When I was a kid, my parents knew what I was allowed to watch. If it was broadcast at certain hours, it was a safe bet that it wouldn’t include foul language or adult situations. These days, with DVR and other on-demand TV options, we can provide a pre-selected and vetted smorgasbord of entertainment. But at some point, you have to give them a little freedom and let them explore the things that they love. For my six-year-old son, that means one thing: Minecraft.
There are essentially zero options in mainstream media for a kid with a Minecraft obsession. But on YouTube, an entire industry has been built of “Internet famous” players exploring the game and its myriad systems, versions, and mods. When we first started investigating this burgeoning entertainment scene from the glow of the family computer, I was dismayed at some of the offerings. Bad language, silly pranks, and a bunch of super irritating kids who had somehow managed to master video capture software between sessions of pwning their friends in online games. It wasn’t promising.
And then, YouTube suggested we check out this channel called Minecraft & More, which was described as “family-friendly game-play and tutorials”. The first series we saw on the channel was Punchwood Island Family Survival. It was perfect.
The channel is produced by Paul Soares Jr, who described himself as a “regular guy that enjoys computer gaming as a hobby”. He’s been putting out Minecraft videos for a couple of years now. In addition to standard tutorial videos, he also games with his kids. Punchwood Island sees Paul, his wife, and his three kids tackling a “shipwrecked” scenario in Minecraft. They have to find food, build shelter, and fight off the evil monsters that come out at night. My son and I were instantly hooked and spent the next few weeks catching up on the series. Now we’re both chomping at the bit for new episodes.
With other Minecraft videos, I can barely withstand the shrill, frantic tone of the hosts. Soares talks in a low, even voice. His videos have purpose, and it’s clear he loves sharing his passions with his entire family. My own wife and son found ourselves playing together in a similar way after watching Punchwood Island.
If you and your kids are looking for an entertaining and family-friendly video series on Minecraft, you absolutely should check out Punchwood Island Family Survival and the other great video series over at Paul Soares Jr’s YouTube channel.
