In the 21st century, online gaming has become one of the top pastimes for kids. Gone are the technology-free days where playing outside or hosting board game nights were the main entertainment options! While those are still great, it’s almost impossible to find a kid who wouldn’t enjoy spending some time on the computer in their free time.
Things Parents Need to Know about Roblox, and if Roblox Good for Kids
Thus, it’s no surprise that Roblox, one of the top games out there right now, has a user base of millions. The primary audience? Kids under the age of 13.
Kids love games that can transport them to a whole new world – with the rise of immersive games like Roblox, Minecraft, and a plethora of others, there’s no shortage of adventures to be had. Games like Roblox allow kids to interact with others who enjoy the same thing. But is this always safe?
As with all social online games, there are always some things you as a parent will need to be aware of. Is Roblox good for kids, and most importantly, is it safe for them to play?
Today, we’re going to tell you all you need to know if your kid plays Roblox.
What is Roblox?
So, let’s start with giving you a quick idea of what exactly Roblox is. We’re sure you’ve heard the name – it’s everywhere, and it’s dominating the online game market right now.
Basically, Roblox is a game that lets you create avatars with free roam of numerous different user-created worlds. You can transport your avatar to any server, where you can play user-designed games like tag, building competitions, and more. The game mirrors real life in some aspects, but the potential for creativity is immense.
The most attractive part about Roblox is that any user can create a server and host parties, or games with custom rules. That way, the entertainment can always go on, as the game won’t get repetitive and there is always the potential for more adventure.
Socially, Roblox can be a great way to make online friends. There is an in-game chat system so that users can communicate with each other, become friends, and play games on the same servers.
With all things considered, is Roblox good for kids? We’d say that if you know how to keep your online data safe and teach your child about stranger danger, this game could be a great way for them to spend their time.
To make sure your child is safe when playing Roblox, continue reading for some advice and extra information about online safety.
Should You Just Let Your Child Play Roblox?
Is Roblox safe for kids to play? If you’re wondering what you should look out for as a parent, we detail it all down below.
There are a few specific things you should be aware of when it comes to Roblox’s features. It’s important to teach your children who play the game about how to continuously protect themselves while playing online.
Watch Out For Online Predators
While a little bit unnerving, it’s important to be aware that online children’s games can sometimes be a vessel for online predators to communicate with children. This has been a problem ever since online games came out – when using an avatar that has no real human information, anyone could be behind those pixelated characters.
Luckily, Roblox has implemented report features that can detect malicious activity. If a certain chat is reported upon suspicions of predatory language, it’s possible for the moderators to evaluate and deal with the situation accordingly. Familiarize your child with the report feature so they can raise a flag if they ever feel uncomfortable because of another player.
Beware Of Sexualized words
In the same boat, it’s possible (in the more unrestricted servers) that your child may come into contact with some sexualized language. With the right settings, these words will be auto-detected and filtered. Otherwise, the rules might be more relaxed.
In the settings, you can turn on Safe Chat, which will detect the foul language in general. Without your child having to see the words, they will automatically be filtered out. This is a great feature for kids of all ages, there’s no reason they should have to see certain things!
Be Cautious Of Bypassed Audios
A feature of Roblox since 2015 is that people can upload audio files to play on their servers for all users to hear upon entry. Normally, these will be MP3 files of popular songs to complement whatever game is being played. But, bypassed audios are inappropriate files that weren’t thoroughly moderated and got through the filtration system.
Roblox has cracked down on this since receiving some criticism for it, but it’s not impossible even now. If your child hears audio that doesn’t seem right, they can report the entire server for inappropriate content.
Roblox Videos Are On YouTube
Aside from actually playing the game, kids can go on YouTube to watch some creative content centered around Roblox. Almost all the time, these videos will be covering some interesting game ideas or gameplay. While there is little risk on YouTube due to heavy family-friendly rules, there are some content creators that make more inappropriate Roblox content for older viewers.
If you’re not ready for your child to come across violent content in regards to Roblox, you may want to have a chat about what channels they should watch instead. Try watching some of the Roblox videos online with your kid to see what kinds of videos they’re finding.
Things To Keep In Mind If Your 10-13 Year Old Plays Roblox
So, Roblox and other apps like Roblox have boomed in popularity because of the freedom they provide the player. In the 10-13-year-old demographic, this is especially true. Is Roblox safe for kids of these ages? Here are a few things to keep in mind if your 10-13-year-old is playing Roblox.
Roblox user-generated content
Something your child will have to navigate at some point in-game is the wide base of user-generated content. Remember when we said they’ll have avatars to make and customize? Well, user-generated content is essentially a trove of character customization apparel and other types of items made by real users of the game!
User-generated content in Roblox opens the door for an immense amount of creativity. It can also teach people how to budget their Robux, the currency used in the game. When a user creates a piece of clothing or an item, they can post it to the store, where other players can buy their creation to use on their player.
This form of creative content is what Roblox looks to rely upon as their game develops. Therefore, they’re not going to let users get away with posting inappropriate custom content. Rest assured that there are heavy filtrations that prevent this kind of stuff from appearing in a store.
Roblox in-game purchases
Like in almost any online game you see nowadays, Roblox is no stranger to offering in-game purchases. The app is free to download, of course, but there are so many ways that one could spend real money on this game. Most of the options relate to character customization, and generally in-game purchases will not cost too much money apiece.
As mentioned, the currency in Roblox is Robux, which can be purchased in bulk for X amount of USD. For example, here are some of the pricing packages for Robux: 400 for $5.00, 800 for $9.00, and 1700 for $20.00. If you sign up for their subscription service, you can get more Robux for the money, but you’re paying each month automatically.
Now that apps and websites can store credit card data, it’s important for you to set ground rules from the get-go regarding Robux. Make sure that your child can’t just go buying Robux on a whim, as they can be tempting! Before letting them play Roblox, set the rules you want in place.
Roblox parental controls
Something you’ll be happy to know is that Roblox actually offers direct parental controls that you can customize yourself. Parental controls are there so you can curate an experience for a younger child, keeping any inappropriate content as far away as possible. While Roblox does a good job of filtering this kind of stuff, parental controls can be the extra step you want.
To give you a better idea of what you can do with parental controls, we’ll give you a few examples. The first is that you can actually restrict chat capabilities for an account. If you want your child to be able to chat, don’t turn on this restriction. Otherwise, you can increase the filters or disable chat altogether.
The next is that the games an account has access to can be curated. That is, if there are certain criteria for a game that you don’t want your kid to have access to, you can filter those games out.
Monitoring your child’s account
As a parent, it’s always helpful to know how to monitor your child’s account. There are a few ways you can go about monitoring your child’s activity on Roblox. In general, it could be a good idea to try and play together!
If you’re wanting to get a better idea of what the game is and how your child tends to use it, ask if you can join them in a session. That way, you can do something fun together while being able to see the general way they use the game!
If you see something you aren’t sure of, you can use that information to talk to them about online safety or look into restricting certain parts of the game. Is Roblox safe for kids? Monitoring is the best way to make that judgment with concrete knowledge.
Roblox online interactions
The online interactions a Roblox player will have can vary greatly based on what they search for. What can make Roblox kid-friendly are all the parental controls available and report features, but it’s still good to chat with your child about safety when playing with others.
Again, avatars won’t give anyone an idea of who is behind the screen, so it’s best to take a few things into account when playing an online game. The first is never to give out any personal information, no matter who is asking for it. Make sure this is abundantly clear – while it may just be another kid asking for your child’s first name, it could be anyone at the end of the day.
In general, tell your kid never to give out this information – nor ask for it from others. Bans are possible on Roblox, so if your child innocently asks for another player’s name, they can be reported. If they give it out, it may be filtered, but not always.
Roblox on Xbox
Roblox is currently offered on many forms of media, but one of the most popular areas is Xbox. If your child has an Xbox and wants to play Roblox, they’ll be joining one of the biggest online game communities. If they play on Xbox, they’ll only be matched with others who play on the same platform.
For the most part, the parental control and chat restriction features will be available on Xbox too. To implement them, though, you’ll have to do so through the Xbox interface, not on a computer. It might help to familiarize yourself with the Xbox controls or have your child show you how to use the settings.
Roblox police warnings
Recently, there have been a few warnings from police over the use of Roblox in schools. Some reports include that the game features inappropriate content, a parent’s last wish when it comes to their children’s games.
Again, this can be the case, and there’s no guarantee that your child might never come across an internet troll or someone posting things they shouldn’t. The best defense against these kinds of people and inappropriate content is applying the right restrictions and parental controls.
Overall, the question, “is Roblox good for kids?” can be answered by you. Everyone’s parenting style is different, and kids of different ages can handle different kinds of things. The best way for you to judge the game is to watch some videos online or play a few sessions with your child.
That way, you can make sure their experience is enjoyable and as family-friendly as can be!
