Made by a grandfather, tested with his grandkids.

The first project, Sword Makers, grew out of a question from Minecraft-loving grandkids: "Can we make our own sword?" The answer turned out to be yes, with free tools, a test world, and about thirty minutes at a time.

Every step in the book was tried first by the grandparent alone, then done for real with the grandkids. Their questions, mistakes and best moments shaped every page: the jobs for kids of different ages, the "If something went wrong" tables, and the questions to talk over afterwards.

What makes these projects different

• Written for the grown-up, not just the kid. You don't need to know anything about computers or code.
• Short sessions, with a clear place to stop while it's still fun.
• Real results: something the kids designed, that really works, and that they can show off.

Privacy

This site doesn't use cookies or track visitors. The idea box asks only for the idea; a grandkid's age and your email are optional, and we never share them. The children who tested the projects aren't named or pictured anywhere.