NEW DELHI: Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) today announced the global rollout of Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts, new age-based experiences for users under 16, with protections designed to evolve as children grow.

Following a limited market rollout last month in Australia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts are now available globally. The accounts are designed to align game access, chat features, and parental controls with a user’s age, while giving parents more visibility and flexibility over their child’s experience on Roblox.

Users are automatically placed into the applicable account experience based on Roblox’s age-check systems. The rollout brings together age checks, age-based account settings, content ratings, ongoing moderation, and expanded parental controls into a single framework designed to support younger users as they grow. At launch, age-checked users under 16 will retain access to the vast majority of their favorite games, while the experience for age-checked users 16 and older remains unchanged.

“Children’s needs change significantly as they grow, and online experiences should adapt alongside them,” said Matt Kaufman, Chief Safety Officer at Roblox. “With Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, we’re creating age-based protections designed to support younger users at different stages, while giving parents tools to personalize the experience for their family.”

Roblox Kids and Roblox Select Accounts

• Roblox Kids Accounts (Ages 5–8)* include the platform’s strongest default protections. Users can access a catalog of games with Minimal or Mild content maturity labels that have passed Roblox’s continual selection process. Chat is turned off by default.
• Roblox Select Accounts (Ages 9–15) provide access to games rated up to Moderate that have passed Roblox’s continual selection process. Chat settings vary by age and region, and additional safeguards remain in place for users under 16.

For both account types, Roblox applies additional review standards to games made available to younger users, including developer verification, real-time evaluation, and enhanced content review. By default, Roblox Kids and Roblox Select catalogs exclude games featuring sensitive issues, social hangouts, and free-form drawing features.

Roblox’s age-based account system automatically progresses users into new account experiences as they age: Users move from Roblox Kids to Roblox Select at age 9, and users move from Roblox Select to standard Roblox accounts at age 16.

Expanding Parental Controls

Roblox is also expanding parental controls. Parents who link their account to their child’s already have access to parental controls that provide visibility into gameplay activity and friend lists, as well as tools to manage content ratings, communication settings, screen time, and spending limits. 

With this rollout, Roblox is extending certain controls until their child turns 16—including granular game blocking and direct chat management—and introducing a new game approval feature that allows parents to grant access to specific games outside their child’s default account settings.

Vineeta Garg, IT Head, SRDAV Public School, and member of Roblox’s Global Parent Council, said, “As an educator and parent advocate, I welcome Roblox’s introduction of age-based accounts that recognize that children’s online needs evolve as they grow. The launch of Roblox Kids and Roblox Select is a significant step toward creating safer, more age-appropriate digital experiences while giving parents greater visibility and control. I am particularly encouraged by the focus on age-based protections, expanded parental controls, and thoughtful safeguards around communication and content access. In a country like India, where increasing numbers of children are engaging online from an early age, empowering families with practical tools and transparency is especially important. These changes can help parents support safer and more positive digital experiences for their children.”

Age-Appropriate Experiences 

The rollout builds on Roblox’s broader effort to create age-appropriate experiences for younger users, including becoming the first major online gaming platform to require facial age checks to access chat features. Once rollout is completed, users who have not completed an age check will not be able to access standard Roblox accounts or use Roblox chat features, regardless of their age.

Roblox also continues to apply protections that are designed to prevent the sharing of links, images, and videos in chat. While social media links have never been allowed in chat, later this month, Roblox is no longer allowing users younger than 16 to share or view them on user profiles, game detail pages, Community pages, or the Creator Hub.

Later this year, Roblox will also begin transitioning to the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) framework, the globally recognized standard method for assigning content ratings for digital games and apps.

Together, these updates are part of Roblox’s ongoing work to deliver age-based protections that evolve as users grow, provide parents with greater transparency and control, and support safe, positive online experiences.

Resources

• Age-Based Roblox Kids and Select Accounts Now Globally Available
• What Families Need to Know About Roblox’s New Age-Based Protections
• Introducing Roblox Kids and Roblox Select Accounts
• Roblox Safety Center

*The exact ages, games, and features associated with these accounts will vary by region. Ages are based on age checks; parents can correct a child’s age if necessary.

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PUNE: In a beautiful celebration of wellness and inclusion, With Love NGO, in collaboration with Epiphany School, brought together 500 children from underserved communities on 19th June for a special International Yoga Day celebration.

Without yoga mats, the children spread out bedsheets and towels and gave their very best, reminding everyone that yoga is not about what you have, but the intention and heart you bring to it.

The morning witnessed children participating enthusiastically in a guided yoga session, breathing exercises, moments of mindfulness, and the #100SecondsPlankTogether challenge inspired by the Bajaj Plankathon movement.

Held under the theme, ‘500 Children. One Breath. One Future.’ The initiative aimed to remind every child that wellness, confidence, and hope should be accessible to all, irrespective of their circumstances.

The event also highlighted the continuing educational needs of many children at Epiphany School, which opens its doors to some of the most vulnerable children from marginalized communities. Many of these children come from homes affected by poverty, crime, alcoholism, and challenging living conditions. Some are being raised by single parents who struggle to make ends meet as daily wage earners. The organisers appeal to individuals, families, institutions, and corporates to come forward and support their education through contributions towards school fees, uniforms, notebooks, shoes, and other educational essentials. 

The celebration concluded with refreshments, donation of books and sports equipment, and a collective promise to continue building a future where every child has access to opportunities that help them learn, grow, and thrive.

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The initiative will benefit children across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha as part of its continued commitment to social welfare and educational empowerment. Each student will receive a comprehensive school kit comprising a high-quality school bag, notebooks, a pencil box, a lunch box, a water bottle, and an umbrella. The kits are intended for students from LKG to Class 4.

The programme forms part of the Joyalukkas Foundation’s broader social outreach efforts aimed at supporting marginalized communities across India. Through this initiative, the Foundation seeks to ensure that every child, regardless of financial background, can begin the academic year with confidence and the necessary learning essentials.

Foundation representatives stated that financial constraints should never become a barrier to quality education and that the initiative was inspired by the belief that every child deserves access to a supportive learning environment. By easing the burden on families and equipping children with essential school supplies, the Foundation hopes to contribute to a more inclusive and encouraging educational experience. The school kits will be distributed through Joyalukkas showrooms in the respective states as schools reopen for the new academic year.

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A child’s brain grows faster in their first three years than at any other time in their life. If your baby is taking a little longer to learn a skill like sitting up or making eye contact, noticing it early is the best thing you can do.

Catching a delay early simply provides a helpful window into your child’s unique pace and developmental needs. While every child follows their own timeline, noticing these variations allows you to partner with professionals to see if standard, play-based strategies can support their growth. It is never a definitive diagnosis or a label; rather, it is a proactive step to ensure they have the right environment and encouragement to reach their full potential.

But in our intense focus on height and weight, we often miss something much more important: developmental milestones. Your child’s weight and height tell you how their body is growing, but their developmental milestones tell you how their brain is wiring itself. Milestones are the behavioral and physical skills most children master by a certain age—like tracking a toy with their eyes, responding to their name, taking that first wobbly step, or throwing a tantrum because they finally understand the concept of “no.”

Recent health surveys in India highlight a worrying trend: parents are incredibly careful about diet and vaccinations, but often miss early signs of developmental delays. If a baby is late to walk or talk, families often brush it off, saying, “Don’t worry, his father also started talking late, he will learn in his own time.”

While it is true that every child grows at their own pace, ignoring these signs completely means missing a vital window to help them. Instead of only checking the weighing scale, start observing these everyday magic moments:

Connection: Does your baby make eye contact and smile when you talk to them? Do they show interest in your face?

Communication: Are they making sounds, babbling, or turning their head when you call their name?

Movement: Are they learning to hold their head steady, sit without support, or pick up small objects with their fingers?

It is time we changed the questions we ask during our routine check-ups. Instead of only asking, “Doctor, what tonic can I give to increase his appetite?”, we need to start asking, “Doctor, he isn’t pointing at objects yet, is that typical for his age?”

Early intervention is practically magic. A child’s brain is incredibly adaptable during the first three years of life. If a child is slightly delayed in speech or motor skills, catching it early means they can get the right play-based guidance to catch up quickly and confidently.
True health isn’t just about the numbers on a clinic’s scale. It is about watching your child learn to connect with you, explore their environment, and find their unique voice. So, permit yourself to put away the measuring tape for a moment. Sit on the floor, play with your little one, and watch the beautiful, complex way their mind is unfolding. That is where the most important growth actually happens.

Author: Mrs Deepali Maheshwari (MASLP) Speech and Language Pathologist

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Located within Phoenix Marketcity Pune, the new store will span approximately 21,000 sq. ft. and offer UNIQLO’s complete range of LifeWear apparel for men, women, and children. Designed around simplicity, quality, and functionality, the store aims to deliver a seamless and elevated shopping experience for Pune consumers.

The launch marks a significant addition to Phoenix Marketcity Pune’s international fashion portfolio, further strengthening its position as one of the city’s premium lifestyle and shopping destinations.

Driven by increasing customer appreciation for high-quality, everyday essentials, UNIQLO continues to expand its presence in India by bringing its globally recognized LifeWear philosophy — clothing designed to make everyday life better — to newer markets across the country.

Commenting on the launch, Anshuman Bharadwaj, Senior Centre Director- Phoenix [Pune Malls], said: “At Phoenix Marketcity Pune, we continuously strive to bring globally admired brands and elevated retail experiences to our consumers. UNIQLO’s arrival marks a significant addition to our international fashion portfolio and reflects the evolving aspirations of Pune’s shoppers who increasingly seek quality, functionality, and contemporary global fashion under one roof.”

The new store at Phoenix Marketcity Pune will feature UNIQLO’s modern retail design language along with the brand’s signature visual identity, offering shoppers an immersive and contemporary retail environment.

The store will officially open to customers on:
Date: Friday, 15 May 2026
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: UNIQLO, Phoenix Marketcity Pune

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PUNE: Duville Estates, through its social welfare brand Duville Cares, celebrated the festive season by organising a ‘Toy Donation Drive’ for the children at its labour camp, reflecting the true spirit of giving. This initiative was organized with the active participation and support of the Duville Envoy (existing customers). There was significant participation from the customer community, comprising nearly 6,000 residents across Riverdale Heights, Riverdale Residences, and Riverdale Suites. These Duville Envoys were joined by the Riverdale site office teams, who came together to bring joy to the labourers’ children.

This activity culminated in a heart-warming Christmas celebration at the labour camp, where the toys collected from the donation drive run at each of the resident communities were distributed to the children. The happiness on their faces spoke louder than words. Moments like these show how simple acts of kindness add real meaning.

What began as an idea to share the spirit of giving turned into a full-fledged ‘Toy Donation Drive’ from the existing customer community to the children on site. This reinforces Duville Estates commitment to building communities that go beyond physical infrastructure, fostering empathy, engagement, and togetherness across customers, employees, construction workers, families, and partners.

This initiative served very well to bring together the existing customer community from Riverdale while meaningfully bringing happiness to these children associated with the Duville ecosystem.

Speaking about the initiative, Tushad B. Dubash, Director, Duville Estates, shared, “It was heartening to see our existing customers come forward and actively participate in the toy donation drive. Their willingness to offer their children’s toys brought immense happiness to the children at the camp. It is these small gestures that help build a cohesive community, something Duville Estates continues to strive for.”

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The day began with a quiet moment of devotion at the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir, where many of the children experienced a large urban temple for the very first time.

The highlight of the afternoon was a celebratory lunch at Elephant & Co., made possible through the efforts of Minoti Makim of Carpe Diem. Minoti believes, “Christmas isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about showing up for those who need joy and community the most. I’m grateful we could do that together.”

The restaurant welcomed the children with an extraordinary, thoughtfully curated food spread—a gesture that spoke of genuine generosity.

Karan, founder of Elephant & Co., shared that hosting the group was “an honour for the team,” adding that creating a special meal for the children was their way of making them “feel seen, welcomed, and celebrated.”

Adding to the festive spirit, Minoti’s friend Yalda chose to celebrate her own birthday with the children. She arrived with Santa Claus, gifts for all, and a cake she cut surrounded by beaming faces. 

Dimple Somji, founder of With Love NGO, expressed that the experience was “a first in every sense for the children – their first visit to Pune, their first restaurant meal of this scale, and most importantly, their first feeling of being celebrated by an entire community.”

The day ended with the children returning home carrying gifts, memories, and the warmth of a city that opened its heart to them. The collaboration between individuals and organisations transformed a simple outing into a Christmas they will remember for years.

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Epiphany School serves children from some of Pune’s most marginalized communities –  young students who grow up amidst poverty, crime, alcoholism, and unstable home environments. Despite their circumstances, these children arrive at school each day with immense resilience and the hope of a brighter future.

As part of the celebration, the children were invited to experience a restaurant outing for the first time in their lives. Santé Spa Cuisine hosted them with warmth and joy, offering a generous South Indian buffet and a guided tour of the restaurant, along with interactions with the entire team.

A highlight of the event was a tote-bag painting workshop based on the Seven Chakras, conducted by Aashray Retreats × Arty Aura. This creative activity beautifully reflected Santé’s philosophy of inner balance, wellness, mindfulness, and energy alignment.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared, “Chakras are the centre of our inner universe, and when they align, life shifts from resistance to flow. Clarity sharpens, intuition strengthens, and manifestations come naturally. At Santé, inner balance is at the heart of everything we do. Celebrating our milestone with children who deserve love, dignity, and joy felt truly meaningful.”

To make the day even more special, Sonal gifted school supplies to all the children – a gesture that brought immense excitement and warmth. Epiphany School Principal, Sangeeta Kadam, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity and for the exposure given to her students.

Founder of With Love NGO, Dimple Somji, shared, “Our foundation serves as a bridge between hearts  –  uniting givers and receivers, compassion and action. Being a bridge is not only hard work; it is heart-work.”

Through this collaboration, Santé Spa Cuisine reaffirmed its commitment not just to wholesome food and wellbeing, but also to inclusivity, compassion, and community upliftment.

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Available globally on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, “Learn with Bheem” offers a curated set of learning modules that aim to make early education more accessible, interactive, and enjoyable for young learners. The app has been developed with input from educators and child development experts, ensuring that its content aligns with early learning goals across key developmental areas such as language, numeracy, creativity, memory, logic, and problem-solving.

Each learning path within the app is age-based, designed to evolve with the child’s cognitive and motor skills. For children aged 2 – 3, the app introduces foundational concepts such as colors, shapes, alphabets, and numbers through simple puzzle games and activities led by Mighty Little Bheem. The 4 – 5 age group focuses on early math and language building, exploring concepts like addition, subtraction, and memory enhancement through interactive stories featuring Chhota Bheem and Chutki. Children aged 6 – 7 can advance to more complex tasks such as crosswords, time-telling, and creative play modules like dress-up and room decoration, while the 8 + category features logic puzzles, quick math, and knowledge quizzes, alongside strategy-based games such as cricket and basketball.

‘Learn with Bheem’ follows a B2C model and is available under ads and in-app purchase options. Users can also opt for monthly or yearly subscription plans to access an ad-free experience and premium learning content. The app is built around a child-safe digital environment, ensuring that children can explore and learn without exposure to inappropriate or intrusive content.

Speaking on the launch, Rajiv Chilaka, Founder and CEO of Green Gold Animation, said, “With ‘Learn with Bheem,’ we wanted to extend the world of our characters beyond entertainment and into education. For nearly two decades, Chhota Bheem and his friends have inspired values like friendship, courage, and curiosity. This app builds on that emotional connection, allowing children to learn in a setting that feels safe, familiar, and enjoyable. The goal is to make early learning more holistic – balancing knowledge with creativity and play.”

Beyond entertainment, the app reflects Green Gold’s intent to contribute to early childhood learning through engaging, locally relevant content. It emphasizes active participation over passive viewing, encouraging children to interact, experiment, and solve problems through guided play.

The app’s release underscores Green Gold Animation’s continued evolution from a homegrown animation studio into a cross-platform content creator and innovator. Having shaped the landscape of Indian children’s entertainment through television, films, and digital content, the company is now extending its reach into interactive learning experiences designed for the next generation of young audiences.

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From being the Chief Guest at LPF’s very first award function in 1996 to exactly 30 years later, she called it an ‘Inspiring Journey’. In 1996, she was concerned whether the Foundation would survive even for ten years, and if it did, she would return as the Chief Guest & she did in 2005 & also said that now she is confident that the Foundation will successfully run forever. Today, her presence was not only an inspiration to the young scholars but also a testament to continuity, resilience & the power of keeping faith in the vision & mission of the Foundation.

Freny Tarapore, Shernaz Edibam, Maya Thadani (shared video message) & Firoz Poonawalla, LPF’s Founder Trustees, graced the event with their presence & each one of them spoke, making the event truly memorable.

Dr. Bedi released the souvenir on the occasion of LPF’s 30 years of Excellence & Mr. Poonawalla presented it to her & spoke about its significance, “This wall clock is a symbol of ever-running & ever-growing Lila Poonawalla Foundation, and I am happy to gift it to you on the occasion of the Foundation’s 30th anniversary.”

The presence of Members of the LPF Board of Trustees, together with several of the 1996 (first) batch Girls, some joining the celebration in person and others sharing their heartfelt video messages, added a truly special touch to the event. The continued guidance of the Trustees, constant support from Individuals, Charity Partners, Trainers, Alumni, Well-wishers, and the dedicated office team are the reasons why LPF was able to bring this transformative change in the lives of thousands of girls.

Apart from that, LPF’s several Corporate Partners, without whom this journey of growth & impact wouldn’t be possible, marked their presence at the event. They not just supported financially but also contributed to the holistic development of Girls through conducting volunteering programs, industrial visits, placement drives & by providing constant mentorship & guidance.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bedi shared, “ I am feeling proud to return as the Chief Guest in the 30th year of the Foundation. Three decades ago, when I came, there were just 20 girls, and now LPF is a family of more than 18,000, which reminds me of the strength that you LILA Girls have. The responsibility lies on your shoulders, run this movement for many, many years & decades”.

Reflecting on the journey, Ms. Lila Poonawalla said, “Our mission has always gone beyond scholarships. It is about nurturing confident, capable, and compassionate women leaders of tomorrow & I thank you all who have believed in this mission and walked with us.”

Over the years, LPF has grown beyond Pune and operates in five additional regions: Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad & Bengaluru. It expanded the scholarship programs to support not only Post-graduation & undergraduate, but it also launched a program for School Girls 2morrow 2gether’ across various streams.

As LPF marks 30 years of impact, the Foundation now looks ahead to positively transform the lives of nearly 25,000 financially challenged girls by 2030, impacting not only the girls but also their families & the communities they live in.

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