TL;DR: Grian is the gold standard of Minecraft YouTube. He’s a British creator known for incredible building skills, a "chaotic good" personality, and being a lead member of the massive Hermitcraft server. He is clean, highly creative, and one of the few creators whose content actually encourages kids to improve their own skills in Minecraft.
Quick Links:
- Grian on YouTube
- Minecraft
- Mumbo Jumbo (Grian's frequent collaborator)
- Guide to Hermitcraft
If your kid is into Minecraft, you’ve almost certainly heard a high-energy British voice coming from their tablet talking about "entity cramming" or "the back of the base." That’s Grian (pronounced Gree-an).
Grian started his career as a "building tutorial" guy. While most early Minecraft YouTubers were focused on fighting monsters or yelling at the camera, Grian was teaching kids about architectural depth, color palettes, and roof gradients. He eventually joined Hermitcraft, a private, invite-only "Survival Multiplayer" (SMP) server where a group of professional adult creators play together.
Today, he’s less about tutorials and more about storytelling. He’s the resident "instigator" of the server—the guy who starts elaborate pranks, accidental wars, and complex social games that keep millions of viewers hooked for months at a time.
Grian is the master of "Chaotic Good." He isn't a "griefer" (someone who destroys things just to be mean), but he is a prankster. He’ll steal all the doors in a 5,000-block radius or start a secret resistance movement against a fictional server government.
For kids, watching Grian feels like being part of an inside joke. His videos have high production value, fast-paced editing, and a genuine sense of friendship with the other "Hermits." It’s basically a long-running, block-based sitcom.
Beyond the pranks, there is the "wow" factor. Grian is a legitimate artist. When kids see him build a giant floating rift or a steampunk mansion, it inspires them to move past building "dirt huts" and actually engage with the creative side of the game.
Grian doesn't exist in a vacuum. He’s part of a community that is remarkably wholesome by internet standards. If your kid likes Grian, they are likely exploring these other creators too:
Grian’s best friend on the server. While Grian is the "architect," Mumbo is the "engineer." He builds complex machines using Redstone (Minecraft's version of electricity). Their "odd couple" dynamic—the artist and the engineer—is legendary.
Scar is known for his incredible landscaping and his relentless positivity. He has a physical disability and uses a wheelchair, and he is incredibly open and inspiring about his health journey without making it the sole focus of his channel. He and Grian often team up for "chaos."
For kids who love the "cottagecore" aesthetic or want to see high-level building from a female perspective, GeminiTay is a fantastic follow. She’s incredibly skilled and brings a calm, methodical energy to the server.
The queen of "armor stand art." She uses a specific mod to create detailed scenes using in-game statues. She has a sharp, witty sense of humor that older kids (and parents) tend to appreciate.
Occasionally, Grian hosts a limited-time series outside of Hermitcraft, like Third Life, Last Life, or Secret Life. These are high-stakes survival games where players have a limited number of lives. When they're on their last life, they "turn red" and are allowed to become hostile. It’s like The Hunger Games but with much more laughing and social maneuvering.
Recommended Ages: 7+
Grian’s content is exceptionally clean. He doesn't swear, he doesn't use "edgy" humor, and he doesn't engage in the toxic drama that plagues much of the YouTube gaming community.
- Language: Virtually non-existent. You might hear a "heck" or "bloody" (he is British, after all), but that’s the extent of it.
- Violence: It’s Minecraft. Characters "die" and respawn. In the "Life" series, there is more direct combat between players, but it’s always framed as a game between friends.
- Commercialism: Grian sells merch (hoodies, plushies), but he isn't pushy about it. He doesn't do the "HEY GUYS BUY MY STUFF" every thirty seconds.
1. The "Prank" Culture
Grian’s whole brand is built on pranking his friends. This is a great opening to talk to your kids about consent in digital spaces. Grian only pranks people he knows well, and there’s an unspoken rule on the server that you don't actually ruin someone’s day. It’s a good lesson in the difference between a "funny prank" (stealing someone's doors) and "bullying" (destroying someone's hard work).
2. The Time Sink
Hermitcraft "seasons" last for a year or more. Episodes usually drop once a week and run 20–40 minutes. Because the story is interconnected, kids often want to watch the same event from five different perspectives (Grian’s POV, Mumbo’s POV, Scar’s POV). It can lead to a lot of screen time if you aren't careful.
3. Brain Rot? Not Here.
In an era of Skibidi Toilet and low-effort "reaction" videos, Grian is actually "prestige TV" for kids. He spends 20+ hours building a single structure for a 20-minute video. He teaches spatial awareness, planning, and storytelling. If they're going to watch YouTube, this is about as high-quality as it gets.
Learn more about the difference between "Brain Rot" and quality content
If you want to blow your kid's mind at dinner, ask them these questions:
- "So, has Grian started any wars on Hermitcraft lately?"
- "What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen him build this season?"
- "Do you prefer Grian’s building style or Mumbo Jumbo’s redstone machines?"
- "Is he still refusing to finish the back of his base?" (This is a long-running joke in the community—he never finishes the back of his buildings).
Grian is a "safe" YouTuber. You don't have to worry about him saying something inappropriate or teaching your kids to be jerks. In fact, he’s likely to inspire them to spend their Minecraft time being more creative. He’s the kind of creator we actually like to see in the "Screenwise" ecosystem: someone who uses tech to build, create, and foster community rather than just mindlessly consume.
- Watch an episode with them: Pick a recent Hermitcraft episode. You’ll probably find the architecture genuinely impressive.
- Set boundaries on "POV hopping": If they want to watch the same event from multiple creators, maybe suggest they pick their top two favorites to save time.
- Encourage the "Grian Effect": If they’ve been watching him build, ask them to show you something they’ve built in their own world using one of his techniques.