Can Minecraft help with A.D.D?
Minecraft, a game of building, living, harvesting, stocking, and most importantly – creating.
This is exactly why this game is a very constructive tool for people with A.D.D. (Myself included!). Although there are no official studies, this game has specific qualities that help players build focus and patience, two things difficult to come by when you are living with Attention Deficit Disorder. I’ll break them down for you here:
Building
Any sort of building you do in this awesome game takes time. Whether it’s a shack, or a pyramid, you’re going to be sitting there for a while to make sure that you get it just right, or at least make sure it’s monster-proof. The ability to focus on the time-consuming tasks builds concentration.
Harvesting
To find the materials you need to cook, build, or create in Minecraft, you often have to travel a long distance. This requires patience- something that can be learned if practiced enough, especially in a game like this.
Waiting
Another large component that comes with playing Minecraft, is waiting. By night, monsters come, and they can hurt your character. So, one of the main goals is to find a place to build a shelter, build it, and then wait it out. The patience you gain from waiting for this is something that can carry over into everyday life for people with A.D.D.
These components can help anyone, really. For those out there like me, Minecraft is a great game to help work on certain traits that are holding you back. For everyone else, play Minecraft anyways, it’s fun!
