"One More Block!" Managing Your Child's Minecraft Obsession

Minecraft is addictive. That’s a fact. And kids with ADHD seem to hyperfocus particularly hard on building the game's creative, pixelated worlds. Which is all fine and good, until it’s time to stop — and the tantrums and defiance begin. Here's your survival guide, parents.

Why Is Minecraft So Addictive?

The children with ADHD who come in to Learning Works for Kids love three things: watching television, playing computer games, and playing with LEGOs. Minecraft is an extension of all those things, so I hear about it all the time from concerned parents. As a result, I’ve interviewed hundreds of kids about their use of Minecraft and devised some best strategies for keeping video-game use to a safe, healthy level everyone can live with. Here they are. 

Photo by Jeremy Perez Photos
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