Minecraft... Discovery continues

A few months ago I believe I wrote about my kids new found interest in minecraft... At the time my focus was mainly on how I could manage the emotions and limits of screen time. Now, things have moved on in our thinking, and the children's connection with it.  We have settled into a way of using it which allows them plenty of time without overly impacting on other activities.  The kids play on it before breakfast and after dinner each day when we are at home.

I have been back and forth in how I think about this... But one thing I have always seen and recognised is that Minecraft gets Evan talking. He will talk easily with fluency to anyone who will listen.  He loves the fact that he has a greater knowledge about this than most people he knows, and that Autumn and his friends defer to him for help.  Because he is so interested in it, his thirst for more is unquenchable, and he seeks to learn more all the time. He finds out new things by creatively interacting within his worlds, reading books and watching a famous minecraft player's videos on YouTube. (Stampycat)

They are both now interested in doing instructional videos which they hwbe both started blogs on... Links to follow.

I have noted his ability to support his friends using minecraft, in an increasingly sophisticated way, and has learned not to simply take over.

Multiplication

Today I was inspired by one of the many brilliant blog posts written in an ordinary life ( link later) she used lolly sticks to support her children consolidating and practising their knowledge of times tables. I thought we could give this a go using the same idea and addition of the number square to support as well. They both enjoyed this and saw patterns. Even remained engaged for over an hour, we did the 3 and 5 times tables.

It was really helpful, when engaging Autumn, to use the mini characters we made out if fimo.

I'll definitely revisit this way of doing this.  Autumn is now happily playing and organising the creatures on the 100 square.