Stop Giving Kids All the Answers. Let Them Build Something.
The Kids Engagement Series #06 | What Minecraft teaches us about creativity, ownership and giving children control.
Imagine handing a child a box of building blocks.
No instructions. No picture on the front showing what the finished creation should look like. No right or wrong answer. What happens?
One child builds a castle. Another creates a spaceship. Someone else invents an entire world, complete with characters, rules and adventures.
Give ten children the same materials and you could end up with ten completely different creations.
That's the beauty of imagination. And it's something Minecraft understands remarkably well.
While many games tell children where to go, what to do and how to win, Minecraft gives them something far more interesting. The freedom to decide for themselves.
And there's a valuable lesson here for anyone creating experiences, activities or resources for children.
1. Why does Minecraft work so well?
At its simplest, Minecraft is a world made of blocks. Children can collect materials, build structures, explore landscapes and create almost anything they can imagine.
There are challenges, objectives and adventures, particularly in Survival mode. But in
Creative mode, children can build without having to gather resources or worry about survival.
Want to build a house? Go ahead. Want to create a rollercoaster, an underwater city or a giant chicken? Why not?
The game provides the tools, but the child provides the imagination. And that changes the relationship between the child and the experience.
They're not simply following someone else's story. They're creating their own.
It's a principle that extends far beyond gaming. When children have the freedom to make decisions, experiment and create something personal, they're more likely to feel a sense of ownership over the result.
2. There's a difference between completing something and creating something
Think about a typical children's activity sheet.
A maze has one correct route. A wordsearch has a set number of words. A colouring sheet might have an existing picture waiting to be filled in. There's absolutely a place for these activities. They're familiar, accessible and can be great fun.
But what happens when we give children a little more freedom?
Instead of colouring an existing character, what if they could invent one?
Instead of simply completing a story, what if they could choose how it ends?
Instead of following a set of instructions, what if they could design their own solution?
Suddenly, the activity becomes something more personal.
And that matters because children aren't just engaging with what we've created. They're contributing something of their own.
3. Ownership creates a different kind of engagement
Anyone who's spent time around a Minecraft-loving child will probably recognise this moment:
"Come and look what I've built!"
And then comes the tour.
Every room. Every secret passage. Every elaborate feature that apparently took three hours to construct.
The enthusiasm isn't necessarily about how impressive the creation is to somebody else.
It's about the fact that they made it.
That sense of pride is something organisations can learn from.
A completed activity book might be enjoyed and then put away. But a personalised adventure journal filled with a child's own discoveries, drawings and achievements can become a record of their experience.
A craft activity can become something they're proud to display. A character they've invented can become the beginning of an entire imaginary world.
The more children contribute, the more the experience can begin to feel like theirs.
And when something feels like yours, there's often a stronger reason to keep it, share it and remember it.
4. What could this look like beyond Minecraft?
This is where things get particularly interesting for organisations trying to engage children.
At The Wonder Company, we create activity books, magazines, games and creative resources for organisations across the UK. And one of the questions we consider is how much room an activity gives children to make it their own.
For example:
For councils and holiday programmes: Instead of only teaching children about healthy food, why not challenge them to invent a new meal, create a food superhero or design their own healthy-eating game?
For hotels and visitor attractions: Instead of giving every child an identical activity sheet, imagine an explorer passport where they choose their missions, collect discoveries, sketch their favourite places and build a record of their visit.
For charities and educational organisations: Rather than simply telling children about an important issue, invite them to create a comic, invent a character or design something that communicates the message to other children.
For creative activity packs: Provide the materials, inspiration and a starting challenge, but leave space for children to experiment and create something unexpected.
These aren't necessarily complicated or expensive changes. Sometimes the difference between a passive activity and a memorable one is simply giving children a choice.
5. But does more freedom always mean better engagement?
Not necessarily.
One of Minecraft's strengths is that it offers different ways to play. Some children love the freedom of Creative mode. Others prefer the goals, progression and challenges of
Survival mode.
And that's worth remembering.
Not every child wants a completely blank page. Some need a starting point, a little guidance or a clear objective before they feel confident enough to experiment.
The most effective creative experiences often find a balance between structure and freedom.
Give children enough direction to get started, but enough independence to make the experience their own.
There are also sensible boundaries to consider with digital experiences, particularly around online multiplayer interaction and screen time. The lesson here isn't that every child should spend more time gaming.
It's that the creative principles behind Minecraft can inspire meaningful engagement in the real world.
And sometimes, all you need is a piece of paper, a few materials and a really good idea.
Of course, when it comes to digital experiences, creativity should always go hand in hand with online safety. Whether children are playing Minecraft, exploring apps or browsing online, it's important to have appropriate parental controls and privacy settings in place, regularly check what they're accessing and be aware of unexpected pop-ups, adverts, links and interactions with other players.
Keeping conversations open about what children see online is just as important as setting boundaries. We've previously shared some practical advice in our blog, Staying Safe Online – Top Tips, which is worth revisiting.
The Wonder Test: Minecraft
How does Minecraft measure up against our six principles of children's engagement?
The Wonder Test | Verdict |
PICK IT UP | ✓ A distinctive world with immediate possibilities for exploration |
GET INVOLVED | ✓ Children actively build, create and make decisions |
STICK WITH IT | ✓ Challenges, projects and discoveries encourage continued participation |
KEEP IT | ✓ Saved worlds and creations can be revisited and developed |
SHARE IT | ✓ Creations encourage showing, discussing and collaborating |
REMEMBER IT | ✓ A recognisable experience associated with creativity and personal achievement |
WONDER SCORE
6/6 ⭐
Full marks
The score reflects Minecraft's creative engagement strengths, rather than an assessment of every aspect of online play or child safety.
The Wonder Verdict
Minecraft demonstrates that some of the most powerful children's experiences aren't built around telling children exactly what to do.
They're built around giving children the tools, encouragement and freedom to discover what they can do themselves.
And that principle can be applied to almost anything, from a simple activity sheet to a complete family engagement campaign.
One thing to take away…
Next time you're designing something for children, ask yourself:
Are we giving them an activity to complete, or an opportunity to create?
Because sometimes the most memorable part of an experience isn't what an organisation has designed. It's what a child has added to it.
About The Wonder Company
Every organisation has a story to tell. We help children discover it.
The Wonder Company creates engaging activity books, magazines, games, craft packs and bespoke resources that help brands and organisations connect with children in ways that are fun, meaningful and memorable.
From holiday programmes and educational resources to hospitality experiences and creative campaigns, we design, create and print resources children actually want to pick up, interact with — and take home.
Want to create something children will remember? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you! hello@thewondercompany.co.uk
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