What Parents Really Need to Know About Roblox, Minecraft & Fortnite
Whether your child is building blocky castles, battling in a cartoon warzone, or asking for Robux for the third time this week, this guide’s for you. It’s quick, straight-talking, and built to help Wickford parents stay one step ahead without needing a computer science degree.
Roblox: What Parents Need to Know
What is it?
A platform with thousands of user-created games — obstacle courses, roleplay, dress-up, racing, pet simulators. Hugely popular with younger kids.
Recommended Age: 9+ (PEGI 7 officially, but lots of under-9s play)
Parental Control Tips
Turn on Account Restrictions to limit access to vetted games only.
Set a PIN to lock privacy and chat settings.
Disable chat, or set it to "Friends only".
Either set a monthly spending limit for Robux or turn off spending completely.
Create a Parent Login — gives full control but requires your own Roblox account.
What to Watch Out For
Free Robux scams — they're all fake.
In-game purchases piling up — avoidable with spend controls.
Inappropriate games slipping through moderation.
Strangers in chat, especially in roleplay games — avoidable if chat is off.
Minecraft: Building Fun or Hidden Risks?
What is it?
Digital Lego meets survival sandbox. Kids explore, build, mod and sometimes blow things up. Versions differ between mobile, console and PC.
Recommended Age: 8+ (PEGI 7, but depends on how it's played)
Parental Control Tips
Use Microsoft Family Safety for Xbox and PC versions.
Disable multiplayer if you want solo-only play.
Set the game to Peaceful mode for younger players.
Use whitelist-only servers if you’re allowing online play.
Explore education.minecraft.net for safe learning maps.
What to Watch Out For
Unmoderated online servers with bad language or trolling.
Mod downloads from dodgy websites.
Arguments over griefing or "stealing" in shared worlds.
YouTube rabbit holes leading to questionable content.
Fortnite: More Than Just a Shooter
What is it?
Cartoony shooter meets dance-off. Players fight in 100-person matches, but it’s more social than violent. Big on emotes, skins and squad chat.
Recommended Age: 12+ (PEGI 12 for mild violence and online interactions)
Parental Control Tips
Turn off or limit Voice Chat — or set it to "Friends only".
Use Epic Games parental controls for screen time and spend limits.
Enable the Mature Language Filter.
Lock purchases with a passcode.
Use parental settings on PlayStation/Xbox as a second line of defence.
What to Watch Out For
In-app spending on V-Bucks, skins and Battle Passes.
Unfiltered chat with older teens or adults.
Post-match rage or frustration.
Phishing scams offering free V-Bucks or hacks.
Final Tips for Wickford Parents
Play with them for 10 minutes — it tells you more than a blog ever could.
Stay curious, not controlling. Ask questions, don't just lay down rules.
Don't rely on headlines — most kids use these games safely with the right guardrails.
If their PC or console is running slow, don’t replace it yet. We do speed boosts, repairs and upgrades right here in Wickford — usually for less than a new controller.
