This primer was updated where noted from the original post on 24 October, 2022.

I’m usually pretty chill about my kids playing video games. They prefer playing group games like Mario Kart or educational games with their favorite characters like PBS Kids or Sesame Street.

But I noticed they have trouble connecting with friends and cousins who live elsewhere. Their lives are so different; there isn’t a lot of common ground if they haven’t seen each other.

I had heard Roblox is a good way to “play together.” Even my parents have accounts to play with my nephew. I used to be nervous about games with online chat rooms. However, I was assured that you can turn those off.

After a little research, my family got started. A more experienced six-year-old helped me set up an account. We used a few strict parental controls. We also had open, honest dialogues about what is safe and why. Roblox wasn’t as scary as I thought. For now.

UPDATE 30 August, 2025: We’ve stayed casual with Roblox on purpose in recent years, and kept the allowed games tight. Even then, I learned that evaluating a game requires research. I have to look into each game developers’ behaviors. Recent news revealed the Co-founders’ inaction when shown proof of predators. Because of this, the thrill of Roblox is on its way out at our house.

How to set the basic parental controls for Roblox:

Disable chat or set it to “friends only”

Go to Privacy tab > account settings > account restrictions for this feature. Online chat rooms are one of my biggest fears when it comes to gaming. This setting alone put me 50% more at ease. You need to check what their friends’ settings are. However, even this doesn’t mean they can’t see the chat.

Even then, it’s important to stay alert. Take precautions so that your child is not being groomed by someone pretending to be a child. Read or listen to Dr. Jen Lawrence explain the warning signs of your child falling victim to predators here.

Set an account pin to make any changes to restrictions.

Make sure it isn’t the same pin as any other device, as kiddos are great at picking up on your codes.

Here are the bare minimum ground rules to set with your children for Roblox:

Start disagreements with a dialogue.

Much like this process with YouTube, begin the journey of choosing games and learning the rules together so that any time you clash on an opinion, you can return to the foundational guidelines:

Don’t ever use your real name.

Whether nicknames or code names, find a way to make it fun to not use anything close to your real name. It’s an excellent inroad to talking about when staying anonymous is good for safety, yet opens the gates for predators to earn your trust.

Rules for Roblox are good rules for life.

Would you accept an invitation to a party from a stranger? Would you let someone you don’t know inside your house? Would you give a stranger your phone number? No? Not until college? Then don’t do that in the game either. We always played a new game together the first time in case more ground rules needed to be laid, such as letting me look into the developer’s history as well as gameplay.

If you want to spend Robux, we’ll talk about it first.

You might want to start them off with a few dollars in a Robux account. This helps them figure out how to set perimeters for spending. The rule then becomes: if you want to spend that money, just call a parent over, and we’ll discuss it.

An update on Robux: since this was first published, we’ve gained more experience with in-game currency. We’ve also seen the extent of Roblox’s utter disregard for kids. I drew a new line in the sand regarding our family’s values. We do not spend money on anything involving Roblox. Because we’ve had these ongoing dialogues on money and video game currency and its value, I barely had to explain. My reasoning was clear. The kids figured out that I am bending my ideals by even letting them play Roblox. I am weighing the advantages of their social interactions into the equation. That helped them understand why I have changed my mind and now won’t spend money there.

If the game involves violence, especially killing people, we must talk about it and play together first.

I find kids are much more open and responsible when they can discuss certain boundaries. If they know that it isn’t always an outright “no” to questions, they’re more likely to ask and not try to sneak.

Before playing Fortnite, for instance, have a clear dialogue on the difference between fantasy and reality. Discuss why first-person shooter games will feel differently than when it isn’t your eyeline’s perspective.

Only play with adults nearby.

Some parents I know will only let their kids play Roblox if they can see their screens. That’s honestly the best tactic if you can swing it. Sometimes it turns into quality time. Other times, the kids will get sick of it and not want to play anymore. Whenever you turn your guidance about a game into a conversation, it’s beneficial. Turning concerns into time together is a positive development.

It’s a good introduction to safety online. It will hopefully instill some honest gut checks. These will be useful when they make decisions on their own. But as with most things in 2025, we must now evaluate our support. Some people shield predators behind lawsuits and age verification laws.

Read more: How to spot the red flags in a Roblox game

Read or listen to Dr. Jen Lawrence explain the warning signs of your child falling victim to predators here.

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Image Credits: Canva