Lego Therapy Resources - Building Skills Brick by Brick

Everyone loves Lego …. apart from when you stand on it with bare feet!

Its appeal is universal, cross generational and for Speech & Language therapists, it’s a great tool for creatively engaging children and young adults. Our Lego therapy resources are always a big hit in our group sessions as the children learn lots of new skills all whilst playing and having fun.

What is Lego Therapy?

Lego Therapy was developed by Psychologist Dr. Daniel LeGoff in 2004 and it uses collaborative Lego building activities to promote social interaction and teamwork.

LeGoff found that many children with Autism tended to gravitate towards blocks and similar materials during his therapy sessions as they felt they could keep them structured and in order. He used this knowledge to create a therapy approach using things that children were interested and motivated to use while promoting the development of appropriate social, communication and play skills.

LEGO Therapy tends to takes place in groups of 3-4 children and one adult. Everyone in the group plays their own role within the session, and children are encouraged to build together within their set roles.

Facilitator – the adult plays the facilitator, whose role is to promote positive social interactions and skills for social competence.
Engineer – the Engineer holds the visual building instructions. The Engineer is required to instruct the Supplier to find bricks, then tells the Builder how to put the bricks together. The Engineer must use verbal instructions rather than pointing to the visual instructions.
Supplier – the Supplier picks out the bricks from the brick bank and passes the bricks to the Builder when instructed by the Engineer.
Builder – the Builder receives the bricks from the Supplier, and places them on the model when instructed by the Engineer.

Children will switch roles within and between sessions, so that each child gets an opportunity to develop their skills. They can have badges or cards outlining their roles so they are able to remind themselves throughout the session.

Who Do We Use Lego Therapy With?

While the principles of Lego Therapy came from observing autistic children, it can be used to help many different conditions. At ISLTS we often use Lego Therapy in small group settings to support children and young adults with varying abilities, tailoring the sessions to meet their unique needs. It is particularly effective for individuals who:

Experience social communication challenges.
Struggle with turn-taking or group work.
Benefit from structured, motivating activities to develop interpersonal skills.

Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Lorna Bailey explains :

“For us it’s about creating a natural setting which is consistent, predictable and relaxed for the children. It doesn’t always go to plan as you can imagine, and at times it can be challenging as the children learn to understand their roles. However, Lego is a motivating tool and building as a team provides an immediate shared focus of attention. It reinforces positive communication between the children and the results of the build reveal a direct and immediate connection to the language they use.”

Why Do We Use Lego in Therapy?

Lego is an excellent therapeutic tool because it:

Is universally recognized and appealing and it encourages engagement.
Provides a hands-on, multisensory experience.
Creates opportunities for structured play that feels fun, not like ‘work’.
Encourages natural communication and problem-solving in a non-threatening way.

What Are the Benefits?

Lego Therapy can offer a wide range of benefits, including:

Improved Social Skills: Participants practice taking turns, listening, and working collaboratively towards a shared goal.

Enhanced Communication: Describing, asking, and clarifying are key skills developed during sessions.

Problem-Solving Abilities: Overcoming challenges during building helps build resilience and creative thinking.

Increased Confidence: Successfully completing a project together fosters a sense of achievement and belonging.

Emotional Regulation: The structured and predictable nature of Lego Therapy helps create a safe environment for participants to practice managing emotions.