So I've been given the duty of looking after my 7-year old Nephew for a weekend and apparently he likes Minecraft. To be honest I've never played the game, so I bought it this evening on the Microsoft Store and started a game to play around, and I have no idea what I'm doing, I punched some trees down and pulled my inventory up but couldn't figure out how to build anything.

Anyone know any good, simple guides that can explain this game? Please don't let me get outdone by a child.

THIS

I don't even know how to download it.
Does it need a subscription? Can you MP? Can you even play offline?

Original Minecraft (Java Edition) - requires Java
https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/store/
No subscription is required, it's a one time pay to play game. Yes, coop is a blast. Yes, after game client download all necessary data.

Windows 10 Edition
I have no idea, I don't want to know.

I used to love Doom when I was 6. I still like it a lot.

To clarify, both editions are one time fees. There is an ingame store for skin packs etc in the win10 version.

I was 18 when Doom came out.

I HATE YOU! :P

Let the game free flow with his imagination. Creative mode is best for little kids.
My 7 year old has so many worlds that his Ps4 memory and cloud saves are filled. lots of TNT

I was 10 when it came out! did you pay for it?

Look don't bother you wouldn't know what to do it would blow your mind too much I play survival MC all the time!

Anybody ever have one of these? XD

And I still luv you ;3

Ask, and ye shall receive.

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/games_for_67_year_old_children/page1

You need to build a block of 2x2 wood to make a crafting table. From there, use the crafting table to make lots of other things.

The best part of Minecraft for an adult (IMHO) is figuring out how the world works and how physics work and then struggle to survive and then learn to thrive.

As far as the editions go, you can get Java edition and get must mods for free, or get windows 10 edition, which multiplays with many other editions (like fire TV - but not the console editions). You also get the game tired to your account, so if you have several PCs all loved into the same Microsoft account, then you can all play together with the purchase of one game.

For 7 year olds, survival is often too hard. Creative mode is like playing with Legos.

Redstone can make electrical circuits. People have built whole working computers inside their Minecraft world using redstone.

There are lots of guides online, too.

I really only like survival mode, personally.

This is the thread I never wrote, but should have. I'm in exactly the same situation as Crosmando.

My nephew is almost 8 and likes MC and some clone called Roblox or other crappy knockoffs. A few months ago I was looking into buying MC as well to play with him, which would be much better than let his brain rot by constantly watching "junior youtubers" that play these games while talking and behaving like they don't have two neurons to rub together. It doesn't just feel like they're five year olds, it's more like they're five y.o. with severe brain damage... but I'm talking about people in their late teens or early twenties.

My nephew likes these videos, and I cringe every time I'm forced to spend thirty seconds around them. So I wanted to buy the game to play with him. Except I gave up exactly because I didn't know the sorts of things the OP asks.

So, my main concern: are you forced to play in multiplayer or can I let him loose in the game knowing my nephew wil be fine even when I'm not looking?