A parent’s guide to Roblox safety
Roblox is one of the fastest-growing game creation platforms on the planet.
Hands up if this sounds familiar, “Can I have some Robux please Mum?”
If you’ve made it here and you’re reading this, chances are this is something you’ve probably heard this more than once – maybe even on the daily.
Roblox is one of the fastest-growing game-creation platforms on the planet. If your kids aren’t already on Roblox and adding up their Robux – the game’s currency used to buy upgrades and accessories – there’s good chance that they’ll be onto it soon.
But let’s be frank, we as parents don’t really understand what all the rage about Roblox is, how it works and what the kids get up to when playing the game. And that’s a bit scary, right?
“Children can in fact play on Roblox safely and have a great time with a little supervision and some boundaries,” says Hayley Markham, Co-Founder of Code Camp, tech school holiday program provider.
“I’m a mum to three young girls who are using technology for schooling and play every day, so I’m no stranger to knowing how important it is for kids and their parents to understand online safety.”
Check out Hayley’s Roblox cheat sheet and her top tips on how to ensure your kids are keeping safe while playing.
“Children can in fact play on Roblox safely and have a great time with a little supervision and some boundaries.”
Understanding Roblox
Roblox is an online game creation platform where a lot of the content is created by ‘amateur’ game creators and users within Roblox studio.
These games can then be played by kids online and often together. Roblox games reflect the sort of imaginative play you often find in the playground. One child has an idea about a game to play, others join him or her and the rules slowly change as the group decides how to have fun together.
Roblox games reflect the sort of imaginative play you often find in the playground.
Kids Roblox safety tips
1. Check the age recommendations on all content on the platform: Roblox rates all ages, 9+ and 13+ based on the amount of violence and blood depicted, inappropriate images and profanity.
2. Roblox has parent controls you can use to ensure it’s safe to play: Make sure you use the correct date of birth for your child’s account as this will enable safe-chat and filtering. Plus, you will get a separate parent login so you can check up on your child’s interactions.
3. Stay nearby: Kids (especially younger ones) can play with you or another trusted adult nearby when they’re first starting out. It means you can keep an eye what kind of games they’re playing, how they’re playing and with whom.
4. Know who your child is talking to online: Roblox is interactive multi-player gaming. Players in Roblox can connect, interact and communicate with each other in various ways such as voice or written text once friend requests have been made. You can manage who your child speaks to by disabling chat or limiting it to friends only. You can also switch off their inbox to stop them receiving direct messages.
5. Have regular conversations about gaming with your kids:The best way to know what’s happening is to stay engaged. Continue to have regular conversations with your kids about what they are doing online. Ask your child open questions like ‘What games have you been playing on recently?’ and ‘Who are you playing with?’
Roblox has parent controls you can use to ensure it’s safe to play.
How to get more fun out of Roblox
All three of my kids are playing Roblox and it has become a big part of their social interactions and friendships. So, I like to keep an eye on things and ensure its friendly play with appropriate games and kids they know.
Code Camp recently added in a new holiday program designed for kids to have even more fun with Roblox.
Roblox Legends is where Roblox players have the opportunity to become Roblox game designers.
Kids work in groups to create design and build story, obstacle (‘obby’) and survival games just like their favourite Roblox games. They’ll use digital storytelling, game design, and 3D modelling to bring their ideas to life, and walk away with the coolest playable Roblox games to share with their friends!
Code Camp helps kids explore their creativity through technology, from coding and game design to stop-motion animation, YouTube video production, producing music and more.
Find out more information at www.codecamp.com.au
Roblox holiday camps let kids create their own games
