ExperienceCraft, now closed, was a world in Minecraft built with and for grieving kids!
In the Summer of 2022, Experience Camps piloted the first virtual world for grieving kids in Minecraft with our program partner, game developers and experts, Connected Camps. ExperienceCraft–geared to kids ages 11 to 16–included a custom Minecraft server as well as an affiliated Discord server (which allowed for voice chat and social connection outside of Minecraft).
*As of November 17, 2024, the ExperienceCraft server is permanently closed. We enjoyed over 1,000 hours of play and creation in this space, made new friends, and explored a virtual world where grief is spoken, supported, and understood. For more opportunities for teens to connect virtually, check out the GRIEF SUCKS and gaming communities at www.connectedcamps.org.
NAMED FINALIST FOR 2023 FAST COMPANY’S “INNOVATION BY DESIGN” AWARD FOR APPS & GAMES CATEGORY.
What Experience Craft entailed
The server was organized into three distinct “Worlds” (Creative, Survival and Minigames), each offering various organized activities and areas for free play. In the Creative World, for example, there was a Memorial Garden for celebration and reflection. Participants could also visit “Zen spaces” for de-escalation, private conversations or alone time, or visit the “Resort” for moderated conflict-resolution. College-age counselors from Connected Camps, along with trained volunteers, moderated on the servers.
Read more about ExperienceCraft on Mashable and Tech and Learning magazine.
Featured in
