Minecraft club is a hit with youngsters

Company Mi Little Pad, founded by Sally Cooper and John Gallacher just a year ago, sets up clubs and services for the community using iPads.

The company recently launched a Minecraft club in the county which aims toprovides children aged eight to 16 with the opportunity to use iPads to take part in iPad-based virtual learning.

Minecraft, which has seen more than 30 million children worldwide take part, is like a ‘virtual Lego’ that allows users to build structures individually or in groups.

Running at various locations across Gwent, including Newport’s Riverfront Theatre, the weekly two-hour longsessions set participants start with a challenge aiming to reinforce a simple learning objective and take part in creative periods collaborativelya challenge of completing a simple learning objective. Ms Cooper was inspired to start the business after her own children got involved in Minecraft.

“We are the only club like this in the area,” she said. “I set the club up along with my business partner, John, because I felt that no one was doing anything for the creative children and the ones who may not be physically up to a whole day of sport.

“The response we have had has been really positive – parents like the collaborative environment, as it is nice for children to get out of the house instead of being at home on the internet.

“We have 12 iPads available and the sessions start off with the children doing an individual challenge before a team-building exercise such as making a model of Raglan Castle.”

From September, the club hopes to deliver regular weekly sessions to more than 1000 students in over 50 institutions throughout Gwent.

This summer, an all-day camp will be running in Malpas Court School grounds on Wednesdays from 3pm where children can have a go at making an animated movie‘I movie’ using Lego. For information about on clubs near you visit www.milittlepad.com or its Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/milittlepad/info.