To think the new Blue Peter competition is bonkers?

[Blackberryjammin]

Firstly, your child needs a Minecraft education account which parents cannot sign up for, you need a school to sign up for it and then the issue your child with login details.

Secondly, they have launched this computer based competition at the end of the summer holidays jut before we go back to school for a new term when most parents will be trying to reduce screen time and get kids to focus on things like homework.

I am a annoyed as my youngest is now in tears because I cannot download the right sort of minecraft and suggested they just did a design on paper. Blue Peter have convinced them they are going to create some sort of magical world in Minecraft that is currently totally inaccessible to us.

YABU - There is nothing wrong with what Blue Peter have done

YANBU - Primary schools are not going to be wasting time signing up to Minecraft education at the start, and will be irritated by parents emailing in asking. Blue Peter should have made it more easily accessible!

P.S. Name changed incase anyone at my child's school works here and has just received my email.

I totally agree. I couldn’t believe it when I looked into the details and realised that individuals cannot enter the competition online. As you say, we are now in the position where we will have to approach our school and ask if they will be be participating in this competition.
To ask my Minecraft mad eight year old to draw his entry is laughable; he was so excited when he watched Blue Peter and the competition was announced.

I don't have kids who watch Blue Peter but even I know that's bonkers! Loads of kids don't have access to the Minecraft education edition, what about home educated kids or kids in special schools for starters?

Totally nuts, uninclusive, and badly thought through.

YANBU. Is there also a cost to the school for using Minecraft Education edition? If so I can't see many schools signing up, as budgets are already at breaking point.

I had several discussions arguments with DD at the weekend, because she wants to enter all Blue Peter competitions, but she’s never even played Minecraft, so I have been silently cursing BP. I didn’t even realise some special type of account was needed.

What about home schooled children? Are they excluded?

it's a long way from the advent candle holder made from tinsel and coathangers...

I think YABU to not realise all competitions are actually to sell something and the prizes are sponsored by minecraft! So they are doing it to promote schools signing up, i.e. spend money.

Its a great lesson in marketing for kids...why do competitions exist....?!

I totally agree with you! My son was upset too as I don’t let him play minecraft or games like that. It’s a waste of time doing a comp like this at the beginning of term, why couldn’t it be more craft based or outdoorsy before the bad weather.

Not something they prepared earlier, no sticky back plastic.

YANBU to think this is ill-timed and not really in the spirit of Blue Peter as most of us know it.

It's a BBC based competition. Merchandising should not be a possibility.

Lol 😂 was just thinking that and sending a stamped addressed envelope to postal box etc

Agree it needs to be something people can join in with easily

Not sure about your area but any pupil that has educational access to Microsoft has by default access to Minecraft Education.

So children without access to a computer for private use cannot take part, or those whose schools struggle to fund extras? A lot of children near us wouldn’t be able to enter for those reasons. A lot of the wealthier parents would have issues because they don’t let their children play computer games (based on those families at DDs school). Blue Peter used to be rather less discriminatory against children from poorer families!

My little one was very keen to enter this competition and I investigated online to find out how to enter and what you need.

A few points which have not been mentioned:
You do not need an education account, any version of Minecraft can be used.
Individuals can enter.
Individuals without a computer or without access to Minecraft can enter on paper (although must be emailed in).

All in all, I was very impressed with the competition, the values and creativeness it is trying to promote and the inclusiveness of allowing everyone to enter, whether with access to the software or not.

There is an excellent page on the CBBC/Blue Peter website about all of this which looks like a lot of people commenting here may not have read/watched.

I admit, there is no postal entry so a computer is required at some point in the process to enter (drawings need to be scanned in). However these facilities are available on most peoples smart phones or local library nowadays.

I think the point has been missed as to what this competition is about or what it is trying to achieve. It's certainly not promoting Minecraft as such, Minecraft is not required to enter!

Anybody can buy minecraft education edition now (I have). It's about £5 per year through schools and £12 per year for anybody else.