Ah, the first night. You spawned in, punched a tree, wandered aimlessly, and now the sun is setting. You hear groaning. Something’s hissing. You’re unarmed, confused, and for some reason holding a flower.
Welcome to Minecraft.
Let’s turn that panic into a plan. Here’s how to make it through your first night without rage-quitting.
Step 1: Punch trees like it’s your job
Your first task? Wood. You’ll use it for literally everything, so don’t hold back.
- Find the nearest tree.
- Punch it until you get 10–12 logs.
- Open your inventory (E), turn those logs into planks.
- Use 4 planks to make a crafting table.
If you’re thinking “why am I doing manual labor in a video game?”—welcome to Minecraft.
Step 2: Make basic tools (but don’t get attached)
Use your crafting table to make:
- 1 wooden pickaxe
- Then mine some stone (gray blocks) nearby
- Upgrade to a stone pickaxe, axe, sword, and shovel
Wooden tools are basically disposable. Stone ones will keep you alive longer than 30 seconds.
Step 3: Find or make shelter ASAP
You’ve got maybe 10 minutes of daylight. If the sun’s low, stop everything and build.
Fast shelter options:
- Cave home – Dig 4 blocks into a cliff. Block the front.
- Dirt box – It’s ugly, but safe.
- Treehouse lite – Stack dirt, climb up, and chill in the air.
Bonus if you can slap a door and a few torches on it. You’ll feel like a genius.
Step 4: Light the place up
Mobs spawn in darkness. Keep your area bright.
- Find coal and make torches (coal + stick).
- Can’t find coal? Burn logs in a furnace to make charcoal.
Place torches inside and outside your shelter. Even the spooky cave behind you. Especially the spooky cave behind you.
Step 5: Avoid (or defeat) night horrors
At night, the world fills with enemies:
- Zombies – slow but annoying
- Skeletons – shoot arrows. Hide behind blocks.
- Spiders – climb walls. Great.
- Creepers – explode when close. Nightmares made of green pixels.
If you’re outside? Run. Jump into water. Dig a panic hole. Whatever it takes.
Want to skip the night entirely?
Craft a bed:
- Kill 3 sheep for wool (sorry, fluffy friends)
- Combine with 3 wood planks
Sleep before midnight and boom — night skips. No monsters. Just dreams.
Step 6: Prep for Day Two
Surviving the first night is a big deal. Once daylight hits, you’ve got breathing room. Use it to:
- Expand your base
- Gather food (meat, veggies, fish, whatever)
- Smelt ores and upgrade your gear
- Craft a chest to store your stuff (because yes, you will die again eventually)
Bonus survival tips
- Don’t dig straight down (lava is real).
- Always carry a sword or axe at night.
- Keep some blocks on your hotbar — you can use them to escape or build fast walls.
- Torches are your best friend. Put them everywhere.
Final thoughts: if you survived, you’re doing great
That first night? It’s the test. And if you made it through — or even came close — you’re officially a Minecraft player.
Next up? Farming, mining, maybe fighting the Ender Dragon. But for now? Breathe, step outside your cave, and enjoy that sweet sunrise.
Want a server where you and your friends can survive (and fail) together? We’ve got one with your name on it.
