My DS3 has a new interest in building and loves the Lego apps but is quickly getting bored. Can a 4 y.o. do Minecraft?

DS learned it quickly at age 4. He might have actually been 3.5. Probably depends on the motivation/interest of the child.

Thank you very much

I'd push him to play with blocks instead of an app if that is possible.

I would do what I could to delay. Building with real blocks is a different skill set. Is their a friend who could play Lego with him?

Flying and Puffin, thank you and I am always grateful for your input.
He's the kind of kid who does fifty activities a day. He plays with legos, blocks, books, does workbooks, paints, draws, puzzles, it goes on and on at lightspeed. Yesterday I spend 40 minutes rolling newspaper into dowels so he could build an international space station. Everything is so intense that I do need a break and while his brother takes a nap, I have him do an independent activity so I can get something done. I am basically a teacher all day from 6 a.m. until he hits the hay. He wakes up doing math or reading or writing or whatever the day's topic is.
I use apps to give him some independent time and he needs something more challenging than the lego building games. It's pure suvival for me. I am not using apps to replace anything real, just for entertainment.

Look into Roblox as well. http://www.roblox.com/ Roblox is similar but was designed specifically for younger kids than Minecraft. See the info page on the tab for parents for more information. Roblox (at least initially) was designed for younger players than minecraft.

Thank you, Roblox looks interesting!

There are many ways to make your child feel excited about learning. I have observed that faculty in Phoenix preschool is using apps like Minecraft and teach them in such a way that no Kid would ever refuse going to school. Many children activities are undertaken there, so that kids can learn things more easily.

My newly turned 4 year old (feb) loves mine craft and sounds so much like yours with the intensity- I need a break as well and mine craft sort of works unless he needs help with something.
I think you are in the Bay Area? I pm'd you!

Jordan

So far my go to app for that purpose is starfall...but I just downloaded mine craft!

Yeah, me too. I think very highly of minecraft, but the real world skills are more important. Is he bored with lego or frustrated? There are lots of great building toys, goldie blox, tinker toys, knex.

And as for a Phoenix area preschool using minecraft, run run far away! What sort of preschool is so unskilled that they resort to computer games and TV to entertain the kids!

I occasionally let DS3 watch a Magic School Bus episode when I need to get something done uninterrupted.

My son, who is a Lego fanatic, really enjoys building with Citiblocs. We like Tinker Toys too.

I understand the need for a break. How is he at playing by himself in general?

We very occasionally let dd 3 play Starfalls when we need to do important work that requires both parents, and also requires the absents of dd. We do not see Starfalls as a learning tool, but rather as a loud reporting tool. Every 10 to 20 seconds there is a new sound telling us that she is still at the computer. dd does play alone well in general, but quite play scares us pretty quickly. Although, dd is very responsible 99% of the time, she is very capable all of getting into all sorts things.

I agree 100%.

every preschool I visited for DD uses apps - app they are real world skills these days, go figure. Her primary school feels the same way.

We use starfall btw I won't show her minecraft yet - I keep hearing how kids soooo into it, I can't be bothered with the battle.