A Beginner’s Guide to Roblox

If you’ve got a tween or teen, you’ve likely heard them talk about Roblox. It’s been around since 2009, making it one of the most popular children’s games played on phones, tablets and computers. Roblox is known as a “sandbox game”, which means there are no set objectives. It provides a ton of space for creativity and exercising critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Not to mention that you can create your own world inside these games. We’ve created a Roblox guide to familiarize you with everything you should know about the game. 

What is Roblox?

Roblox is an online gaming platform that allows access to other games within it. Kids (and adults) play games designed by other users. You can create and share your own games, making a great tool for learning coding at a young age. Users create games by using Roblox's game-developing tool, Roblox Studio. Some of the most popular games include Piggy, Royale High, Adopt Me, MeepCity, and Shindo. 

Does it Cost Money?

Roblox is free to download. All games within Roblox are free to play. However, if your tween is an avid player, they'll likely ask for in-game currency called Robux. The currency can be used for things like special outfits, accessories, animals or animations for avatars, unique abilities in different games, weapons, and other objects. You can buy Robux through the app and pay via your device’s app store, purchase gift cards from most major retailers or subscribe to Roblox Premium, a membership which provides additional features and Robux for a monthly fee. In addition, Robux can be earned by creating games and charging for certain items in those games.

Is it Safe?

Roblox creators don’t specify a minimum age for use, therefore users of all ages can create and join groups, chat, and interact, which can potentially pose a threat for younger players.  

Roblox takes safety precautions and includes human chat monitoring as well as specifically filtering out certain words and numbers. For example, if a user attempts to use a restricted word, it will only display as #. Parental controls also allow you to limit the features your child can access. Additionally parents can turn off the ability to chat if you’re uncomfortable with your teen chatting with other users. 

While most of the content is age-appropriate for tweens and teens, there’s always a risk so as always, supervision is recommended.