why kids should learn lua programming
Roblox is an online gaming platform and a unique tool for developing simple games. It is also a platform with a huge audience of millions of children, teenagers, and even adults.
The kids love Roblox: the platform lets you create games, share them with friends, and play together. The environment's plus is the opportunity to get acquainted with the Lua scripting language: every kid who chooses Roblox for learning, not just for fun, will have to program in it.
Roblox Studio is a good game engine: with its help, you can create game basics and edit 3D models. In combination with the Roblox platform, it becomes an excellent tool for a novice developer, which even a schoolchild can become. In the program, children can learn the basics of solid modeling and develop spatial thinking, as well as write their first scripts, develop and publish full-fledged games.
We are at school Pixel we teach programming in Roblox as a full-fledged direction of development. Therefore, in this article I want to tell more about Roblox and Lua, and also note how they will be useful for children and teenagers who are interested in gaming and game development.
Roblox and Roblox Studio: Same or Not
Roblox is a gaming platform and tool for creating simple games and 3D models. In 2024, the platform broke the world record for online and dialed 9.7 million active users. This is due to the opportunities available to any child: they can both play and create their own games.
Roblox Studio is the Roblox environment's own engine. It allows you to write code in Lua, a language designed to manage game worlds. The engine is designed to create 3D games, their interfaces, and game items.
So, the environments are somewhat different, but the basic functions and capabilities are similar. One program complements the other: we are talking about the whole and the particular.
Now let's talk about Lua, which is often used in Roblox programming lessons for kids.
Lua programming language
“Luna” (Lua in Portuguese) is a scripting programming language, similar in internal logic to JavaScript. But the syntax is similar to Pascal, which simplifies teaching children. A characteristic feature is a minimum of syntactic means and the ability to implement a large number of simple programs: Lua is designed for users without experience in writing code, because the developers paid primary attention to the simplicity of the design and ease of learning.
Lua is also a fairly promising language: the Adobe Lightroom interface and extensions for Garry's Mod and Minetest are written in it.
Many schools offer Roblox programming courses for children, and Lua is actively used in classes. And since I noted the features of these tools, I want to consider the prospects of the direction for schoolchildren.
Why Learning to Code in Lua in Roblox Is a Promising Approach for IT-Enthusiasts
Many modern schoolchildren are often interested in the environments under consideration: they want to figure out how to create a game on the Roblox platform. If you are a parent and are reading this, I do not recommend nipping this desire in the bud: learning game development distracts from simple gaming and makes the child a creator. And writing code in the easy and understandable Lua prepares for full-fledged programming through mastering more complex languages: Python, C# and others.
Therefore, if the child is interested in how to make a game in the Roblox environment, I advise supporting his hobby and developing his interest. This solution will be a plus, because the platform tools teach children:
Make game items and develop full-fledged projects. Getting to know the direction awakens a tendency to development, lays the foundation for further training. In Roblox, children can create a game from an idea to a full-fledged program, then publish it on the site and get feedback from users. The full development cycle helps to understand the essence of game creation and decide whether you like this direction or not. If you are interested, you can begin to comprehend the creation of mods for Minecraft in Python, as well as master game development using the Unity engine, where you will need to write code in C#;
Modeling. Creating 3D models for your own game projects is a skill that is essential from the point of view of professional development. Through self-study or in classes with teachers, children begin to understand how to make games in the Roblox environment their own: they learn to create unique 3D models and fill game worlds with them. At first, in any case, you will have to practice in the Studio editor, and only then will you understand what it means to be the creator of your own game items, objects, and characters;
Write code. Before creating a game on the Roblox Studio engine, a child must master the already noted and discussed Lua language. I have indirectly indicated this advantage: familiarity with Lua lays the foundation for further mastering more complex languages. Roblox has a fairly simple and understandable code editor, writing the first programs for character animation or adding a teleport is easy even using video tutorials available to everyone online.
Now I would like to outline the general advantages that are valid for teaching children to write code, develop games and create 3D models using Roblox and Lua as an example. Here are 5 advantages:
Development of logical and spatial thinking. This is a natural consequence of familiarity with code and 3D modeling, respectively. Programming teaches us to see sequences and logic in all things and phenomena, and creating models teaches us to understand forms and geometry, to realistically and objectively evaluate any space and the world of objects as a whole.
Opportunity to prove yourself. By creating games, children learn to implement creative ideas, and this is a plus if you want to make a full-fledged creator out of a small gamer. Thanks to learning game development, each child becomes closer to creativity, albeit digital. This teaches how to create and helps each student move from the status of a consumer to the rank of a creator. Creative self-expression is a big plus of learning to develop in Roblox and write code in Lua.
Developing skills that are valuable in terms of overcoming life's challenges. The Roblox and Roblox Studio environments seem simple only at first glance. Like Lua, they require certain mental, volitional and other efforts to master. Without zeal and striving for a goal, it is unlikely that you will be able to do anything from scratch. Therefore, an enthusiastic child will sooner or later come to the realization that he needs to study: watch videos and read instructions, take courses. But in any case, mistakes are likely. Overcoming them will gradually lead to the understanding that even the most difficult step on the way to the cherished goal is worth any effort.
Developing communication skills and improving socialization. It doesn't matter how the child will study – independently or in courses. In any case, he will become a member of the multi-million community of Roblox developers, where children and teenagers exchange games, models and simply communicate with each other when they have a good time playing exciting games. This has a positive effect on the development of communication skills, and also improves the quality of the social experience: being in an environment of like-minded people striving to master the development will help find loyal comrades and even full-fledged friends.
Getting closer to one of the most sought-after professions. The game development industry is rapidly developing, and programmers are needed almost everywhere: in IT companies, financial and medical spheres, and even in government agencies. This is a direct and obvious argument in favor of mastering Roblox and Lua tools: if the study captivates and interests the child, he decides to move in one of the directions, then the foundations of becoming a professional game developer or programmer will gradually be laid.
And I want to sum it up and note that learning through play is a great way to develop important skills. The examples of environments with educational potential I gave – Roblox and Roblox Studio – are clear evidence. Therefore, you should not think that learning through play is just a way to have fun, because this is the first and full-fledged step for a child on the path to IT.
The material was prepared by the programming school for children Pixel.
