Home Programs & Projects Campaigns & Initiatives Share Share Share Copy Link Copy Link Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Email Kids Building Future Healthy A Minecraft MissionBuilding healthy communities one block at a time Scroll down On This Page Intro The Mission Kids' Research and Insights Kids' creations What's next? Credits Share Share Share Copy Link Copy Link Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Email Intro The Mission Kids' Research and Insights Kids' creations What's next? Credits Share Share Share Copy Link Copy Link Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Email Body Healthier futures through gaming. Monash University and VicHealth teamed up for a new project to get kids involved in building healthier futures. The 'Kids Building Future Healthy Mission' utilised Minecraft Education Edition to teach kids about health through interactive challenges. The mission used gaming to boost health literacy and aimed to empower kids to take social action. Using Minecraft, kids completed learning tasks and created neighbourhood spaces that support health. We wanted kids to know that healthy local environments support communities to eat well, be active and feel connected. We wanted to show kids they can help shape health decisions in their community. The Mission We invited kids from across Victoria to join us on a statewide mission to Build a Healthy Future in Minecraft. The mission focused on three critical research questions:How can you help your community be more active?How can you help your community eat well?How can you help your community feel more connected?As kids worked to answer these questions, they researched their local community to find things in the environment that might affect people's health.This data showed the health risks and benefits in kids' environments. It was a vital step for kids to see what could change in their community. It meant kids could act on the social and commercial determinants of health in their community and find ways to create healthier places. Once kids entered the Future Healthy World in Minecraft, they faced learning challenges. This was to help kids develop the health skills needed to join the project. After the challenges, kids chose a community setting. They then started building their solution for a healthier environment. Kids were encouraged to submit their finished builds to VicHealth. Body Kids' Research and InsightsThe ‘Kids Building Future Healthy’ mission was an enriching educational journey that built key health literacies, including an understanding of how physical and social environments impact health.The submissions received affirm that kids could connect their builds with relevant health priorities and issues in their local community. The program provided a novel opportunity for kids to voice their ideas in building healthier futures. Body Community Audit ExamplesCheck out the data below. These are examples collected by kids researching their local community. Kids identified positive and negative factors that impact health which informed their journey to creating healthier spaces. Being Active 1 / 4 2 / 4 3 / 4 4 / 4 Eating Well 1 / 4 2 / 4 3 / 4 4 / 4 Feeling connected 1 / 4 2 / 4 3 / 4 4 / 4 Body Kids' creationsThese are the Minecraft builds kids created when envisioning healthy spaces. Lorelei St John the Baptist School.Eating well Ahbi and Jeffrey Wastonia Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Giang and Laetitia Corpus Christi Primary SchoolBeing active, feeling connected Ada, Scarlett, Oscar and Elwood Corpus Cristi Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Luke, Elena, Gelila and Zane Corpus Cristi Primary SchoolBeing active, feeling connected Lucas Wastonia Primary SchoolFeeling connected Mikan and Thomas Wastonia Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Ryan, Jimmy and Harley Wastonia Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Leo and Jaxon Wastonia Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Tia, Ethan and Richard Corpus Christi Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Angeline, Christina and Harmony Corpus Christi Primary SchoolEating well, being active, feeling connected Lorelei Ahbi and Jeffrey Giang and Laetitia Ada, Scarlett, Oscar and Elwood Luke, Elena, Gelila and Zane Lucas Mikan and Thomas Ryan, Jimmy and Harley Leo and Jaxon Tia, Ethan and Richard Angeline, Christina and Harmony Body What's next for the Mission?This challenge provided a tool to engage kids in creative ways to help inform planning. In envisioning 'Kids Building Future Healthy' mission 2.0, we propose offering schools and organisations the flexibility to select their own priority health issue and setting. This could provide an engaging way for students to voice their views and help build healthy spaces that are a priority for their local community. For example, kids could be invited to help build a future healthy museum, school, sports club, canteen, library or market. Credits Body This project was developed in partnership with Future Healthy and the Faculty of Education, Monash University.Monash University Project TeamProject leadAssociate Professor Deana LeahyFaculty of Education TeamDr Jo BlanninAssociate Professor Laura AlfreyProfessor Ruth JeanesDr Rosie WelchDr Lisa YoungDr Chris GroveMohammad JokarMinecraft World Builder and Content CreatorStephen ElfordMinecraft Education and Game Design ConsultantDr Bron StuckeyInnovative Educational IdeasVideos and AnimationsArtificial StudiosJorge de AraujoSam OrchardWeb Design - Kids Building Future Healthy Hayden Doward Related content Kids Building Future Healthy Programs and projects 1 min read 17 Aug 2023 Reality Check: A Future Healthy initiative Programs and projects 1 min read 7 Jul 2023 Future Reset: Young People, Arts and Mental Wellbeing Programs and projects 5 min read 16 Feb 2023 Investments & partnerships Jump to Share Share Share Intro The Mission Kids' Research and Insights Kids' creations What's next? Credits
