I tried the iOS version a long time ago and moving/mining in that game annoyed me to no end. Is that something that significantly improved over time, or do you just don't mind it?

Clearly, based on the data, you are not outliers.

Do your kids frequently watch YouTube videos of the PC version and ask for Spongebob mod or this or that map?

My nephew is 8 and every time I visit he wants me to install some new minigame mod he has found on YouTube.