There is a good chance you have never heard of Roblox.  If you have a child between the ages 8 to 12, you probably have heard more about Roblox than you ever cared to.

Roblox boasts a whopping 66.1 million daily active users as of May 2023. Primarily targeting American children ages 8 to 12, Roblox’s influence on this demographic is immense.

Unlike traditional games, Roblox offers an entire universe of user-generated games. To ensure the entire content remains appropriate, Roblox has a staff of thousands of content moderators.  Roblox employs language filters to ensure no swear words are possible.

Software companies have latched onto Roblox’s popularity, creating engaging games for its youthful audience. While these games may lack the grandeur of AAA titles like Farcry, they are engaging content for tweens.

The platform operates on a virtual currency, Robux, which children can use to purchase in-game items. Reviewing your child’s transaction history on Roblox.com is something I suggest doing.

I experienced this first hand over this past Christmas when my daughter spent $150 of Robux gift cards on short-lived in-game experiences. This led to a healthy discussion about the importance of investing in enduring rewards rather than fleeting moments. 

A similar situation arose with my son, who spent his robux on loot boxes in his favorite game. Loot boxes are effectively gambling, akin to a slot machine.  We had a conversation about while winning can be rush, this behavior loses money. I believe it’s better to have your children learn an important lesson early, where the cost is minimal.

Roblox is likely the first platform where your child will interact with other online users. As a parent, it’s crucial to establish ground rules.  There are rules that I taught my children.

  • Encourage your child to use an alias and not give out their real name. 
  • Avoid sharing specific location details.   I told my kids they could say they lived in Connecticut, but not that they lived in Glastonbury.  
  • Never engage with others outside of Roblox.  This includes discord or any other apps.

I encourage parents to participate in a gaming session with their children, not only to investigate the safety of the games they’re engaging with – but also to have a bonding experience.  I had a wonderful afternoon in the game “Adopt Me” decorating a virtual house with my daughter.     While I did not play past that one time, it let me see what she was playing.

If your children see something out of the ordinary, encourage them to report it to you and in turn you should report it to Roblox.   This includes anyone trying to get their personal information.

Overall, Roblox can be a safe, entertaining online environment for kids. It will likely be the first time your kids interact with others online, and helping them to learn good habits here will help prepare them for the future.

Next week I’ll discuss YouTube.