encourages teamwork and cooperation, which are qualities all children need to learn.

• It helps to improve language skills. You can encourage creative writing by having your kids write stories about their world. They can talk about their buildings, landscapes and the people they create. They can even draw maps of their communities and write guides on how they created their world.

• Make history interesting. Minecraft makes learning about history fun and interesting by allowing kids to build famous landmarks and learn about historical periods in time. It requires quite a bit of research to create replicas from history accurately but your kids will have so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning about history and how to do research.

There are many ways to use Minecraft in your homeschool curriculum, which makes this game a popular learning tool. Of course there are times when you need to read books and study word problems, but video games like Minecraft can make learning a lot more fun and interesting for all kids. This is especially true for kids that get bored easily and have trouble learning the traditional way.

Minecraft is more than a block-based video game. The many different features, options and ways to play make it an excellent learning tool for various subjects. Since most kids love playing it, they look forward to their next lesson.

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8 thoughts on “ how to use minecraft in your homeschool ”.

My lad is hoping to make a Minecraft map that shows the progress of at least one of the battles in World War 1

Oooh that sounds like fun! What a creative idea.

Our kids love Minecraft…in fact they are building with Lego write now and talking about their Minecraft world.

That is awesome! lol

My son is 10 years old and would love to have other kids to play with.

Hi Amy, if you are referring to playing Minecraft with others there is a way to allow others into your world or join other servers in order to play with other kids. You should be able to find some information on Google about how to or where to find other friends/players to join. I hope this helps!

I just finished making a Minecraft Boom Learning deck to teach my kids grammar. It’s free if anyone is interested. Please share if you like it! Thank you!

https://wow.boomlearning.com/deck/minecraft-grammar-episode-1-statements–questions-XnQZSA9NBjnD5i9Bt

Thanks for sharing Amanda!

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How to Use Minecraft in Your Homeschool

As we explore different ways to learn and help our outside the box kids , making gaming part of school comes to mind.  For students with Dysgraphia, the act of writing is a challenge so finding ways to share what they learn in ways other than the written word is vital.  For Autistic students finding ways to motivate them with their interests is key to them wanting to participate.  For both of these types of students, using Minecraft in our homeschool lessons is the answer!

We are a gaming and story loving family.  Dad has always been a gamer and loves getting to share them with our kids.  When he started playing MInecraft when it first came out he couldn’t wait to share it with the kids.  Our oldest is only a few months older than the game itself!  

What Makes Minecraft Good for Homeschooling?

Minecraft is what you call a “Sandbox” game.  Just like the endless list of creative games kids come up with to play in the sandbox on the playground the same is how a player can play in Minecraft. There is an end of game monster, the Ender Dragon, you can work towards defeating.  But the game doesn’t end with his defeat and you are not penalized if you never fight it.  

Minecraft is a world building game where everything is cube shaped.  The characters, the food, the clouds, the sun, everything!  It has many of the same physics parameters of earth including gravity, weather and different biomes where specific creatures live.  There are natural resources which you can mine and farm to help you live and survive.  

There are two modes to Minecraft which allow you to play in two very different ways. Survival mode is what I have described so far.  You have to find the resources you need within the game world and are limited by what is around you.  Creative Mode gives you an endless supply of every resource at your fingertips so you can focus on creating whatever your imagination can think up.  When you see pictures or videos of giant build projects or contraptions, it is likely done in creative mode.  

The wide range of real world parallels in Minecraft allow for a variety of educational applications in both Survival and Creative Modes.  Exploring the different biomes in Survival Mode can be a great lesson on the challenges and strengths of different real world biomes.  Working together with friends to build a village from scratch can help students learn teamwork and perseverance as well as discuss planning and apply math concepts like area.  Creative Mode is better suited for experimenting with physics and circuits using Redstone (which works like electrical connectors) or building a model from a literature or history assignment.

How Can Minecraft Replace Other Assignments?

The options really are endless for how to use Minecraft in your homeschool and over the years we have done a variety of activities across different subjects in the game.  It’s a great way to add some variety to your homeschool or motivate your students on an otherwise less desirable subject.  

History and Geography

Use Creative Mode and build a Minecraft village or icon based on a particular historical period or place.  Have your child get library books and other resources to research the time and features and then include them in their Minecraft build. There are even educational mods that can provide this for your kids to explore.  

Math and Economics

You can explore math concepts in minecraft by building structures with specific dimensions and measurements.  You can also trade resources with NPCs (Non-Player Characters) as a way to grow your inventory of supplies and learn the value of different commodities.  When playing with other people you can create a shop to sell resources  and practice counting money. 

Literature may be the easiest and our favorite way to include Minecraft in our homeschool.  Instead of writing book reports or reflections on reading assignments, I ask my students to build a favorite scene in the game.  

The first story they built in Minecraft they did on their own for fun.  I was sad I didn’t think of it first.   They enjoyed the book we were reading as a family so much, the kids decided on their own to recreate Charlotte’s Web in Minecraft.  Dad and I were quite impressed when they showed us when they were done!  

To encourage creative writing , encourage your child to write down the adventures they have as they play the game.  For students who aren’t excited about reading, there are a variety of strategy guides and fiction books set in the game that could help encourage a love of reading.  

Minecraft can also be used to teach science. You can build experiments or simulations of scientific concepts including physics or life science.  Redstone is a type of minecraft block that works a lot like electricity and lets you create circuits and automations.  It can make survival a lot easier to automate specific tasks and also be useful for exploring physical science ideas.  Using minecart tracks and redstone you can build a roller coaster to experiment with forces.  

There are dozens of different real world biomes that can be seen in Minecraft and each has its own set of real world animals that can be found there.  Desert, Forest, Snow, Jungle and Swamp are just a few that can be explored in a simulation to real life.  Minecraft is intentional in what animals it adds to the game, with an interest in using its platform to raise awareness of creatures that are endangered.  That’s why it included the Panda Bear, Dolphins, Bees and Axolotls. Let your student learn as they play or let their interactions with the creatures in Minecraft inspire offline research.  

Using Creative Mode, you can also build models of anything as well, saving space in your house and the mess.  A proportional model of the solar system would fit in an endless minecraft world and  a working volcano with magma in Minecraft won’t make a mess in your kitchen like vinegar and baking soda.  

Ways to Include Minecraft in Your homeschool Besides Playing the Game

While there are many ways to include the game Minecraft in your homeschool activities you can also use it as a jumping off point for other learning activities outside of the game.  My dysgraphic student helped me create copywork pages for them to use for handwriting practice because handwriting is way more fun when you are writing about what you love.  They wrote the trivia facts in both volumes of the Minecraft themed copywork in the shop!

We have learned about the behind the scenes of gaming as we have participated in the Minecraft live events when new features are released.  Multiple times my students have helped decide what the new creatures, called Mobs in the game, by casting their vote alongside millions of fans worldwide.  These activities make great jumping off points for discussions about civics and government and careers.  

Another interest Minecraft has naturally inspired in my children is computer programming.  My oldest chose to take a Java course to learn the programming language so they could code a Mod for the game later.  After all, a programming mistake while designing the Pig creatures is what led to the iconic Creeper Mob.  The programmer switched their X and Y coordinates creating a tall 4 legged creature instead of a long 4 legged creature.  

Ideas for Managing Screetime and Free Play

Minecraft can be a great tool for learning, if used carefully and thoughtfully. Like all screen time, we do have family rules for free play screen time.  At our house we want to help our kids learn, from an early age, how to use screens and technology as an important tool in their life, and that means helping them learn how to find the good in it and how to manage their time when they are playing for fun.  We use it as a family activity to do together and something we can all share.  

Our kids have a daily free play limit on screetime and they use their Time Timer to help them keep track of their time.  If they don’t use it all they can bank it for another day.  They have some bonus time they can use for using screetime with others as a social activity.  Sometimes they game with a friend on laptops in the same room and other times they play virtually with real life friends while on video chat.  We want them to learn the most important thing isn’t screens or no screens, but how they are being used and playing together on screens can be just as good as playing outside: in moderation, of course!

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He is willing to learn! My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and high-functioning Aspergers……He definitely responds well to lots of encouragement. I have been so thankful to see that he loves learning through these classes—or is at least willing to learn even if it’s something a bit more challenging, involves more reading, or may not be as interesting to him, which is a huge deal! He really cares about how well he does on the quizzes too, which is also huge! It suits his learning style very well and I think he likes having some input in choosing his courses. I feel like the format is so great for learning a lot of information in short periods of time—and my son has been enjoying the builds too! I might have to adjust some of the builds to suit him and what he can handle. Writing essays is not something he’s able to do at this time though. We are excited to start another session with your team! 🙂

A Very Creative Program My son is so engaged with this program. He loves learning through Minecraft and it keeps him excited about learning!! I also like that he is interacting with other students from around the world!! Very creative program!

An inviting experience conducive to learning and building relationships! I highly recommend GamED Academy for academics, independent learning, leadership, support, relationships, and just plain fun! My daughter has taken several classes, learning about history and entrepreneurship through Minecraft in ways that I could not otherwise provide here at home. Moreover, she quickly became interested in getting more involved and helping others, and she has worked her way up the staff ranks to the highest level a teen can hold. She is gaining invaluable experience in leading and mentoring others, and in creating an inviting experience that’s conducive to learning and building relationships within GamED’s admirably high standards. She has also developed remarkably close friendships with other staff members and students, and the house rings with laughter when she’s online with the team. I applaud Ms. Jody and the other GamED adults who have so carefully and caringly afforded my daughter and so many others this unique opportunity to shine.

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Do It Yourself Curriculum - Fun-Schooling with Minecraft: 400 Homeschooling Lessons Paperback – August 5, 2016

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Thinking Tree Books

Core Curriculum Journal - Level B

Are your homeschooling a Minecraft player? Make Minecraft educational!

Cover every required subject while having fun with Minecraft!

Unofficial Minecraft Theme!

Over 400 Pages of Educational Activities for Independent Students, the student will use 6 or 7 pages each day! Perfect for gifted students, as well as students with learning challenges such as Dyslexia, ADHD & Autism.

You can cover every required subject while giving your child freedom to be creative! This Do-It-Yourself Curriculum can provide 2 to 4 hours of homeschooling instruction each day!

Are you homeschooling a gifted child who is easily distracted when using curriculum that is not interesting? Are you working with a student who has symptoms of Dyslexia, ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome or Autism? This is the perfect homeschooling method for kids who don't sit still, unless they are playing Minecraft!

Don't worry, your child will not be on the computer all day, 30 to 45 minutes will be just about perfect, when working in this curriculum journal. We also use the Dyslexie Font to make reading and learning easy for students with dyslexia.

If your child can read and write on a second grade level they will be able to use this book as their primary curriculum.

What ages? This curriculum is geared towards ages 9 to 12, but older and younger children can still use and enjoy the curriculum, by supplementing the program with library books, audio books, and documentaries on their level.

Over 400 Pages of Homeschooling Activities!

Handwriting

Creative Writing

Spelling & Vocabulary

Classical Literature

Biographies

Classical Music

Mathematics

World Geography

Social Studies & Current Events

Computer Skills

Building & Design

Art, Drawing and Design

Creative Comics

Library Skills

Unit Studies (based on the student’s favorite topics)

Action Steps:

Go to the library or bookstore. Bring home a stack of at least EIGHT interesting books about these topics. Choose some that have diagrams, instructions and illustrations. Choose some books about science, history and social studies related to the topics you want to study.

Recommended Educational Resources:

A Computer and Your Own Minecraft World.

Audio Books, Classical Literature or Heroes Now & Then*

Story of the World for the Classical Child*

Classical Music to help you relax while you work.

Google Earth and a parent approved news source.

Tutorials, Educational Movies & Documentaries

A Math Curriculum like Life of Fred* or Math-U-See*

Dyslexia Games* for struggling readers. If you have a child who struggles with reading, writing and spelling, please use 2 to 4 Dyslexia Games Worksheets everyday along with your Minecraft Curriculum. Buy the games at a discount here: www.DyslexiaGames.com

If your child struggles with basic math skills, use the book Comic Book Math or Foundational Math Skills, by Sarah Janisse Brown.

School Supplies Needed:

Pencils, Colored Pencils, Gel Pens, Origami Paper, a Ruler

* Optional Learning Programs

FOR ALL AGES!

Complete 5 pages each day if you are under 10 years old.

Complete 10 pages each day if you are 10 to 17 years old.

Created By: Sarah Janisse Brown & Isaac J. Brown

Artwork by Isaac J. Brown & Tolik Trishkin.

We use the Dyslexie Font by Christian Boer.

Creative Writing Prompts by Isaac Brown, Emmie Palacio and Elizabeth Palacio

Curriculum for gifted students.

The Thinking Tree Publishing Company, LLC

FunSchoolingBooks.com—Copyright 2017An Unofficial Minecraft Book

• Print length 423 pages
• Language English
• Publication date August 5, 2016
• Dimensions 8.5 x 0.96 x 11 inches
• ISBN-10 1536914444
• ISBN-13 978-1536914443
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 5, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 423 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536914444
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1536914443
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.15 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.96 x 11 inches
• #75 in Gifted Students Education
• #698 in Homeschooling (Books)
• #2,071 in Education Theory (Books)

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Check Out Our Minecraft Worlds

Did you know K12-powered schools use Minecraft to help kids learn?

From the streets of ancient Rome to the vast oceans, our Minecraft worlds let kids explore, interact with characters, and complete challenges—all while completing state-standard lessons. These lessons are built into our curriculum, giving students an engaging way to boost their skills.

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Welcome to Rome

Inside this world, greet Caesar and receive your first challenge: to find important items and capture them with a camera for your in-game portfolio. Travel through the city finding special landmarks!

Welcome to Jamestown

Learn about the settlement at Jamestown as you travel back in time to visit the colony. You must work to complete jobs around the village, including trading furs, harvesting wheat, and building a home.

Welcome to the Ocean Climate Challenge

Become immersed in various oceanic environments and work alongside a team of experts who have dedicated their lives to conserving our oceans. The first challenge is taking plastic out of our waterways.

Welcome to Ancient Egypt

Welcome to the prehistoric and ancient civilizations of Egypt. First, you spawn inside a cave and review the paintings to evaluate prehistoric life. Next, meet a tour guide who transports you to the Stone Age. You must survive by building a home and gathering food.

Students Love Minecraft Education

of students who use Minecraft enjoy it because it gives them a space to be creative *

of students who used Minecraft in school would recommend it to their friends *

*Source: Students who responded to the K12 Minecraft Education Survey, May 2023

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