Context · Games
Minecraft is one of the calmest, most creative games your younger kid can play, right up until they join a public server. Building alone or playing with real friends is great. Open servers add chat and strangers, and that is where the worry starts.
Why this matters for your kid
The game itself is genuinely good for kids. The line that matters is single-player or a private world with friends they know, which is safe, versus a big public server, where in-game chat opens the door to people you do not know and the occasional scam or mean streak.
What your child experiences
Mostly they want to build and mess around with school friends, which is exactly the good version. The pull toward big public servers is social, that is where the random players, the open chat, and the "add me" requests from strangers show up.
What to watch for
Know whether your kid is on single-player, a private world, or a public server. You can turn off chat and multiplayer in the settings, and a private server with just their real friends is the sweet spot, all the building and their actual friends, none of the strangers.