Not the first game they've have trouble with.
As for "surviving in Minecraft" - Beyond the first night basics (gather wood, stone, some food) it's just about finding the right place to set up and if it's going to be a pain doing so in an area you've picked - modded or not. Resources, traders, near a village if you want. Biome choice, etc. I tend to leave the diamond and redstone gathering until I've built up a bit of an equipment surplus to use to go get them in the first place.
Always carry a water bucket.
Finding a village early and using it as a staging area tends to help early on, plus there tends to be a golem or two in some of them, which helps if you're using a cave/mine entrance nearby and get back late. Doesn't mean you won't get caught out at times...
Creeper and a zombie stole my boat. Only got out to grab stuff from a chest at a wrecked nether portal nearby. Pic from my return home journey in my new boat.
Spending the first bit of this run beach front for once.