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Microsoft Teaching Kids to Code With Minecraft

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Getting kids interested in computer coding is now as easy as asking them play Minecraft, thanks to Microsoft and Code.org.

Microsoft on Monday teamed up with the Seattle computer science education nonprofit to launch a new Minecraft-themed coding tutorial ahead of next month's Hour of Code campaign. Created by actual Minecraft game designers with the help of Code.org, the tutorial introduces players to basic coding skills as they navigate, mine, and explore a 2-D Minecraft world.

The tutorial, designed for ages 6 and up, offers 14 Minecraft-themed challenges, including free play time, to explore the coding concepts. Players will even recognize some familiar faces from the game, like Steve and Alex.

"A core part of our mission to empower every person on the planet is equipping youth with computational thinking and problem-solving skills to succeed in an increasingly digital world," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. "With Minecraft and Code.org, we aim to spark creativity in the next generation of innovators in a way that is natural, collaborative and fun."

Microsoft and Code.org said they created the tutorial especially for the third-annual Hour of Code campaign, which aims to broaden global participation in computer science. The goal of the campaign is for "tens of millions" of students to try an hour of coding during Computer Science Education Week, which runs from Dec. 7 to 13. More than 100 million students across 180 countries have participated to date, including one in three U.S. school students.

"'Minecraft' is a special game that girls and boys alike often can't be pried away from," Code.org CEO and Co-founder Hadi Partovi said in a statement. "This year's Minecraft tutorial will empower millions of learners around the world to explore how a game they love actually works and will inspire them to impact the world by creating their own technology or apps."

Meanwhile, Microsoft is also getting more involved in another cause: improving access to affordable Internet. The company has launched a new Affordable Access Initiative to provide grants for "scalable solutions that enable people in underserved communities to access the Internet and use cloud services." Interested commercial organizations (with two or more full-time employees) can submit their proposals now through Jan. 15.

For more, see PCMag's review of Minecraft: Story Mode and Minecraft on the HoloLens.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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