Minecraft Coding for Kids

What’s inside this article: A little background information about Minecraft for those unfamiliar with the game, the benefits of coding for kids, and information about how kids can start learning to code by creating their own Minecraft mods.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links

Do you have a Minecraft lover? Have you ever thought, with your child’s passion for gaming, they could be a game designer someday?

Personally, that thought has crossed my mind on many occassions.

But, did you know that children, just like mine and yours, can actually learn to create their own mods in Minecraft? Some people sell these mods on the Minecraft marketplace and actually make a living off of it.

So, your kids will actually be learning while they’re gaming, and having too much fun to notice.

By the way… did you know that Minecraft is considered the best educational game of the decade?

Why Teach Your Kids to Code?

According to EdTech expert Cathy Davidson, there is a good chance that your child will end up in a job that you’ve never heard of.

In fact, according to her estimates, over 65% of children entering elementary school will end up in jobs that don’t even exist yet.

Jobs like robot consultants and self-driving car mechanics.

One thing specifically that’s rapidly changing in our world is technology. Learning and understanding the language of coding gives kids an advantage in the future.

Even if your child ends up in a profession that does not actively involve writing code, understanding a programming language, and the ways in which technology might be able to impact the working environment will add value for any company they may work for in the future.

What’s a Mod?

Minecraft “mods” (short for “modifications”) are modifications made to the game that changes the gameplay.

These can be as simple as updating the lighting and colors (This is known as a shader or a texture) or as complex as making completely new and functional elements in the game—like new characters, new weapons, status effects, etc.

What do Minecraft mods do?

Minecraft mods can:

Add new blocks, items, and mobs (animals and other creatures)
Change the way blocks, items or mobs appear during gameplay
Grant players new powers and special abilities
Alter or add new landscapes and terrain
Allow for changes to player speed
Change Minecraft’s graphics
Add machines and other devices to the game

How can kids make Minecraft mods?

CodaKid offers self-paced online Minecraft coding courses for kids aged 8+.

The courses are designed so that even complete beginners can learn computer programming skills. They’re all labeled either introductory, beginner, intermediate, or advanced.

The main thing that makes CodeKid different from other online coding courses is that they actually teach the programming language to your child.

Other courses are more like tutorials that teach how to make a specific mod yourself. But, with knowledge of how to code – the possibilities are not limited. Your child can create their own unique mods.