Studying Lighthouses with Minecraft

My daughter sent me a beautiful picture today. It was a picture of a lighthouse. One she built using Minecraft. It gave me the idea to have my children start Studying Lighthouses, using their love of Minecraft as a springboard.

I have a particular fondness for lighthouses. Perhaps it is because of the old song my grandma Mimmie used to sing called “Jesus is the Lighthouse.”

Or it might be because lighthouses are just an amazing analogy for Christians. Jesus is the ultimate lighthouse, and yet we are all called to be lighthouses ourselves. Harbingers of danger and light in a fallen world. Here’s another great (more modern) song called “The Lighthouse” by Rend Collective.

In either case, lighthouses speak to me in a way that few other types of architecture do, and I was excited to share that with my kids.

Related: Teaching with Minecraft is a great way to get your kids excited about learning. It meets them at one of their passions and builds on that passion to introduce information, ideas, and abstract thought. After you finish reading this post, check out Free Minecraft Printables and Ideas for Learning.

How to Study Lighthouses with Minecraft

To start your study of lighthouses, have your children read this book about the architecture and function of lighthouses. Then, assign each child this crafting adventure.

Build a lighthouse near the shore. Experiment with ways to magnify the light and maintain visibility from a distance.

1) Discuss (or write about) the differences between your lighthouse and an actual, live lighthouse.

2) Discuss (or write about) the similarities between how your lighthouse functions in Minecraft and how you can live as a light for Christ.

3) Discuss (or write about) the architecture of your lighthouse.