11 Family-Friendly Minecraft Servers Where Your Kid Can Play Safely Online

If your child has played Minecraft with their family, or with other family members, they will likely want to play online with other players.

Minecraft on a shared server can make the game more fun. For one thing, there's a new community of like-minded players to make friends with and collaborate with. This will help your child develop social skills such as cooperation, compromise, and problem-solving.

In addition, most servers feature huge, prebuilt worlds, with amazing cities and buildings, transport networks, and mini-games for your kid to explore and enjoy.

Server plugins are used to extend Minecraft. These plugins allow for many additional gameplay features such as money systems, jobs and role-playing elements. These features can be added by any Minecraft server.

You might be thinking: Isn't this all great, but aren’t public servers dangerous for my kid? How will I know if they're safe from bullying, bad language and online predators if they go on a server?

Of course, no public server is 100 percent safe, but there are some fantastic Minecraft servers out there that cater especially to kids and families. Minecraft Realms allows you to set up a private Minecraft server for your child and close friends.

This guide will highlight eleven of best Minecraft servers that are family-friendly. You'll also learn a bit more about how Minecraft servers work, and how to connect to these servers and start playing online.

This guide is only compatible with the PC/Mac Minecraft. While there are some servers for Pocket Edition and Xbox Minecraft that are more suitable for families, the majority of servers work with both the PC/Mac and Mac versions.

So let's dive in to the world of online, family friendly Minecraft! We'll start by looking at some important concepts related to public Minecraft servers.

The key concepts of a server you should know

Before you join a public server, here are some key terms and concepts to be aware of:

Servers vs. worlds: Usually, a single public Minecraft server has several worlds that you can jump between. There may be a main survival world, a world in creative mode, and perhaps a third world for mini games. Usually, there is a central hub, or lobby, which allows you to teleport between the different universes. PvP and PvE: PvP stands for "player vs. player", while PvE stands for "player vs. environment". Most public servers, particularly those that are family-friendly, offer PvE. You fight monsters, not other players. However, some servers have special PvP arenas where you can fight other players. You don't usually lose all your stuff if you die in a pvp arena. It's for fun. Spawn: Your player will usually spawn (or start) at a specific point in the world. This is commonly referred to as "spawn". This is typically located in, near, or in a central area of a city or other public place. To return to your spawn location, you can typically type the command /spawn. Rules: Nearly all servers have rules regarding what you can and can't do. As you would expect, family-friendly servers will have a lot of strict rules. Read all rules carefully. (When you join servers, you will be required to read all the rules. You can be banned temporarily, or even permanently, if you don't comply with the rules. Griefing and grief protection are two major problems on public servers. This is when you destroy other players' buildings or steal their stuff. Many - but not all - servers use various plugins to stop griefing. These plugins allow for you to lock your doors, chests, furnaces, and doors. You can also claim a parcel of land as yours - this means that no one can make or break blocks within your claim. Griefing is forbidden by the server rules. Those who grieve are warned and then banned. Most server administrators can "roll back" your building to its original state before it was griefed. Text chat: Minecraft's text chat (the "T" key) is the default way your child can communicate with other players. Chat can be either public or private, which is one-to-one. Your child will need to have some reading ability in order to chat. However, you can still help them with online chat. Most family-friendly servers employ automatic filtering for preventing swearing in text chat. Remember to remind your child that online chat is not safe. Voice chat: Some servers link up with voice chat servers such as Mumble, TeamSpeak or Ventrilo to enable players to speak with each other while playing. If you allow your kid to use voice chat then obviously you want to be careful about who they're talking to, and what they're talking about! Server commands: In order to get the most from online gaming, you will need to give different commands to the server. To issue a command, press the / (slash), followed by the command name, and sometimes additional text. For example, /sethome typically sets your home point to where you're currently standing, while /home teleports you to your home point. The commands vary from server to server, but you'll soon get the hang of them. Mods: If mods have been added to your Minecraft client you need to be careful when connecting. Most servers ban all mods, including those that allow you cheat. OptiFine mods, which make your game run more smoothly, are usually okay.

How to join an server

Joining a public Minecraft server is very easy. Just open the Minecraft launcher and click Play to run the main Minecraft game. Once you get to the main title screen, click on Multiplayer and then click the Add Server link to add the server.

Now type a name for the server in the Server Name box, then type the server address in the Server Address box. Typically this will be a domain name, such as mc.intercraften.org, or an IP address, such as 1.2.3.4. Click Done to add this server to your server collection.

Click Add Server and enter your server details. You can then connect to the server with the Join Server button.

It's as easy as clicking on a server to connect to it from the list.

Let's now examine a few issues that might arise when joining a server.

You can divide public Minecraft servers into two types:

Whitelisted servers are protected with a whitelist, which is a list that allows users to join the server. To join a whitelisted Minecraft server, you will need to apply to be added to the whitelist. This typically involves filling in a form and then waiting a few hours to receive your approval. Most servers require you to put in separate applications for yourself and for your kid. Once you are on the whitelist you can join the server in the same way as before. Non-whitelisted servers don't have a whitelist. This means that anyone can join the server by simply entering the address in their Minecraft client.

Although it can be frustrating to apply for a whitelisted account, it is possible to have your server administrator know all the players.

Versions for client and server

One thing to watch out for when joining a server is making sure the version number of your Minecraft client (game) matches the version number of the server. Generally speaking, the versions have to match, or you won't be able to connect.

Minecraft 1.7.9 is the current version. However, many servers are still running 1.7.2 or 1.6.4. Sometimes, the server's site will tell you what version they have. However, sometimes it is best to test it and see. If you get an error message using the 1.7.9 clients, you can try the 1.7.2 version instead.

Fortunately it's easy to switch to different versions of the Minecraft client. In the Minecraft launcher, you can click New Profile to create different profiles that use any Minecraft version you like. Simply select the profile you wish, from the drop-down list, and then click Play.

It's easy to set up the Minecraft launcher with profiles for different versions. Here are two profiles that I have created: one for 1.7.2, and one for 1.7.9. OptiFine is a mod that speeds up Minecraft. The "Use version" dropdown in the topmost window lets you choose the version.

The list below contains family-friendly servers

Now that you know the basics of playing online with Minecraft, here are 11 excellent Minecraft servers for you and your kid to play on.

I have personally played on all of these servers. They are not listed in any particular order. I think they all are very good and each one is suitable and welcoming for parents, grandparents, and kids alike.

You'll discover that each server has a unique "feel", so you might want to explore a few different ones to find the one that feels right for your needs.

Cubeville is an excellent server that's family-friendly. You don’t have to apply for membership – just enter cubeville.org to your Minecraft client. The server is well managed and has a clear list. It also has a thorough tutorial when you first join.

Cubeville is a huge world with a big city and many smaller towns scattered across the map.

Cubeville also features a neat money system with quests to earn cash; clever automated shops; and a great transport network. It also offers land and chest protection, so you can claim your little corner of Cubeville.

Update 14 April 2019 - Towncraft has now been shut down. Towncraft staff established Ohanacraft as a family-friendly server. It still adheres strictly to Towncraft's guiding principles.

Updated 10 August 2020: Towncraft is now back online! It uses the same rules (and has the same server name) as before. Yay!

Towncraft isn’t whitelisted. Anyone can join. All you have to do is enter play.towncraft.us directly into your Minecraft client. It also hosts a TeamSpeak server, which allows for voice chat. You can find its IP address on the Towncraft Website.

What I like about Towncraft is that, rather than just being a standard world to explore and build in, it has a bit of a narrative going on. You and your friends can rebuild the world after a meteor destroyed it. At the start of the game, you pick a trade, such as hunter, farmer, blacksmith or merchant, then as you improve your skills in that trade over time, you unlock new abilities.

Towncraft doesn't tend to get too busy, making for a relaxed crafting experience. There are children and parents on the server. People are generally friendly and helpful.

The server uses Zombie Apocalypse to randomly make a bunch of zombies appear around players at night. These zombies must be defeated in order to receive a reward. Although younger players may be a bit scared, it's a lot of fun for older children.

Towncraft uses Grief Prevention to protect your home and contents from being grieved by other players.

Kolgrath is the Towncraft admin and has created a player guide and a parent's guide to Towncraft. Both are well worth reading.

Intercraften is a very popular family-friendly Minecraft server. It is well-planned and has very helpful moderators who are great at solving problems and looking after all parties, kids and parents.

The server is whitelisted. You will need to fill out the easy application form to join.

Intercraften is a large server that hosts many worlds. It includes New Survival (the current mainworld), a CTF world (Capture the Flag), a peaceful world and a creative world. There are also mining worlds.

The server has a money system as well as jobs (such as fisherman and brewer) that you can perform to earn coins. You can use the cash to buy stuff in shops, and also to claim chunks of land so that others can't grief your builds. If you are griefed, the moderators will set everything back up again and ban the offender.

Apart from the usual server commands such as /spawn and /sethome, you can also use Intercraften Menu (given to you free of charge when you join) in order to pick jobs, execute commands, and play mini-games.

The Sandlot is a whitelisted, family-friendly Minecraft server that's been running since December 2011. It's run by a former teacher, and has a good set rules and filters to prevent any abusive behavior.

The Sandlot offers a balanced selection of worlds. This is what I love about it. Semi-Vanilla Survival is a very similar Minecraft world to the standard, but with Grief Prevention and a virtual currency system tied to gold ingots so players can set up shops.

Easy Survival is a wonderful world for younger children. Semi-Vanilla Survival could be called Scrabble. This is Junior Scramble. Instead of spending hours looking for resources and items, children can choose to work in agriculture to earn money. Then they can spend the money in a large mall at the centre. This allows for a more relaxed and easy gameplay. This is a great idea.

The Sandlot also includes a Creative World, as well as a number of PvP Game Worlds such as hunger games (based loosely off the movies and books), spleef and others. There's also a skyblock world (a world with floating islands and lots of challenges).

The Lobby allows you to access all of these worlds. This building is based on Hogwarts, the Harry Potter series. This, along with many other Sandlot worlds are beautifully designed and create a fun, welcoming environment.

CrazyPig is a small family-friendly Minecraft server with a great community. It was originally set up by a UK father for his son. However, it is now open to everyone. It is not whitelisted. To join, add play.crazypig.net in your Minecraft client.

CrazyPig uses the "belt" system for ranking players based upon how long they have played on the server. As you spend more time playing on the server, you automatically get belts of a higher rank which gives you access to certain worlds and more "homes" to which you can set and warp.

There's also an exchange system and a virtual marketplace where players can sell and buy items.

CrazyPig has several interconnected worlds, as with most servers. From the lobby, you have the option to choose a world to warp. There's the Main World where you'll build your house and spend most of your time; a Creative World (you need to be Green Belt or higher to access it); a Games World with a giant chess set; and an Extra Hard world if you're feeling brave!

CrazyPig is not whitelisted but has a friendly, supportive community and uses the Grief Prevention plugin. This plugin stops players from grieving. It also has excellent automatic language filters to prevent swearing.

CrazyPig's concept of regions is quite novel. The main world is automatically divided into areas. You can join and be added to the new region. But you can also warp between regions. This ensures that each area of the world doesn't get overcrowded. Although it can be confusing at first, once you get used to it, it is a very effective system.

minecraft servers list

CrazyPig is a great server if you're looking for a good community, not too many rules, and freedom to build and have fun.

Addstar

Addstar is an active server in Australia that is child-friendly. It is not whitelisted, so anyone can join. However, it is moderated and includes LWC protection (for locking stuff) and Grief Prevention(for claiming land so it cannot be grieved).

Addstar follows the familiar format of a central spawn town, with warps that take you off to other worlds. There are several portals into a fairly standard survival world, as well as a portal to a creative world with tons of amazing creations (only donators to the server can build here).

You'll also find warps for tons of mini-games in the spawn town, including BlockHunt (a maze), parkour, CTF, capture the flag), survival games and Connect 4, checkers, and chess!

There's always a lot happening on the Addstar server, and - apart from a brief intro - you're pretty much thrown in at the deep end, so this server is probably better for older kids, or those who already know Minecraft and Minecraft servers well. The staff is always friendly and helpful.

MineSquish, a whitelisted server, has a strict application process. Register on the forums, create an account, and then you can apply. Only then can you apply to be whitelisted. An exception is made if you're applying on behalf of your kid and they're too young to post on the forums. In this instance, you will only need to post an introduction and show that your child has read the rules.

This long-winded whitelisting process is combined with strict server rules to ensure that players are well vetted before playing. It also fosters a strong community spirit.

The MineSquish server is very family-friendly and has all sorts of features to make the game safe to play for youngsters, including a monster-free spawn (starting) town, a rail and road system to make it easy to get around and avoid getting lost, carefully managed towns, and lockable chests, doors and furnaces.

The server does not have anti-griefing protection. This means that your build can be destroyed by other players. However, players are generally well behaved in the MineSquish Community and the server admins do a good job of catching griefers so griefing does not tend to be a major problem.

There are many worlds that you can explore.

Here is a good MineSquish starter guide for parents and young kids.

SafeCraft

SafeCraft - formerly Win Family Survival - is a small but growing family-friendly server built by a dedicated team of parents and kids in the UK. It employs strict filtering and whitelisting to create a child-friendly server that allows players of all abilities to help each other. Moderators are especially open to helping children with ADHD and those on the autistic spectrum.

The server is lively and fun with a bright main lobby (see screenshot).

You can reach the lobby from a standard survival realm (grief protection is available); the SafeCraft universe (no hostile mammas - great to little kids); a world that allows resource gathering; and a lot of great mini-games, such as Block Hunt and Skyblock. The lobby also contains a few spleef areas.

Overall, this is a good server for kids who prefer to play in a safe, welcoming environment with a close-knit community.

Blocklandia is a family-friendly whitelisted server. Some players are as young at 4 years old! The moderators are extremely helpful and will give you a tour of the server when you first sign up. They may even offer to help you build your first house!

The spawn (starting area) is themed as a large shipyard. Each ship will take you to a different country. Mainland is the main survival world, while Peaceful is a safer mode with no hostile mobs or fall damage. You can also reach the Creative world via a hot air balloon.

Blocklandia's money system is based on "shillings". There are many jobs that can be done with shillings: weaponsmith, diggers, builders, sorcerers, alchemists, and even pirate.

The enormous library is an excellent addition to the shipyard. You can write a book and add it to the library, as well as read other people's books.

The server does not allow you to claim land in the survival realms. However, it does use LWC plugin, which allows you to lock chests, doors and furnaces. There are also very clear rules that you must read when you connect. Things like fire and TNT are generally prohibited. The moderators are excellent at resolving griefing issues.

Blocklandia can be a great choice if your child is new to Minecraft and wants to find a friendly, supportive community.

Famcraft was started by parents who wanted to ensure that their children had a safe place online to play Minecraft. It has been around for a while and has developed a strong community of players, aged from 5 to77!

Famcraft is not whitelisted - just add survival.famcraft.com to your Minecraft client, and away you go. One of the friendly staff members will likely offer you a tour when you first sign up. There are usually at least a couple of staff online at any given moment.

The main survival server is large and has many great features. The main spawning area is a beautiful wooded seaside village. Stargates (warps), which link off to various locations, can be found in the main spawn area. There are six randomly changing warps that lead to wilderness, where you can mine or build, free farms for resources, cities to explore and a carnival. You also have the option of playing PvP and mazes. There are many plugins available that allow you create cool stuff using signs and redstone such as lifts and drawbridges, iron gate, and hidden areas.

Famcraft includes more than the usual server elements such as a currency and jobs system and grief prevention using LWC and PreciousStones. Famcraft also has some unique touches that give it a community feel.

For example, you can join a lot of clans to collaborate on projects. You also have a lot of huge player statues to show your appreciation for players who help on the server.

Server staff also stream Mixlr-friendly music regularly, which really adds to the fun factor. They even host dance parties in the most amazing dance area in the world!

Famcraft has an Mumble server that players can use for voice chat while they are playing. A #famcraft IRC channel allows players to chat even when they aren't playing the game. All IRC chat also appears in the regular Minecraft in-game chat window.

As well as the main survival world, there's also a world that uses the FTB (FeedTheBeast) modpack for extra fun and games.

Famcraft staff is friendly, helpful, and polite. They do everything to ensure that everyone has fun and is safe.

YAMS

YAMS - Yet Another Minecraft Server - is a small family-friendly server run by a dedicated team in the UK. It uses whitelisting; to apply for the whitelist, first register for the forums, then post a whitelist request in the "Introduce and Whitelist Yourself" forum.

What I love about YAMS is how realistic the world has been created. There is a central spawn city with a large shopping center, as well as four satellite towns that can be reached via a wide transport network. Each satellite town has a unique feel and its own building code. In one town, the buildings are made of cobblestone. In another, they have wooden buildings. To build in a town you must first show that you can build a nice building within the spawn area.

There are plenty of sightseeing opportunities around the land. You will also find many hidden treasures throughout the map.

YAMS does not have chest locking or grief protection; however the server has a close-knit community and a strict set of rules that help to keep things running along nicely. Any items that have been stolen or grieved can be restored by the server administrator.

This server is for kids who enjoy playing in a team environment.

Have fun!

I hope you've found this guide to family-friendly Minecraft servers useful, and that you find a great server that you and your kid can enjoy. You might even meet me on one of these servers!