To celebrate World Braille Day NCBI distributes LEGO® Braille Bricks toolkits

hands playing with lego and text World Braille Day 4th January 2021

4th January 2021- NCBI are delighted as Official Partner with LEGO to begin distribution of LEGO Braille Bricks toolkits to teachers and early years educators. The LEGO Braille Bricks is a ground-breaking and inclusive educational concept from the legendary toy makers.

The LEGO Braille Bricks is a play-based methodology that teaches Braille to children who are blind or vision impaired. The toolkit, targeted primarily at educational settings, comprises of LEGO bricks that have been adjusted to correspond to the Braille alphabet. A selection of signature LEGO brick colours have been chosen specifically to ensure colour contrast and allow for a playful learning experience. Each LEGO brick also has a printed letter or character to ensure the tool is inclusive allowing sighted teachers and children to play on equal terms with a child with a vision impairment.

Lina Kouzi, Library & Media Centre Manager said “LEGO have designed a fully inclusive and interactive teaching concept. These toolkits to be used in schools and creches enables the child to firstly start to use touch to identify different dot combinations and then to start to learn Braille in a fun way. While also including ideas for socially interactive games with the bricks facilitating children with and without vision impairment to play together”.

There are two requirements to obtaining the toolkit: the LEGO Braille Bricks are a learning resource so remain property of the service/school, and at least one team member must undertake a free online LEGO Braille Bricks training session, hosted by NCBI, and share the information with colleagues.

Find out more about the official LEGO Braille Bricks and how to get your toolkit by emailing [email protected] or visiting the LEGO Braille Bricks page.