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Did you know that playing Minecraft teaches kids to use the most popular programming language, Python? That is the process of creating block farms, they can learn the structure of Python and later begin to use the skills gained in creating websites or applications?
For parents, playing Minecraft sandbox may seem like a waste of time. Still, this fun game is a great way to encourage children to learn how to program without making them feel like a monotonous and tedious activity.
Programming developers are in high demand nowadays, and they will be in the following decades for sure. And it’s not only in high demand, but it is also very well paid. That is why there are a lot of students who dedicated themselves to learning Python. They even hire a professional paper writer from WritingApaper who takes care of their college papers.
How does Minecraft help you learn to program?
Minecraft uses a simplified 1×1 block structure to create worlds and objects. These are very easy to translate into a programming language consisting of 1’s and 0’s, which define what the program does and how it works.
This binary language can then be passed to the computer using lines of code.
As in life, computer programs in Minecraft relieve the player of routine operations, helping to speed up work on large-scale projects. A child sees that a few lines of code give them as many resources as they would have had to mine for hours by hand. And another code allows building massive moving objects from these resources, which are impossible to create without special means. Imagination ignites in these children, and they desire to experiment and create.
Why Minecraft is so good for teaching kids programming
A familiar environment. Even if this is the first time you’ve heard of the game, your kids probably know it. They don’t have to learn a new interface, and most of the features they’re learning are already familiar with. Many students even know about the command line, through which you can change in-game conditions in Minecraft.
Fast results. Students see the effects of their actions with their own eyes and can feel the same emotions that a real developer feels when creating a program. They feel a sense of ownership and are, therefore, willing to put in the effort to achieve their goal. All that remains is to show what programming tools they will need along the way.
Children’s game – adult tools. In programming courses, kids work with the most real Python tools. They load libraries, create scripts, think, design, and implement. They quickly learn what code and loops are, what a program consists of, and how to build syntax.
Why Python?
Python is one of the most popular modern languages. Professionals unanimously call it the best programming language for beginners. Its simple syntax allows you to write programs like a book, building commands according to simple human logic.
So if you want to teach programming to kids 10 and up, Python and Minecraft provide the perfect setting. You don’t need to study many books to start programming in Python – the language is suitable for children and IT beginners. After mastering Python, it will be easier for a child to learn other programming languages to become an advanced IT professional.
Programming in Python in Minecraft
The basic concept of Minecraft is that everything in the game world is made up of individual 1×1 blocks of material. The earth is made up of dirt blocks, and trees are made up of wooden blocks. Even leaves and clouds are made up of blocks. There is nothing in Minecraft that is not made up of blocks.
Most of these blocks can be “broken” by the player by hand or with tools the player can build from materials such as shovels, axes, and picks.
These blocks can be moved around in the game world, allowing players to build any structure using whatever they can find, including dirt, stone, and water.
Thus, Minecraft is an ideal way to teach kids how to program from scratch and develop critical thinking and a whole range of valuable skills: teamwork, the ability to find bugs in code, and creativity.
The creativity Minecraft enables is not limited to the game’s world; the game’s simplicity allows modifications to be made to the games and items created within the game universe.
Mods in Minecraft are external lines of code that change the game from within, such as helping build unusual buildings or giving players increased health or additional game items.
These mods are usually downloaded through third-party sites or online communities for game fans. Kids who have mastered the Python programming language create their own mods and share them with other players.
Mods help kids experiment in the game and use their knowledge to create new objects.
Learning any programming language, even a simple one like Python, requires patience and assiduity, which children sometimes lack. You have to support your child if they decide to take it seriously. Sometimes you will need to help them with their homework.
Elements of gamification make learning easier. Children watch how written code is transformed into amazing things by combining Python and Minecraft.
Kids don’t have to learn abstract code that doesn’t do anything interesting. In Minecraft, you can create programs that allow you to do real miracles: build colored walls and large buildings in seconds, teleport a player, or master a super jump.
Programming in Minecraft with Python is a great way to teach your kids about programming. It is recommended to start learning one of the in-demand programming languages from the age of 9-13.
