Roblox has kids yearning for the farm with 'Grow a Garden.' I can see what it's addicting.
The hottest trend this spring for young people is … gardening. Growing carrots and strawberries, pruning weeds. I'm sorry to inform parents anxious about screentime: This doesn't mean your kids are digging in the dirt outside in the fresh air.
They're probably on Roblox, playing "Grow a Garden," which, as I typed this Thursday, had more than 2.2 million people playing — four times as many as the next most popular game. (A Roblox spokesman told me the game had around 9 million concurrent players at one point over a weekend in late May — a Roblox record.)
I tried the game myself, and I can see how — if you're willing to spend real money on seeds and other garden accoutrement — you can get ahead.
Bloomberg reported there's already a robust secondary market for some of the things you can buy to help grow your garden. Items like seed and livestock have popped up on Discord, some niche sites, and even on eBay, to the tune of millions of dollars of turnover a week, the report said. (Selling items on third-party sites is against Roblox's rules, but it still happens.)
How did 'Grow a Garden' sprout?
"Grow a Garden's" origin story is much like many games on Roblox: A random user — in this case, reportedly a 16-year-old — created the game. The teen has remained anonymous, and I couldn't reach him.
Roblox's user base is 40% under the age of 13, CEO David Baszucki has said recently. Users can create their own games — and by using " Robux," the platform's own virtual currency that players can buy with real money, players and game-builders can make money. (It's roughly one real cent per Robux, though they can be had cheaper with package deals and other promotions.)
According to an interview in a gaming newsletter with well-regarded Roblox developer Janzen "Jandel" Madsen, "Grow a Garden" was initially created by the teen who built it in a few days. Then Madsen acquired part of the game to build it out with a team of developers.
It got even bigger when Do Big Studios, a Florida-based company, also partnered in the game. The exact workout of who owns what isn't clear. Madsen and Do Big Studios didn't respond to my requests for comment.
I played 'Grow a Garden'
In "Grow a Garden," which is free to play, you start by planting some simple seeds (carrot, strawberry), which quickly grow into plants that you can sell. With that money, which comes in the form of the game's virtual currency, the Sheckle, you earn more to buy even more seeds, eggs, animals, and so on.
Curious, I tried it. You start with just enough Sheckles to buy a few carrot seeds, which you can plant in your garden. Compared to my real-world failures in vegetable gardening, the carrots grew satisfyingly quickly, which I then harvested and took to sell at a farm stand, using my Sheckles to buy more seeds for strawberries and more carrots.
I strolled around the world beyond my own garden to look at the gardens of other players, who were milling about, buying seeds and selling crops.
Some players had really elaborate setups, which must've taken days or weeks of play to build up. After not too long, I had about 400 Sheckles. The leaderboard showed I was playing with someone who had 968 million Sheckles. I walked over to see her garden, which was full of lush plants and blocky animals walking around. Her profile showed she had created the account in early May — quite a feat (or a lot of real-world money).
It's possible to "steal" another player's crops — but for that and other things, you have to use real Robux. In general, the gameplay is similar to other games — over time, you do a thing to trade in points for more things, which takes time and patience. And if you're willing to spend real money, you can get ahead much faster (this is not unlike the real world).
So what makes 'Grow a Garden' so compelling?
Justin Watkins, who runs the popular Roblox gaming YouTube channel ThinkNoodles, told me the game's creators obviously knew what they were doing.
"The developers have really optimized everything about the game to maximize its spread in the Roblox algorithm, and also have a deep understanding of what players value in Roblox," he said.
"There's been many games that use different hooks for players, but this game has incorporated almost all of them into a single game," including live events that he said are considered "must-attend" to get "rich" in the virtual world of "Grow a Garden" and "flex on others with cool mutations" in your virtual patch.
How did 'Grow a Garden' get so big?
"Grow A Garden" is undeniably popular. Roblox spokesman Eric Porterfield said it was one of the games that most quickly racked up 1 billion visits in Roblox's history.
Still, some adults in video game forums on Reddit, X, and YouTube have criticized the game as being for "dopamine-addled children," saying it doesn't take a lot of brain power to play. (To be fair, there were plenty of adults who also said they found the game soothing and fun.)
Others said that Do Big Studios' involvement led to a bigger focus on monetizing the game — in-app purchases to get ahead and the like — which they said had put a damper on the game's community. (Again, I couldn't get Do Big to respond to my questions, so I don't know what they have to say about this criticism.)
"Grow A Garden" is still new, having launched in March 2025 — and the kind of momentum and popularity it has doesn't suggest it will fizzle out anytime soon. After playing a few minutes a day for a few days — without spending any of my own money on Robux or Sheckles — I had grown my garden to more than 180,000 Sheckles with tulips, watermelons, tomatoes, and a rare bamboo plant.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
an hour ago
- Travel Weekly
Dispatch, Orlando: Discovering Disney's Cool Kid Summer
To lure kids and parents to Orlando this summer, Walt Disney World has been pulling out all the stops, in the form of a promotion called Cool Kid Summer. My colleague Christina Jelski has already written about summertime promos, which consists of perks, discounts and special park opportunities. New shows opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and a cool -- literally and figuratively -- play space at Epcot themed to Goofy is just the ticket when your little ones need to burn off some steam and parents need some air conditioning. There is also the promise of more character interactions, in-park Easter eggs and perks at some of the on-property resorts. And we were along for the ride. At Disney's invitation, we flew down over Memorial Day weekend (through Newark Airport, no less) with our teenage daughter and then stayed on for the kickoff of Cool Kid Summer with my 8-year-old, who officially qualifies as a cool kid -- the invitation was for families with kids ages 9 and younger, which is the Cool Kid sweet spot). With that came some firsthand looks at the new goodies Disney has on offer for families. The Cool Kid Summer branding on a snack stand at Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin Now that Cool Kid Summer is live, parents checking in at Disney resorts will receive brochures for each of the four parks that pinpoint specific Cool Kid activities and provide tips for parents with young kids -- like where to buy diapers, sunscreen or formula -- and suggestions on how to live their best cool-kid life. For example, to complete a "scavenger hunt" at Magic Kingdom, kids must "sing with the Tiki birds," "ride a boat," and "strike a pose near Cinderella Castle." We previewed the two new shows at Hollywood Studios. "The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure" is located at the theater in Animation Courtyard, which is an official Cool Kids site: The courtyard will host jump-rope performers, games and crafts, plus an indoor DJ party. When we were there, my daughter joined in enthusiastically at double-dutch, and Donald Duck was on the scene for impromptu photos and hugs. At 20 minutes, "The Little Mermaid" is a super-condensed retelling of the Disney movie, in a blissfully air-conditioned theater. Grownups might miss some of the humor and quips of the movie, but kids will love it (plus, there's bubbles). The Ariel performer was excellent. A pop-up jump-rope games at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios for Cool Kid Summer, just outside the new "Little Mermaid" show. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin Down the street, though not officially part of Cool Kids is a slightly more sophisticated show called "Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After." Disney has been playing up its "misunderstood" cast of villains lately, and this show features Cruella De Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent (with supporting villains like Scar, Hades, Ursula and Gaston) trying to win the audience's approval for most sympathetic. These poor, unfortunate souls (sorry!) provide dynamite singing and effects, even if the smallest kids might not totally follow the plot. Over at Epcot is Goofycore. As Disney describes it, it's the "ultimate summer party" for youngsters at the CommuniCore Hall, with a DJ, interactive games and, yes, Goofy. During our Goofycore visit, the kids played limbo and Goofy Says with a group of high-energy cast members and Goofy, and then there was music while kids ran around and were lightly directed by the cast members and messed with soft building blocks. The games are structured so that all young ages can participate to the best of their ability -- or wander in and out of the play. There is seating and air conditioning, which makes it a perfect break for parents and kids alike. Outside CommuniCore Hall is the "Celebration Encanto" show, where families can relax on shaded Astroturf and partake in a song and dance party. One thing about Cool Kid that most travelers and advisors know: Florida in the summer is hot. We've developed all sorts of coping mechanisms to keep the kids cool on the road, and we have a big arsenal of water bottles, hats and so on. But the nice thing about the events we attended was that most were coupled with a chance to get indoors for a bit and get a break from the heat. (It also rained every night during our stay -- drenching, thunderstorm-type rains -- so bring a poncho and stay flexible.) At Magic Kingdom, the Big Top Bash at Fantasyland and Galactic Blast at Tomorrowland are other Cool Kid gathering spots, with DJ dance parties with Pluto and Stitch, respectively. And even though Animal Kingdom doesn't have a Cool Kid pop-up per se, my cool kid loved that park for its Wilderness Explorers program, and she went all around looking for cast members who would teach her about nature and animals and earn "badges" for her explorer book. Now, with all these dance parties and games, do you think your young kid will head back to the resort exhausted? Maybe, but my bet is that the parents will be the exhausted ones while the kids rev back up at the pool. In any case, we stayed at Art of Animation, one of Disney's Value resorts and a Cool Kid hot spot. The resort's daily program included additional Cool Kid activities such as a "Wake Up, Shake Up" dance party in the morning, character interactions in the lobby and movie night by the pool. It's good fun if you build in a resort day during your stay.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Can Europe Win the AI Race?
Silicon Valley dominates artificial intelligence headlines, but a quiet AI revolution is unfolding across Europe -- from billion-dollar startups to a growing push for sovereignty in the tech of tomorrow. Bloomberg's Tom Mackenzie explains. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chelley and Cierra Just Made Love Island USA Season 7 Worth Watching
It finally happened, and baby, it was worth the wait. Love Island USA Season 7 just delivered the queer kiss heard 'round the internet, and social media is in absolute shambles. Tonight's episode saw Chelley Bissainthe and Cierra Ortega lock lips in a moment so charged, so iconic, it may have changed the course of this season and your timeline forever. It was electric. It was sexy. It was history. One X user summed it up best: 'It's finally happening guys!!! Chelley and Cierra are kissing #LoveIslandUSA' What followed was a full-blown meltdown of horny, emotional, and euphoric reactions from every corner of the app. Queer Twitter, sapphic TikTok, the girlies in the group chat, everyone came out swinging with joy and disbelief. 'I know Chelley was starving!' 'need them to win it all tbh' 'shes entertained 3 men in this villa and has not kissed A SINGLE ONE OF THEM LIKE THISDFGHDGFHDG #CIRELLY IS REALLLL' 'i actually jumped and screamed oh my god ' 'Oh hell yeah happy pride!' Yes, the crowd is roaring, and for good reason. At 27, Chelley Bissainthe isn't just playing the game. She's rewriting it. The Florida-born day trader came out as bisexual early in the season with the kind of confidence most of us can only dream of. And not just a cute little mention in a passing convo, either. No. Chelley gave us the tea and the receipts. In a spicy game segment, she casually dropped that she once cheated on a partner by kissing her female friend. Later, she elaborated. She was dating two women at the same time and, yes, had sex with both of them in one day. Name a more iconic confessional. I'll wait. But what's even more groundbreaking is how she's allowed her bisexuality to exist out loud without it being objectified or reduced to some male fantasy. Chelley is living proof that queerness on reality TV can be bold, authentic, and complex. She's not here to be your girl-on-girl-for-the-guys moment. She's here to fall in love, cause chaos, and be a damn good representation for queer viewers watching from their couches with their hearts in their throats. Let's not act like Love Island USA is a bastion of LGBTQ+ inclusivity because it's not. The franchise has historically been straight as hell. But now and then, it slips up and does something radical, and Chelley and Cierra's kiss joins the short but sacred canon. Season 5 gave us Johnnie Garcia and Kassy Castillo's vulnerable, beautiful confession and first same-sex kiss. Kyra Green, who came out as bisexual on the show, is now in a happy relationship with a woman offscreen. And now, in Season 7, we've got Chelley. Fearless, fierce, and kissing a girl on national TV like it's nothing. It should be nothing. But in a landscape where producers still cite 'logistical difficulties' as the reason we can't have a fully queer Love Island (I mean, hello, I Kissed A Girl exists and is thriving) Chelley's presence feels like a rebellion. A kiss in defiance of heteronormativity. A bombshell that shook the villa and the algorithm. Is this the start of a sapphic summer storyline? Please, God, let it be. But even if Chelley and Cierra's kiss doesn't bloom into a full-blown queer romance, fans are demanding that producers give our bisexual queen a little more to work with. Drop a bombshell. Send in a femme fatale. Let her flirt with someone who gets it. If Love Island really wants to prove it's evolving, they'll stop dangling queer moments like bait and start crafting full narratives. Chelley's done the work. Now, give her someone who can match that energy. Whether she finds love or just vibes through the rest of the season in true bad bitch fashion, Chelley's already won something bigger. The hearts of every queer girl on the internet. And if the timeline is any indicator, she's not leaving our screens or our hearts anytime soon. The post Chelley and Cierra Just Made Love Island USA Season 7 Worth Watching appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
