Kiddipedia
Four tips to help grandparents navigate kids’ online gaming and safety
According to the Australian Seniors Grandparents Report1, 52% of Australian grandparents now provide regular care for their grandchildren, while nearly half would like to be even more involved¹. Alongside school pick-ups and homework help, grandparents are now also navigating a generation of children growing up with technology from an early age.
Today, online gaming is a common part of many childhoods, and taking an interest in the games children enjoy can be a valuable way to stay connected to their lives and support safe online habits.
Here’s what I hear most often from grandparents; they want to be involved in their grandkid’s lives but don’t always know where to start when it comes to technology and gaming.
Roblox is one of the many digital spaces where kids are learning, creating, and playing online with their friends. By taking the time to understand how platforms like Roblox work, grandparents can not only stay more connected to their grandkids interests, but also gain more knowledge of the tools and features designed for online safety.
Here are some simple ways to better understand the digital world our kids love, from the games they play to the features designed to support them.
Start by letting your grandchild take the lead
One of the easiest ways to better understand Roblox is to ask your grandchild to show you around. For many grandparents, Roblox can feel a little like a black box: something their grandkids love spending time on, but a platform they don’t fully understand themselves. Part of the confusion is that Roblox isn’t a single game. It’s a platform made up of millions of different experiences, from fashion-focused games like Dress to Impress to gardening favourites like Grow a Garden.
Ask them what they’re playing, what they enjoy about it or what they’re currently working on. Better still, ask them to teach you how it works.
Children often enjoy the chance to be the expert. Letting them explain a game, show off a creation or guide you through an experience can spark meaningful conversations and give grandparents a better understanding of an important part of their everyday lives.
Learn through co-play
Many people assume they need to understand gaming before they can participate, but often the best way to learn is by playing together.
Games like Family Zone are designed to help families explore Roblox side-by-side. The free co-play experience gives grandparents, parents and carers a practical introduction to the platform while creating opportunities to spend quality time together.
Playing together helps demystify gaming for grandparents and provides a natural way to understand what children enjoy about Roblox, from creative express and problem-solving, to collaboration and social connection.
Get familiar with the safety tools
One thing I hear regularly from grandparents is that they’re worried they don’t know enough about gaming to help keep children safe online. The reality is that there are easy to use tools available to help families manage children’s activity online.
Roblox offers robust Parental Controls which can help give grandparents additional peace of mind when their grandchildren are using the platform. Features include:
- Screen time limits: Monitor and manage how much time your grandchild spends on the platform
- Chat controls: Manage who children can communicate with on Roblox
- Content controls: Choose the content maturity level for your grandchild’s account, allowing you to customise their platform experience based on their sensitivity levels
- Spending controls: Set up monthly spending limits and enable notifications to track spending
Understanding the tools that are available can help grandparents feel more confident talking about online safety with both children and parents. For additional guidance, the Roblox Safety Centre provides easy-to-follow resources covering the platform’s safety features.
Roblox is also built with many safeguards to help ensure children have a safe and fun experience, whether Parental Controls are used or not. These include requiring anyone on the platform to complete an age check before they can use chat features, and then only allowing kids of similar ages to communicate with each other. Strict filters help make sure the chat stays age appropriate.
To further support younger users, Roblox has also introduced age-based account types, Roblox Kids (ages 5-8) and Roblox Select (ages 9-15). Roblox Kids and Select are designed to align content access, communication settings and safety features with a player’s age, helping create age-appropriate experiences while providing greater peace of mind for parents, carers and grandparents.
Staying connected between visits
For grandparents who don’t get to see their grandchildren regularly, gaming platforms like Roblox can provide another way to stay connected between visits.
Setting up your own Roblox account means you can co-play together with your grandchildren from anywhere, even when you can’t be physically together in the same place. And if you’re not sure what games they might like, Roblox’s online Learning Hub is an easy way to find educational games that help teach the young ones important skills, as well as having fun.
Key takeaways for grandparents
- Let your grandchild show you how Roblox works
- Don’t be afraid to learn by playing together
- Take time to understand the additional safety tools available
- Use gaming as another way to stay connected and start conversations
- Visit Roblox’s Safety Centre to learn more
You don’t need to become a gaming expert to understand your grandchild’s digital world. Showing an interest, asking questions and learning alongside them can help build stronger relationships while supporting positive and safe online experiences.
For more tips and guidance grandparents can also visit eSafety’s online gaming resources page
Reference
¹ Australian Seniors, Grandparents Report 2026, based on a survey of 4,205 Australian grandparents aged 50+, conducted by MYMAVINS between 2 October and 2 November 2025.
Author Bio
Dr Elizabeth Milovidov is a digital parenting expert, international speaker and author specialising in online safety, digital citizenship and family technology use. She works closely with families, educators and organisations to help children navigate the digital world safely and confidently. Dr Milovidov is passionate about empowering parents and caregivers with practical, evidence-based strategies that support positive online experiences and healthy family relationships.
