The Educational Potentials of Digital Games for Cultivation of Abstract Thinking in Children: a conceptual-phenomenological analysis of ‘Minecraft’

This paper adopts a conceptual–phenomenological approach to examine Minecraft’s potential to foster abstract thinking in children. Drawing on Piaget’s cognitive development theory, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, Dewey’s philosophy of experience, and Gadamer’s hermeneutics of play, it integrates conceptual analysis of in-game structures such as three-dimensional blocks, Redstone circuits, spatial relations, symbolism, and metaphor with a phenomenological exploration of children lived gameplay experiences. Fourteen key components of abstract thinking are identified, including spatial visualization, symbolic and logical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, analogy, systems thinking, planning, imagination, and metacognitive reflection. Empirically, the study is supported by interviews and participant observations with ۲۵ children aged ۱۰–۱۲ over five weeks. The findings indicate that Minecraft’s iterative processes of building, testing, and redesign, together with collaborative interaction and low-risk experimentation, enhance spatial and logical skills while promoting higher-order thinking, symbolic understanding, and early forms of theorization. The game’s multimodal environment further supports visual meaning-making, pattern recognition, and self-regulation. Overall, Minecraft is presented not merely as a space for play, but as a philosophically and educationally significant medium that contributes to the development of conceptual thinking and offers a model for rethinking learning environments in contemporary education.

Keywords:

Minecraft , Abstract Thinking , Interactive Digital Games , Conceptual–Phenomenological Analysis , Philosophy of Educatio