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Originally Posted On: https://www.codingwithkids.com/blog/2021/03/roblox-programming-parents-guide.html

 

Roblox may seem like the new big thing for kids, but it was actually released back in 2006. Since then, it has garnered a global following of 36 million players a day who spend a combined 1.5 billion hours a month on the platform.

The game is downloaded on 437 million devices. It brought in $488 million in revenue in 2019 alone. And that was before the pandemic spiked the platform’s growth.

Can children benefit from learning Roblox programming? What skills can they gain? How can they get started? We’ll answer those questions and more in this guide.What Is Roblox?

Roblox, a free-to-play game, is the world’s largest social gaming platform. It aims to make it easy for people to share their 3D worlds and creations. The Roblox community grows bigger by the day, with over 50 million games made.

In Roblox, a player creates an avatar, used to explore the 3D worlds and games created by other players.

By earning points, players can earn Robux, a system of points that can be used as virtual currency within the game.

Roblox is more focused on creation than competition. It’s perfectly acceptable, even common, to create a world where the only objective is to explore and have fun rather than score points or defeat rivals.

Roblox is mostly focused on creating and playing social games, but, in reality, you can create all kinds of games.

It’s an ideal platform for kids who are less interested in winning at video games and more interested in learning as part of a social environment.

What Are the Benefits of Roblox Programming for Kids?

By programming in Roblox, kids can learn real-world programming skills in a way that feels natural and fun.

Roblox allows limitless creation, learning code through Roblox promotes creativity and lowers creative barriers.

And, if your child is so inclined, there are a surprising number of people who make a very good living from their Roblox creations. The platform paid out over $250 million to creators in 2020. There’s business potential there.

And how many children would leap at the chance of creating their own games, with their own rules, to share with the world without having to learn advanced game development systems?

How Do I Get Started with Roblox Programming?

Fortunately, getting started with Roblox programming is simple. First, create a free account and download the app.

The plain Roblox app is free and available on Android, iOS, Windows, and Xbox One. To create your own games, you’ll need the separate Roblox Studio app, which is also free.

Beginners should start by making easy-to-create hang-out spaces made for exploration. Once they’ve done that, they can move on to simple games, such as obstacle courses.

Why Code?

Thanks to Roblox Studio’s intuitive set of tools, you don’t absolutely have to learn to code to create simple games. Even 7-year-olds can create simple games with those tools.

But coding gives you a much more powerful way to build your games.

This is true of computing in general. Think of it like this: With a graphical interface, your interactions with the computer are limited by how many menus and buttons you can fit on the screen.

But with coding, your interactions are only limited by how many commands (and ways to combine them) your amazing brain can learn.

It’s like being able to speak directly to a person on the phone instead of having to press different buttons for options that don’t always fit just what you need.

The Lua Programming Language

Roblox Studio uses Lua (Portuguese for “moon”) as its coding language.

That’s good news because Lua is a powerful yet easy-to-learn language. It’s simpler than Java, which Minecraft uses.

You can get started making games with Lua within Roblox Studio quickly.

Step 1: Familiarize Yourself with Roblox Studio

Nothing fancy here. Just explore the interface until you’re comfortable with it and can start creating a game. If you or your child gets stuck, you can register for our Roblox classes.

Step 2: Create a Script

To create a script, go to “Script” in the top-right toolbar. Now you’re ready to follow the time-honored tradition of beginner programmers: Writing a hello world program.

It’s simple. You’re just trying to get the computer to say “Hello, world” (or whatever else you may choose) by typing the right code.

In Lua, this is how you do it:

print(“Hello, world!”)

You should see the text Hello, world! printed on the screen. Congratulations! You’ve created your first of many Lua scripts.

Step 3: Learn More Advanced Coding Skills

With such a gigantic community, Roblox has amassed an enormous number of free online tutorials in text and video. The Roblox Developer community is another great resource for both beginners and experts.

Come up with a project and work on it at your own pace. Ask questions from more experienced developers.

Learn programming concepts such as variables, functions, strings, number literals, and tables.

And never, ever plagiarize somebody else’s work. Always ask for permission to use someone’s code and give them credit for it.

For more advanced learning, you can register for our intermediate classes.

Start Creating Games Today

Roblox programming is a fantastic way for kids to get into programming in general. It allows them to unleash their creativity and connect with like-minded people.

Is your child interested in learning how to code? Explore our courses and register today. We’ll be happy to help your child become proficient and have a bright future.