Season four of Toolbox Tuesday is here! In this episode, I'll demonstrate how to make two kinds of geysers in Minecraft Education as well as showing you how to adjust the height of the geysers. You can catch the video on my YouTube channel here: youtu.be/DoXb8nq-B2A

How to make Geysers in Minecraft Education

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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In my latest blog, I'm spotlighting Chunker, one of the amazing free tools I use as a developer. Chunker is a Minecraft world converter, but has a few other cool functions as well! Come and read what Chunker can do! outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com/2026/09/spot...

Spotlight on Chunker

There is a long list of invaluable apps in my digital toolbelt that help make my job as a Minecraft Education developer A LOT easier.  I've ...

outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com

My last Minecraft Education Toolbox Tuesday episode for this season! Introducing the Redstone Repeater Lock! If you have idea's for Minecraft subjects you'd like me to cover in future episodes, drop your idea's in the comments! Watch the video here on my YouTube channel: youtu.be/OaUbsb9UQtQ

How to build a Redstone Repeater Lock

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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In my latest Minecraft Education Toolbox Tuesday video, I demonstrate how to create Redstone Hopper Clocks! Hopper clocks are the smallest of the redstone clocks, and quite possibly, the easiest to modify for longer cycles. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel at: youtu.be/f42kHk_vuA0

How to build Redstone Hopper Clocks in Minecraft Education

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

youtu.be

My latest newsletter is out! Big news this edition: CPD certification confirmed for two of our live trainings, a full academic year of Level 2 dates, and our new impact survey report. Plus research, books, and more. playmodeacademy.org/resources-an...

May-June 2026 Newsletter — Playmode Academy

This edition has some big news - CPD certification confirmed for our live courses: Level 2 in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool and Using Creative Digital Tools Therapeutically, a full academic ye...

playmodeacademy.org

I did a short video tour of my oldest remaining Minecraft world built back between 2013 and 2016. It's interesting to see how my build styles and techniques have changed, a reminder that the Minecraft learning journey never ends! Watch the video here: youtube.com/shorts/DMgVt...

My Old Survival World

This video tour shows some of my earliest survival and creative builds from 2013-2016. Unfortunately, most of my earliest crafting was done on a Java server and no longer exists.

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Avoid tears in the classroom, and encourage your students to back up their Minecraft work! My latest blog details everything you need to know about the process! outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com/2026/04/back...

Backup, Backup, Backup! Learn to Export your worlds and save the tears!

No one ever wants to see their students in tears when the Minecraft project that they've poured countless hours of passion, creativity and h...

outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com

A day out adventuring in the Lake District in England getting Minecraft Education ideas (while sporting my ever fashionable Minecraft cap!)

In my latest Minecraft Education Toolbox Tuesday video, I demonstrate how to create a automated, randomized jukebox using redstone and command blocks. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel at: youtu.be/MBJ42fyXgIE

One of my recent build projects... see a bicycle tour of a Minecraft Education town in my video: youtu.be/8HjHkRVh5PM

A Bicycle Tour through a Minecraft Town

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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Fairly frequently there are queries about using mods, packs or addons with Minecraft Education. All the relevant information, warnings and questions answered, plus some handy links to explore are in my latest blog posting! outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com/2026/04/what...

What are Minecraft Mods, packs or addons?

The question about the use of addons, mods or packs comes up frequently for Minecraft Education. If you have students and use Minecraft, I e...

outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com

Many years ago when the Artemis program was just started, I created a realistic Lunar build experience called "Moonbase Shackleton" in Minecraft. As we have a lot of exciting Artemis news currently, I thought I'd share my short trailer for it. You can view it here: youtu.be/y7vM-KAWMu4

Moonbase Shackleton: A Lunar Experience for Minecraft

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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It's Toolbox Tuesday! In this episode, I'll demonstrate a cool wee tool in Blockbench that creates GIFs of your Minecraft Education models! You can watch the video here on my YouTube channel: youtu.be/Lk9Lo9U-3mg

Creating GIFs in Blockbench

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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Next on my London excursion (all my trips turn into Minecraft Education research trips), two of my biggest passions meet in one place! Had a great chat with a staff member about Minecraft Education in the official shop (who was very curious about my hat!) Guesses as to where Chicken & I might be?

On a little Minecraft Education expedition. Guess where Chicken and I are!

Minecrafting without Minecraft?! My latest blog dives into some suggested classroom activities when your tech is being uncooperative: outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com/2026/03/mine... Have some suggestions of your own? I would love to hear them!

Minecrafting without Minecraft: A Teacher's Survival Kit

Tech is going to tech. It's the creeping nightmare that keeps us all awake at night: "Will we be able to do the techy thing tomorrow as plan...

outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com

Catch my latest Minecraft Education Toolbox Tuesday tutorial: Introducing Particle Effects. In this video, I'll show you how to use particle effects commands with command blocks to add "wow" factor to your builds! You can view the video on my YouTube channel, here: youtu.be/T7YwLDxT3bA

Introduction to using Minecraft Particle Effects

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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In my latest Toolbox Tuesday video for the Minecraft Education Teacher's Lounge on Facebook, I'll show you how to detect when an item is placed in an item frame! Thanks to Nico Chiari for inspiring me to make this one. You can watch the video here on my YouTube channel: youtu.be/EtENt3wEZzk

How to detect items in item frames!

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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A flyable biplane you can pilot! Created in Blockbench for @elliefinch.bsky.social Sandtray Minecraft world. You can see it in action here: youtube.com/shorts/YDaxA...

BETT London 2026! I'm looking forward to volunteering and hanging out at the Minecraft Education booth again at BETT 2026, sharing my passion for all things Minecraft Education! If you're at the conference, do stop by to say "hello"!

A nice drivable yellow truck for @elliefinch.bsky.social Minecraft Education Sandtray World. You can read more about these creations and the inspiration behind them at my blog: outsidetheblokz.blogspot.com

Armour stands in various sizes, retextured and remodeled as figurines for @elliefinch.bsky.social @minecraftedu.bsky.social Sandtray World. Great for expressing feelings without the need for words!

My latest episode of Toolbox Tuesday from the Minecraft Education Teachers' Lounge on Facebook is out! I'll show you how to pair compasses and loadstone as well as tag and duplicate for easy identification & sharing in multiplayer! Watch the video on my YouTube channel: youtu.be/KBPWSjOUWmU

How to use Lodestone & Compass in your Minecraft experiences

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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A custom Blockbench artifact to make your Minecraft classroom complete! @elliefinch.bsky.social #PlaymodeAcademy #MinecraftEducation

A 1970s Vauxhall Valiant inspired Minecraft drivable car in British racing car green. It also comes equipped with a radio/8-track deck! Developed for Playmode Academy's Sandtray Therapy World. @elliefinch.bsky.social #PlaymodeAcademy #MinecraftEducation

It's time for October's Toolbox Tuesday! In Part 3 of my series on preparing for classroom multiplayer experiences from the Facebook Minecraft Education Teacher's Lounge, I'll demonstrate using commands to ban items and how to use tags to apply these bans effectively. youtu.be/Mz5Sto384YM

Preparing for Classroom Multiplayer Experience - Part 3: Creating Tags and Banning Items

YouTube video by Outsidetheblocks

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A little Halloween themed Blockbench/Minecraft build fun!

Two types of old style school desks I created that appear in @elliefinch.bsky.social Sandtray Therapy World. #MinecraftEducation #Blockbench #Outsidetheblocks elliefinch.co.uk/training/playmode-academy

A rideable bicycle (modeled on my very own bike) I created for @elliefinch.bsky.social Sandtray Therapy World. #MinecraftEducation #Blockbench #Outsidetheblocks elliefinch.co.uk/training/playmode-academy

A drivable tractor I created for @elliefinch.bsky.social Sandtray Therapy world. #MinecraftEducation #Blockbench #Outsidetheblocks elliefinch.co.uk/training/playmode-academy