Step 1: Punching Trees
Your first priority is wood. Walk to any tree, hold left-click to break the trunk. Collect 4-6 logs. Press E, convert each log to 4 planks in the 2x2 crafting grid. Craft sticks by placing 2 planks vertically.
Crafting Your First Tools
In your 2x2 crafting grid, make: Wooden Pickaxe (3 planks+2 sticks), Wooden Axe (3 planks+2 sticks), Wooden Sword (2 planks+1 stick). Prioritize the pickaxe — mine 3 cobblestone to upgrade to a stone pickaxe (2x faster, can mine iron).
Building a Temporary Shelter
Hostile mobs spawn at night. Three quick shelter options: 1) Dig into a hillside (3x3x2), block entrance with dirt. 2) Build a dirt box (4x4), leave 1x1 door. 3) Climb a tree and enclose with planks. Always place a torch inside (coal+stick).
Getting Food
Hunger is critical. Early food: kill pigs/cows/sheep for meat (cook in furnace), break grass for wheat seeds, find apples from oak leaves. Start a small wheat farm (hoe dirt, right-click seeds).
Mining for Resources
With a stone pickaxe, start staircase mining downward. Place torches every 5 blocks. Target: Coal (Y=96), Iron (Y=16), Copper (Y=48). Smelt iron ore into ingots — 3 iron+2 sticks = iron pickaxe. Now you can mine diamonds!
Day 1 Timeline Summary
First 2 min: 6 logs, planks, sticks, wooden pickaxe. 2-5 min: stone pickaxe. 5-10 min: 20+ coal, torches. 10-15 min: hunt/start wheat farm. 15-20 min (sunset): build shelter, torches. Night: smelt food/iron, plan Day 2.