Contents
- What is Roblox?
- What age is Roblox aimed at?
- Is Roblox good for your brain?
- Is there violence in Roblox?
- Why is Roblox inappropriate?
- How do I protect my kids on Roblox?
Does your child spend a lot of time playing computer games, such as Roblox? Maybe it’s the first thing they do when they come home from school, or after they've finished their homework.
If you don’t know much about Roblox, you may feel concerned if your child is dedicating their time to this online game platform. Or maybe you want to introduce Roblox to your child for learning purposes and want to know if it’s suitable. This is why we want to bring you the lowdown on Roblox and help you answer some burning Roblox-related questions, including, is Roblox good for your brain? 🧠
What is Roblox?
In 2020, Roblox was the most popular game app in the UK among children aged 4-15 years old with 40% of them opting to play it instead of What Would You Choose? Rather, Minecraft, Among Us, Fortnite and Pokémon Go.
But what is Roblox? It’s an online platform where users can go and play a variety of different games that have been created by other users. So, not only can your child play games that have been invented by others, but they can also have a go at developing their own action games, racing games, obstacle courses and so many more. This is why Roblox has become so popular. 🏆
What age is Roblox aimed at?
While Roblox doesn’t specify a minimum user age, it’s been rated in the UK as suitable for children aged 7 and above by PEGI, the Pan European Game Information, an organisation that rates games based on their content. According to PEGI’s rating system, ‘PEGI 7’ means: “Game content with scenes or sounds that can possibly be frightening to younger children should fall in this category. Very mild forms of violence (implied, non-detailed, or non-realistic violence) are acceptable for a game with a PEGI 7 rating.”
However, it should be noted that users under the age of 13 have stricter settings when they play Roblox to avoid being exposed to any unsuitable content.
Is Roblox good for your brain?
Computer games certainly do get a bad rep, and this may be down to their anti-social nature and unrealistic – and, sometimes, worrying – content. 😟
It’s not uncommon for children to get hooked on the latest game. Often they are away for hours and hours, sat in front of a screen that is ablaze with out-of-this-world-looking characters pacing around made-up lands, driving jazzed-up cars, carrying scary-seeming guns and fighting even scarier-looking enemies. Of course, parents will worry and it’s totally understandable! But what if the game your child loves to play is actually doing them some good? This is where Roblox comes in, because not only is it enjoyable, but your child can also learn some valuable skills too! 💡
Roblox isn’t your standard racing game and it’s not your average shoot ‘em up scenario – it's a virtual world filled with engaging, innovative and skill-building challenges. And what’s even better, your child can learn while playing and learn even more by building their own games. Here are some of the benefits that Roblox offers your child.
- Creative thinking
An environment where children and teenagers can design their own games sounds like a great opportunity for creativity to be unlocked. Roblox encourages users to invent their own story, build structures and, most importantly, think outside the box. 📦
Instead of giving children lots of hints and suggestions and holding their hands through all the different steps like so many other computer games, Roblox lets kids find their own feet which, in turn, encourages their creativity to thrive.
- Coding
Let’s face it, the future is digital. Therefore, if your child can arm themselves with the right skills to succeed in the future, they’ll have an advantage over others. One of those skills is coding.
Roblox gives users the chance to not only learn how to code, but also to design and build games using code. Therefore growing a skill that, as time goes on, is becoming more and more sought after. To start with, your child can use small pieces of code to move objects. They can then go on to learn longer lines of code to level-up and transform the games they’re designing.
Learning how to code can open doors to an array of careers, such as UI/UX design, web/game development, programming, computer engineering and many more.
- Computing
Even if your child isn’t interested in learning how to code, they’ll certainly pick up a thing or two by simply playing Roblox. Navigating the internet and learning simple computer processes are invaluable skills your child needs to succeed in today’s world.
Online communication, menu navigation and typing speed – they may seem like small things, but these competencies are essential in the world of academia and for the future of work.
- Dealing with money
Just like Monopoly has its own money, so does Roblox – and it’s called Robux (clever, no? 🤣). To download and play, Roblox is free, but if your child wants in-game upgrades, clothing, accessories, special abilities and access to certain clubs (and we’re sure they will!), then you’ll need to cough up some Robux. The least amount of Robux you can buy is 400, which will cost about £4.
If you allow your child to buy extras for their gaming enjoyment, they’ll hopefully learn to value money and choose what’s most important when choosing what to buy, especially if you give them a non-negotiable budget! Roblox even helps parents with this, by allowing you to set a monthly spending limit as well as notifications for any purchases made. 💰
Roblox users can also earn Robux from the games they’ve created, but this can take a lot of work which is where our first three points come in. 😉
But fear not, if the thought of shelling out money on a video game sends your eyes rolling, know that your child can still enjoy the game without buying any extras.
If you want your young ones to get the best out of Roblox in a safe way, one of our awesome Computer Science or HTML tutors would be happy to offer their services. 😁
Is there violence in Roblox?
As with many computer games, Roblox can be slightly violent and include guns or other weapons. However, the type of violence is often very cartoon-like and not like other more graphically violent games, such as Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.
If you’re concerned about violent content, especially if your children are very young, the parental controls in Roblox are pretty robust. For example, you can curate “white lists” of age-appropriate games for your kids to play.
Why is Roblox inappropriate?
The biggest concern about Roblox is not so much related to the games but to the other users. Despite the largest age group of Roblox users in 2020 being 9-12-year-olds, there’s still a fair number of older teens and twenty-somethings taking part and that’s where things could get a little tricky.
Roblox’s chat feature means that users could be exposed to inappropriate language and content, or even abuse. However, moderators are in place to filter out unsuitable content and replace rude words. Plus, parents can restrict the chat feature to only include children’s friends and approved contacts. Or, you can turn the chat feature off entirely. 🚫
How do I protect my kids on Roblox?
As well as Roblox’s moderators who help keep the platform running as a safe space for gamers, the parental controls are a great way for you to manage what your child sees and is exposed to. Make sure you read up on the Roblox safety guidelines so that you know exactly how to protect your child online.
When it comes to dealing with rude, annoying or inappropriate users, your child has the ability to block and report them, so make sure they know how to do this. You can emphasise to your child that they should never, ever share personal or contact information with other users, no matter how friendly they seem!
It's totally normal for parents to be worried about computer games, so why not sit in on a few sessions with your child and see for yourself? Not only will this give you the opportunity to hopefully put your mind at ease, but your kids might like to see you taking an interest in their hobbies. 😊
So, the final verdict – is Roblox yes or no safe for kids? We say – yes! The pros far outweigh the cons and we think it’s a fantastic place for your child to learn a number of important skills.
As well as having Computer Science tutors available to help your kids master Roblox, we also have tutors with expertise in HTML, Java and Python – what are you waiting for? Book a free trial class today!
