By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
BBC Earth and Minecraft Education are digging into a new interactive classroom experience called Building With Dinosaurs.
The global educational initiative lets students step into the muddy boots of paleontologists and bring prehistoric creatures to life in true Minecraft style: block by block.
The launch coincides with the 2025 return of the BBC’s acclaimed series Walking With Dinosaurs, which first aired over 25 years ago. The build challenge invites students to explore the world of dinosaurs through creative gameplay inspired by the latest paleontological science and discoveries.
In the game, players excavate layers of virtual sand and soil to uncover “dino-blocks,” which are Minecraft elements representing skin, teeth, eyes, and more. These are then used to reconstruct lifelike models of three dinosaurs featured in the series: Spinosaurus, Lusotitan, and Triceratops.
Each build is guided by detailed virtual skeletons and supported by a downloadable fact sheet that includes size, habitat, diet, and other key information to help students create accurate representations.
“We’re proud to team up with Minecraft Education to give children around the world the chance to interact with iconic dino characters inspired by Walking With Dinosaurs,” said Kirsty Wilson, Showrunner for the BBC series. “This interactive classroom gaming experience lets students step into the world of dinosaurs in a fun and engaging way, learning how these incredible creatures lived and ruled the Earth millions of years ago.”
Once their prehistoric creations are complete, students can place their dinosaurs into immersive virtual environments and snap a digital “photo” to document their work, adding a dose of fun to the fossil record.
Justin Edwards, Director of Learning Experience at Minecraft Education, said the new challenge helps bring STEM education to life.
“This world, created in partnership with the BBC Studios Walking With Dinosaurs team, brings STEM skills into classrooms by creating a deeper connection with the world of palaeontology and natural history,” Edwards said. “We know that dinosaur fans are going to love it!”
Building With Dinosaurs builds on previous collaborations between BBC Earth and Minecraft Education, following the success of Planet Earth III and Frozen Planet II Minecraft Worlds. All these initiatives use Minecraft’s creative, block-based environment to teach science through exploration, creativity, and problem-solving.
The new world is now available to schools around the globe as of June 24, and aligns with global curriculum standards in science and history.
Walking With Dinosaurs is currently streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK and PBS platforms in the United States.