All About Lego Therapy
A look at one of our support programmes, Lego Therapy, and how it can benefit young people.
When a young person starts working with AllChild, they begin a personalised two-year Impact Programme designed to improve their social, emotional and academic outcomes (a process we call SEA change). They will take part in multiple support programmes, and many of them will experience a term or more of Lego Therapy.
We all know that we learn best when we’re also having fun, so it’s no surprise that Lego Therapy is one of the most popular (and effective) programmes we run with our young people.
Designed to help social development, Lego Therapy is a structured programme which gives children the chance to work together collaboratively. Each session involves children taking one of three roles in order to complete a lego build from a set of instructions.
- The Engineer is responsible for providing instructions to his or her teammates.
- The Supplier listens to their Engineer’s instructions in order to provide the correct bricks to the builder.
- The Builder listens to the Engineer’s instructions to build the model (and cannot see the instructions).
The roles come with challenges such as not being allowed to touch the bricks (for the engineer) or see the instructions (for the builder), and children have to rely on their speaking and listening skills to build the model.
Who is it for?
Lego Therapy was originally designed by LeGoff, a Clinical Neuropsychologist, in 2004, in order to benefit children with ASD. It’s now commonly used for children with conditions such as anxiety disorder, depression, social communication difficulties and language difficulties. However with its focus on communication, turn-taking and perseverance, it’s a programme that has the potential to be beneficial to all children.
Some Benefits of Lego Therapy
- Improved communication skills
Being able to clearly and succinctly provide instructions and listen to peers is a key aim for Lego sessions, which offer children the opportunity to experiment with and practise these skills in a setting which is non-judgmental and collaborative.
Sarah, a Link Worker in a primary school, used this support with a Year 4 child with significant speech and language needs, as well as challenges in his social development. Working 1:1 gave this young person the opportunity to practise specific language, follow instructions and allow frustration. After a few weeks, the child invited a peer to join the sessions, and was then able to practise his language and sentence structure in a small group.
Sarah explains: “He really looked proud of himself when they were able to follow his instruction, and loved working as a team to build together. He also was a lot calmer when he was unable to follow a given instruction, as he had had practice before and was prepared that nothing bad happened. Lego Therapy not only benefited his language and communication, but his confidence and self-esteem to work with others.”
- Improved peer relationships
Link Worker Laila stresses the benefits of Lego Therapy for children who struggle with confidence, especially when it comes to peer relationships. She explains that with her cohort, completing tasks as a team helped the children feel a shared sense of accomplishment, and that “by interacting with peers in a cooperative way, children formed bonds that extended outside of …sessions”. Furthermore, the predictability and routine of Lego Therapy can make social interactions feel less overwhelming, helping the children feel more relaxed in group settings.
- Improved social skills and emotional regulation
Lego Therapy gives children the chance to practise skills such as turn-taking, problem solving, managing their emotions in potentially frustrating situations, and following instructions.
Sonia, a Link Worker in a primary school, worked with a group of Year 2 children who were often being sanctioned in the classroom. She explains:
“In the classroom they would struggle with transitions and could be quite defiant. Lego Therapy gave them a space where they did want to take part in the lego, but there were limits and boundaries within that. To start with those boundaries were really difficult and it would be a challenge for them to just sit down and engage with their role. I wrote down a plan for the term so they knew when they were going to get each role, which allowed them to start thinking about the long term, not just right now. By week 8 they all came in and sat down with no discussion. That was a big win!
“Lego was a tool for them to explore different issues. For example, the language we use to each other even when we’re frustrated. And it made an impact in the classroom, as it improved their ability to see beyond what is happening right now (for example a lesson they didn’t like), they could also think about the next step (playtime!).”
Laila adds: “I found that the structured, playful nature of Lego Therapy provided children with a non-judgmental space to practise social skills, experience success, and feel supported in ways that carry over into their everyday social lives. Following instructions from peers and respecting their contributions nurtures active listening. The turn-taking aspect of the sessions helped children practise patience and waiting, skills essential for functioning in group settings. And if disagreements arose over how to build the structure, the therapy sessions provided a platform to resolve conflicts calmly and with guidance.”
Lego Therapy is a support programme that children will often look forward to, and their enjoyment is shared by Link Workers who have the privilege of watching young people develop skills, gain confidence and have fun!
