Best Roblox Coding Books for Kids Who Want to Make Games (What I'd Actually Buy)

TL;DR, bestie

If a teen in your house wants to make Roblox games instead of just playing them, the book I’d buy first is Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours, the official Roblox guide to scripting. Pair it with its sister book, Roblox Game Development in 24 Hours, once they’ve built something. For a gentler, cheaper start, The Ultimate Roblox Book (Updated Edition) is the one I’d hand a younger beginner, with a parent nearby. What I’d skip: anything promising to teach kids to “earn Robux fast”, and used-only listings of older books. Roblox Studio itself is free, so start there before you spend anything.

Heads up: the Amazon links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How I pick (and what I never link).

I like this kind of gift a lot more than another Robux card. A kid who learns to build in Roblox Studio is learning real scripting (Luau, Roblox’s version of Lua), real problem-solving and real patience. I checked every pick below on Amazon on 6 November 2026, and I’m telling you who sells each one, because that changes how much I trust a listing. I don’t list prices, because they move daily.

Introduction to Roblox Studio for kids tutorial from a coding school — Image: YouTube – Coddyca School Ottawa

My picks at a glance

Pick	Best for	Why I’d pick it
Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours	Teens learning to script	Official Roblox guide, short lessons that build on each other
Roblox Game Development in 24 Hours	The step after scripting basics	Official guide to building, GUIs, publishing
Coding Roblox Games Made Easy (2nd ed.)	Kids who learn by building whole games	Walks through an obby and a battle royale from scratch
The Ultimate Roblox Book (Updated Edition)	Younger beginners, with a parent	Mixes playing tips with building and coding basics

1. Best first coding book: Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours

The Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours: The Official Roblox Guide is the one I’d buy first.

Why I like it:

It’s official. It’s from Official Roblox Books (Pearson), and the listed author is Roblox’s senior instructional designer. That matters, because a lot of Roblox “coding” content online is copied, outdated or just wrong.
The lessons are short. It’s 24 lessons of an hour or less, and each one builds on the last. That’s the right size for a teen who’ll lose interest after a two-hour chapter.
It teaches the useful stuff. Variables, functions, loops, events and saving data for leaderboards and inventories. That’s exactly what you need to make the kind of games you see on the front page.

The honest catch: some reviewers say it gets technical fast and isn’t great for a younger kid working alone. I agree with them. It’s a teen book, or a book to work through with a parent. It was sold and shipped by Amazon.com and in stock when I checked.

2. Best next step: Roblox Game Development in 24 Hours

Once the scripting basics click, the Roblox Game Development in 24 Hours: The Official Roblox Guide is the natural follow-up.

Why I’d get it second, not first: it covers the rest of making a game, like terrain and lighting, importing models, GUIs for shops and menus, moving players between places and publishing. It’s brilliant once you know what a script is, and overwhelming if you don’t. It was sold and shipped by Amazon.com and in stock on 6 November.

My take: buy these two as a pair only if the teen has already shown they’ll stick with it. Otherwise, start with one and see.

Lua basics for total beginners in Roblox Studio, showing a simple script — Image: YouTube – Lua Labs

3. Best for learning by building: Coding Roblox Games Made Easy

Coding Roblox Games Made Easy (2nd edition) by Zander Brumbaugh is the one I’d pick for a kid who’d rather make a real game than do exercises.

Why I like it:

You build two full games. The book walks through an obby and a battle royale, start to finish. That’s exactly what most kids actually want to make.
It was written by a young developer. Brumbaugh was 19 when he wrote it and had already worked on games with hundreds of millions of plays. It reads like a person explaining things, not a textbook.

The honest catch: Amazon’s page says a newer 3rd edition is out. The 2nd edition I’m linking was sold and shipped by Amazon.com when I checked, but some screenshots in it may be older than what’s in Studio today. If you find the 3rd edition from a seller you trust, I’d get that instead.

4. Best for younger beginners: The Ultimate Roblox Book (Updated Edition)

The Ultimate Roblox Book: An Unofficial Guide (Updated Edition) by David Jagneaux and Heath Haskins is the gentlest start on this list.

Why I’d pick it for younger kids: it mixes how to play with how to build your own worlds and the basics of coding, so it doesn’t feel like homework from page one. Haskins also makes Roblox coding videos, which shows in the coding chapters.

The honest catch: it’s unofficial, and it’s from 2022, so some menus will look different now. Also check the seller. When I looked, the top offer came from a third-party seller, but there was also an offer sold and shipped by Amazon.com. Pick the Amazon.com one if you want the easiest return.

Five steps to learn scripting in Roblox Studio tutorial thumbnail — Image: YouTube – MikoLikesHat

The free option I’d try first

Before you buy anything, download Roblox Studio. It’s free on Windows and Mac, and Roblox’s own Creator Hub has free tutorials and documentation. If a kid opens Studio a few times and builds a wobbly obby without being asked, that’s your sign a book is worth it. If it stays closed, you just saved yourself the money.

My take: books are great for structure, but nothing beats actually building. The best combo is a book open on the desk and Studio open on the screen.

What I’d skip

“Make Robux fast” or “get rich on Roblox” books and courses. Most games earn nothing, and a book promising money is selling a dream, not a skill. The good books mention earning, but they teach building first.
Used-only listings of older Roblox books. The official Inside the World of Roblox was only showing used copies when I last checked it on 2 November. It’s a fine intro to the platform, but it’s not a game-making book, and a used copy is a gamble.
“Coding” toys that never mention Roblox Studio. If a kid specifically wants to make Roblox games, a general robot kit won’t scratch that itch.
Paid “Roblox scripting” downloads from random sites. Some of these are copied tutorials. Others are a lot worse. Stick with books from real publishers and Roblox’s own free docs.
Anything that asks for a Roblox login. No book, course or kit needs your Roblox password. Ever.

Kiko’s take: For most families, the official Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours is the one I’d buy, and only after the kid has spent a few evenings messing around in free Roblox Studio. Add the game development book once they’re hooked, or pick up Coding Roblox Games Made Easy if they’d rather build a whole game than work through lessons. This is a gift that actually teaches something. Back in my day, the closest thing was a BASIC manual for a computer that took ten minutes to load a game. Kids today are spoiled, and I mean that nicely.

FAQ

What age are these Roblox coding books for?

The two official 24 Hours books and Coding Roblox Games Made Easy are best for teens. The Ultimate Roblox Book is gentler, but I’d still have a parent help a younger kid, since Roblox Studio and publishing involve account settings.

Is Roblox Studio free?

Yes. Roblox Studio is free to download on Windows and Mac, and Roblox’s Creator Hub has free tutorials.

What language do Roblox games use?

Luau, Roblox’s version of the Lua language. The books call it Lua or Luau, and the basics are the same.

Do kids need a powerful computer to make Roblox games?

Roblox Studio is made for Windows and Mac computers, so check you have one before buying a book as a gift. A mid-range laptop is plenty for learning.

Can my kid earn money making Roblox games?

Some developers do, but most games earn nothing. Treat it as a skill and a hobby first. Any book or course promising easy Robux is one I’d skip.

Sources

Last checked: 6 November 2026 (NZDT). Image credits: YouTube – RoBuilder; YouTube – Coddyca School Ottawa; YouTube – Lua Labs; YouTube – MikoLikesHat. Setting up an account for a young builder? Start with my parental controls walkthrough, and if they also play on a tablet, my tablet guide has the ones I’d buy (for building, you’ll still want a computer).

kikomii is a fan site and isn’t affiliated with Roblox Corporation, Pearson, Packt, Adams Media or Amazon.