The LEGO Foundation

Activity booklet for

LEGO® play box

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Table of Contents Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction • 4 Imagine and create • 30

Getting started • 12 Time to reflect • 36
Let’s move • 16 Working together • 42
Brain boosters • 22 Tips and tricks • 47

Introduction • 4 Let’s move • 16 Imagine and create • 30 Working together • 42

About the LEGO Foundation • 4 Tricky Balancing • 16 Spark Imagination • 30 Build a Tower • 42
Learning through Play • 4 Hurdle • 17 Animate the Letter • 31 Team Model • 43
Developing the whole child • 6 Move it • 18 Build a Story • 32 The Imitation Game • 44
The role of the adult • 7 Bowling • 19 Creationary • 33 Back to Back • 45
Tips for conducting the activities • 8 Brick Balance • 20 Co-creation • 34 Grid Communicator • 46
LEGO® vocabulary • 9 Building Together • 21 Deserted Island • 35 Tips and tricks • 47
Introducing the activities • 10 Brain boosters • 22 Time to reflect • 36 Creating your own activities • 48
Getting Started • 12 Dice and Stack • 22 Happy or Sad • 36 Activity template • 49
Colour Collect • 12 Parachutes • 23 Challenge Building • 37
Mini-tower • 13 Preposition Piles • 24 Personal strengths • 38
Fantasy Creature • 14 Bigger or Smaller • 25 Build your Dream • 39
Association of Colours • 15 Hanging Cube • 26 Gratitude • 40
Brick Graphs • 27 Road Safety • 41
Car Race • 28
Maze Fun • 29

LEGO and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2016 The LEGO Group

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Introduction

Learning through Play

Play is our brain’s favourite way to learn! Research shows that play is one
way children develop some of the most important skills for being lifelong
learners. Play enables us to explore, practice and try out ways of tackling
similar challenges in the real world. Skills like problem-solving, creativity,
empathy, communication and teamwork all have their foundations in play.
When children learn through play, they are personally motivated by the
satisfaction of being embedded in the activity, at their level of challenge
and interest. This means children are joyful, actively engaged with their
bodies and minds, taking risks and experimenting, to come up with ideas
and questions, creating things and solving problems. Learning through
play is about “how” you learn, it need not be constrained by “what” you
learn or “where” you learn.

About the LEGO Foundation

The LEGO Foundation is a Danish corporate foundation, which aims to
make children’s lives better – and communities stronger – by building
a future where learning through play empowers children to become
creative, engaged, life-long learners. We do this by making sure the
fundamental value of play is understood, embraced and acted upon. Our
focus is on children aged 0-12, with a special emphasis on early childhood
where children develop most rapidly, both physically and mentally.

4 5
Introduction Introduction

Developing the whole child The role of the adult

Play helps children develop a broad set of skills that will enable them to
become lifelong learners, such skills can be grouped into five categories
as shown in the picture. The activities in this booklet have been designed
around these skills. Each activity usually involves a mix of skills, even
though it has one main development area. Children learn from your example. What you do inspires the language
they use, how they try to solve problems and how they work together
with others.

Here are some good ways to support the children during play-based
learning activities:

• Empower the children to try on their own – let them be in the driver
seat, and guide them if they get frustrated or ask for help.
• Encourage them as they try, give useful hints and ideas, and use an
encouraging tone.
• Sit next to the children, notice what they do, and use this as a cue when
you help them.
• Be curious and ask open questions like “what are you making?” and
“how did you solve it?”
• Encourage the children to create and share stories.
• Show equal interest in all the children, by moving around.
• Demonstrate that in many activities there isn’t only one right answer
– there are in fact many different ways of doing things. The different
builds do not have to be lifelike, either – the most important thing is the
explanation of the models.
• Give the children choices and make sure they play an active role in
completing each challenge.
• Allow the children to themselves direct the activity, for example by
changing something in the activity.
• Let the children be “in the flow” in the activity, and try to avoid
interrupting them if they are deep in concentration.
• Don’t let the children comment on each other’s models in a negative way.

6 7
Introduction Introduction

LEGO® vocabulary
Tips for conducting activities 2*4 brick
Stud
Basic bricks
2*2 brick

To do before the activity

• Read through the activity description to make sure you understand LEGO® minifigures
the steps involved and the purpose of the activity.
• Make sure the activity is appropriate for the number of children you
have, and for their age group. Modify the activity if needed.
• Think about how to scale the activity up or down in order to challenge
the children at the right level.
• Check that you have the materials and bricks needed to run the
activity.
• If needed, arrange the room or the space to fit the activity.

Other types of bricks

Structure of a play-based activity using LEGO® bricks
1. Introduction to the topic – Start by introducing the topic of the activity
and explaining the instructions.
2. Building time – Time for the children to build. If the activity is individual,
this can be done quietly.
3. Sharing and reflection – Once the building activity has been
completed, it is important that each child is able to share his/her
model with at least one other child, or the whole group. Here the adult
facilitation role is very important, as is asking open-ended questions.
Base plates

8 9
Introduction Introduction

Introducing the activities Icons used in the booklet

The icons below indicate if the children will work on their own, in pairs or in
different sized groups during the activity.

This booklet includes activities that are best sutied for children over the
age of 7.
Activity done individually. Activity done in pairs.

The activities in this booklet are structured into six different areas to help
you find a suitable activity:

Getting started Activity done in groups of 3-6 Activity with more than 6
Introductory activities to introduce games that use LEGO® bricks. children. children working together.

Let’s move
Activities that encourage the children to move their bodies.
The following icons indicate the estimated duration of each activity. This
Brain boosters varies depending on the group, so please read the activity description
Practicing problem-solving and concentration through fun activities. before starting, to see what works for each particular group.

Imagine and create

Sparking children’s imagination and creativity.
5-10 10-20 20-30 30-40
Time to reflect
Reflection, thinking and exploring emotions.

Working together
Learning to collaborate in pairs and groups.

10 11
Getting started Getting started

5-10 5-10

Colour Collect Mini-tower

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Sit in a circle with the contents of a • If you have a bigger group and don’t • Ask the children to pick 10 bricks • Children learn a lot from watching
play box poured out in the middle. have time for everyone to share with each, without saying why. and getting inspiration from each
• Ask the children to turn their backs to the full group, let each child share his/ • Then give them the task of building other, so make sure to allow and
the pile of bricks. her model with the child next to them. the tallest tower, using only those 10 encourage this.
• As you say a colour, the children • This activity is best carried out with bricks.
should move around and collect as fewer than 10 children at a time. • Ask some children to show how they
many bricks they can in that colour tackled the task.
within 30 seconds. Keep track of the
time, and tell them when 20 and 10
seconds are left.
• When the time is up, and the children
have the bricks in their hands, ask
them to build a model, using only
those bricks, for 1–2 minutes.

12 13
Getting started Getting started

10-20 5-10

Fantasy Creature Association of Colours

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Each child is to build a fantasy • As a next step in the activity, you can • Sit in a circle with the many different- • Remember that there is no right and
creature. Tell them the time they ask the children in pairs to merge coloured bricks in the middle. wrong here, and the children should
have available – 10 minutes, for their ideas and to build one fantasy • As you name different types of fruit, not correct each other – one child
example. If needed, remind the creature out of two. the children should find the colour might be thinking about a red apple
children to build individually, and • You can also move on to a story- they associate that fruit with, and and another thinking about a green
without talking to each other. telling activity afterwards. place the brick with that colour in apple.
• After finishing their figures, the front of them. • You can also let the children associate
children should pair up and present • Then ask the children to share the the colour with other things than fruit.
their fantasy creature to their coloured bricks they have, and
partner. Help the children make their discuss why they might have different
presentations by giving them a few ones – what did they think about?
questions to answer.
• What is its name?
• What can it do?
• Where does it live?
• What does it eat?

14 15
Let’s move Let’s move

10-20 10-20

Tricky Balancing Hurdle

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Ask the children, in pairs, to find • You can ask the children to come up • Let the children build hurdles of • Try to see whether you can think of
15 2*4 bricks (the colour is not with their own rules for the throw. different heights (in small groups, in more ways for the children to practice
important) together. • You can also do the activity as a pairs or individually). their motor skills using the bricks.
• Player A throws a brick in the air. The game. For example, if a child placed • You can either ask them to use • The last part of the activity is good
brick can land in 3 different positions: a brick and the tower falls, s/he loses measuring tape or let them find to do where you have more space
• Studs up = place the brick the game. another way to measure the heights. (outdoors, for example).
horizontal • Put up the hurdles and let the children
• Studs down = place the brick move around and test whether they
sideways can jump over them.
• Studs to the side = throw again
• Depending how the brick lands, Player
A should place the bricks accordingly.
• When player A has placed the brick,
it is player B’s turn. Player B does the
same and places his/her brick on top
of player A’s, to make a balancing
tower. The studs are not connected.
• Keep building the tower until it falls.
• Take turns at starting.

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Let’s move Let’s move

5-10 30-40

Move it Bowling
Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Each child has to pick 3–5 bricks of • You can write/draw the movements • Let each child build a skittle. Give • You can play other sports with the
different colours. on a board or poster to make it them instructions about how high it bricks. For example, if you build small
• For each colour, you have decided a easier for the children to remember should be. The skittle must be able to cubes the children can use them to
movement (clap, stamp, jump, turn the movements. fall over when the ball hits it, but must play air hockey by bouncing another
around, etc.) not break apart. brick between two players on a table.
• Name a colour and if a child has • The children can test whether the
that colour s/he needs to do the skittles fit these specifications by
corresponding movement. (e.g. red rolling balls at them from a certain
brick – jump!, blue brick – clap!) distance, which the group agrees
upon together.
• After all the skittles have been tested,
use them to make a bowling alley (i.e.
a space where children can roll a ball
towards 10 skittles, to see how many
they can knock over).
• Groups of children take turns bowling
against one another.

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Let’s move Let’s move

10-20 10-20

Brick Balance Building Together

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Each child has a number of bricks • Try to adapt the challenge of the • Let the children pair up and have a pile • To help the children get started, you
(approx. 10 bricks) close to them. activity, depending on the age of the of bricks close to them. can give them a theme for what to
• Give instructions about where the children and their motor skills. • Each pair now needs to decide who build (for example buildings).
children should place a brick: • If you want, you can say that if a child can only use their right hand and who • It is a good idea to let the children
• On your head drops a brick s/he has to step out can only use their left hand. know how much time they have in
• On your hand of the game and then continue until • Then they need to work together to which to build.
• On your foot there is only one child left. build a model (such as a house) by
• On your elbow placing each brick together (using
• Continue the game until the one person’s left hand and the other
children have as many bricks as they person’s right hand).
can balance on their body at the • Let the children switch after half the
same time. time has passed, and use their other
hands.
• After the end of the build, ask the
children:
• What was difficult to work
together when building?
• How did you overcome those
challenges?

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Brain boosters Brain boosters

20-30 30-40

Dice and Stack Parachutes

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Divide the children into groups of 4–6 • A variation of counting studs is for • Divide the children into smaller • To add to the game, give each group
and give each group 2 dice each. Each each child to pick 10 bricks and then groups of 3–5. Each group is given a mini-figure and tell them to build
group also has to collect about 30 2*4 you give them a number (e.g. 24) and string and paper or fabric, which they a structure that will keep the mini-
bricks. then they need to build a model where use to make a parachute. Give each figure safe when it lands.
• The children take turns to throw two only 24 studs are visible. They then group the same selection of bricks. • Remind the groups to test their
dice and then place two bricks on a have to include all their 10 bricks in • The groups need to build structures models indoors before the big test
shared build. The sum of the numbers their model. that can be tied to the parachutes, outdoors.
shown on the dice must be the and will not break on landing.
number of studs that are left open on • After all the groups have built their
the top of the shared build. structures, test them by throwing
• The game begins with two bricks them from a high place (e.g. staircase,
placed next to each other in the tree, second-storey window – you
middle. may need to take the group outside
• When building each level, the children to do this).
must keep the stack balanced so that • If none of the structures break,
it does not fall over. increase the difficulty of the task (if
• If a child cannot cover the studs possible) by throwing them from a
correctly, then s/he is out and the greater height, until there is only one
game continues with the remaining unbroken structure left.
children. • The last group left with an unbroken
• For example: structure is the winner.
• First child throws dice and lands
on 4 and 3. Child takes 2 bricks and
adds a new level to the bricks in
the middle, leaving 7 studs open
on the existing layer of bricks.
• Second child throws dice and lands
on 2 and 6. This child takes another
two bricks and adds another level,
leaving 8 studs open.

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Brain boosters Brain boosters

10-20 20-30

Preposition Piles Bigger or Smaller

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Give each child (or ask them to find) • To support the children you can write • Ask the children, individually or in • You can also add to the activity and
six different-coloured bricks. the prepositions on the board – next pairs, to build a 2D figure – preferably let the children try to build a model as
• The children build the bricks together to, on top of, under, below, behind, etc. a geometrical figure (square, triangle small as possible.
in any way they want to, and then and so on) – using 2*2 bricks. • Another variation is to ask the children
swap models with another child. • Then ask the children to build the to do a model as big as possible, using
• The children use the prepositions to fill same figure in both a smaller and a a maximum of 25 bricks.
in the blanks in the sentences below: bigger version. • Try to do this activity with 3D figures
• The red brick is ___________ the • Each child presents their figure and as well.
blue brick. explains how they have up- or down-
• The yellow brick is ___________ sized their figure.
the green brick.
• The black brick is ____________
the white brick.
• The red brick is ___________ the
yellow brick.
• The green brick is ___________
the black brick.

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Brain boosters Brain boosters

20-30 20-30

Hanging Cube Brick Graphs

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Ask each child to find 4 2*4 bricks and • If it is easy to build with 30 bricks, ask • In pairs, the children have to think • This is a playful way to introduce a
get them to use them to build a cube. the children to use as few bricks as about a question they want to ask mathematical concept such as data
• Each child is then to use maximum of possible to balance the cube. others in the group. For example, collection and bar graphs. You may
30 basic bricks of their own choice to What is your favourite food, choosing well be able to think of more playful
make the cube hang off the table. from x, y and z? The question must ways to introduce mathematical
• When the model can hold the cube have a limited number of answers and concepts to the children.
of 4 bricks, ask the children to add 2 for each answer the children have to
more 2*4 bricks and see if the it holds. pick one colour of brick.
• Let the children expand the cube until • Then they have to collect a number of
the construction falls. bricks in each of those colours.
• Then try changing the structure so it • Then children can go around and ask
can support the bigger cube. each other the question, and at the
same time build their bar graphs to
represent the answers.
• Afterwards you can ask the children
to translate their graph onto a piece
of paper.

26 27
Brain boosters Brain boosters

30-40 20-30

Car Race Maze Fun

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Before the activity, prepare a ramp on • Make sure you have enough wheels, • Each child uses bricks to build a maze • The children can also combine two or
which the children can test their cars. axles and other special equipment on a base plate. even four mazes – and see whether
• In groups of 3–4, ask the children to for everyone in your group to do this • Let the children pass their base plates they can make the ball/mini-figure roll
build a vehicle from 4 identical wheels, activity. The contents of each play to a companion, and each child is through the big maze.
any type of axle and a maximum of 2 box differ, so maybe you need to given a mini-figure or a ball.
plates/bricks. Let them try out the car search around. • Each child needs to complete the
on the ramp. • You can make many different maze in front of them by moving his
• Ask the children to make adaptions variations and additions to this game: or her mini-figure from the start of
that will help their vehicle drive let the groups switch 2 wheels with the maze to the end – or by rolling a
smoother/faster and test again on each other, try with only 3 wheels, etc. small ball through the maze.
the ramp. • A more different variation is to tape • Once a child has finished a maze,
• As a next step, the children can put a paper on the floor approx. 2 metres they swap with someone else in the
10–20 bricks on the vehicle to make it away from the ramp and the groups group and then try to complete the
look nicer and add a driver. Consider need to build a car that would stop new maze.
the safety aspects for the driver on exactly on the paper.
the vehicle.
• Let the groups race against each
other and see which car gets furthest.
Before the race you can ask the
children to take a look at the cars
– and predict which car will roll the
longest distance. Ask them to give
reasons for their choice.

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Imagine and create Imagine and create

10-20 20-30

Spark Imagination Animate the Letter

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Through building with the bricks you • As an addition to the activity, you can • Ask the children to first build the first • Remember to ask curious open-
can in many ways spark the children’s let the children present their models letter of their name out of bricks (if ended questions about the children’s
imagination, so think about a theme through role play. they have a difficult letter you can models, and/or instruct the children
for the exercise. Here are a few ideas: • You can also ask the children to ask them to pick another letter in to do the same with regard to each
• Build something that you think think about another crazy theme their name). other’s models.
should be able to fly and how it you can use. • Then ask the children to add any bricks
will fly to make the letter into a live creature.
• A home on a planet far away • Let the children to think quietly for a
• What transport looks like in the few minutes and create a small story
future about their creature – where does it
• Introduce the children to the theme live, what is its name, etc.
you picked, and ask them to build it. • Let the children share in pairs, small
Give the children 5–10 minutes to groups or in the big group.
build.
• Let the children present their models
in pairs or small groups.

30 31
Imagine and create Imagine and create

30-40 20-30

Build a Story Creationary

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Make sure that the children have • If the children are struggling finding • Divide the children into smaller • Make sure you have enough time so
access to a selection of creative something to build you can give them groups, and let each group have a pile everyone gets to try to build.
bricks (such as mini-figure parts, some tips to get them started: of bricks. • Instead of asking the children to come
mini-figure accessories, flowers, • Choose 15 bricks and use these to • One member of each group will get to you for a new word to build, you can
flags, trees, etc.) as well as some build an animal a word from the adult without the create flashcards.
different-sized bricks. • Build a secret place rest of the group being able to hear • If you are doing the activity with
• Introduce the children to the idea that • Build something magical it. Examples of words could be “sun”, older children, you can have more
a story has a beginning, middle and • Build a happy scene “water”, “tree”, “car”, “ball” etc. complicated words or sentences, such
end. • Build an angry scene • The child has to try to explain the as “man in the moon”, “volcano” etc.
• Let the children build their own story • Afterwards you can move this word by building a model using the
(on a base plate or without) in the activity into a writing exercise bricks – and the child is not allowed to
three steps: beginning, middle and where the children have to write say anything other than “yes” if the
end. down the story they have built. children in the group guess correctly.
• Give the children time to build and • When the group has guessed right, a
think. new member of the group gets a new
• When they are done or time is up, let word from the adult.
them present their story to another
group of children.

32 33
Imagine and create Imagine and create

10-20 10-20

Co-creation Deserted Island

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Divide the children into groups of • The purpose of this activity is for the • Ask each child to build three models • In this activity, the children practice
3, and make sure they have a pile of children to practice switching focus of things they would bring if they were using negotiation skills when they
bricks in the middle. and being creative. deserted on an island. The models do have to agree in the groups on what
• Give each child in the group one thing not have to be big or complicated. to bring to the island.
each they have to build: – a car, boat • Divide the children into small groups • You can start the activity by telling
or aeroplane, for example. of 4–6, and let them present what a story how you all ended up on the
• Start the clock and let the children they would bring to each other. deserted island.
build their model and after 5 minutes • Then ask each group to agree on
you ask them to give their model to maximum three things to bring.
the child to their left. It is okay if the
models are not finished.
• With the new model the children need
to continue to build what they were
building first. For example, the child
given the assignment of building a car
at first has to make the new model
in front of them into a car by adding
new bricks to the model. They cannot
remove bricks or change place of
any bricks.
• Continue around until the models have
completed a circle around the group.
• Let the children inspect their first
build, and find out whether they can
see what it now looks like.

34 35
Time to reflect Time to reflect

5-10 10-20

Happy or Sad Challenge Building

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Sith with the children in a circle with a • Think about other feelings you want • Divide the children into groups of five. • If you have children in your group
pile of bricks in the middle. the children to talk about. • Each child is given a challenge: with physical disabilities, be sensitive
• Ask the children to find the happiest • One has his/her hands tied behind about this game and what challenges
brick, and ask them to explain why his/her back to select.
they think so. • One is wearing a blindfold
• Then ask the children to find the • One is not allowed to speak
saddest brick, and ask them to explain • One is wearing earplugs (or covers
why. his/her ears with their hands)
• Suggest that the children add • One has his/her legs tied together
something to the saddest brick to • The groups need to work together to
make it look happy. build a copy of a simple model that
you have built beforehand.
• The model can be placed on a desk
in front of the group or you can hide
it behind a screen, and only the child
with his/her hands tied is allowed to
come and see it.
• End the activity with a reflection
on how it felt to have the different
challenges.

36 37
Time to reflect Time to reflect

20-30 20-30

Personal Strengths Build your Dream

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Talk to the group about personal • Remind the children that the model • Ask the children to close their eyes • In this type of activity, it is good to ask
strengths – each person has different does not have to look like themselves. and think about what they dream the children to be quiet while building.
things we are good at. Having about for their own future. Help them • Modify this activity by choosing
different personal strengths is great, imagine by asking a few questions, another topic you want the children
because then we can help each other. such as Where do you live? What do to express themselves about through
• Ask each child to build himself/herself you work with? What people are you building.
out of LEGO bricks by choosing bricks close to? • In this activity, don’t force anyone to
that help to describe who they are • Now ask the children to build their share if they don’t want to.
and what they are good at. dream.
• Discuss • Let any children who wants to share
• What did you build? his/her build with the group do so.
• What does your picture tell us
about what things you are good at?
• How can your personal strengths
help the people around you?

38 39
Time to reflect Time to reflect

10-20 30-40

Gratitude Road Safety

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Introduce the theme of gratitude – • Go around and help children who are • Introduce to the group to the topic of • You can ask the children to use figures
being thankful for something. Ask struggling to think of something to road safety. to role play how you should cross the
the children to close their eyes and build by asking more open-ended • Divided the children into groups road safely.
think about what they are thankful questions. of 4–6. Each group is to build an • Instead of only talking about road
for today – it can be something big or intersection or another part of a road. safety, you can choose another topic,
small. Let them sit for a moment and They have 15 minutes to do this. such as water (beach, pool, lake, etc.)
reflect. • Ask the groups to discuss where it is or a home.
• Ask the children to create one, two or safe and unsafe for children to be on
three models out of bricks and figures this road, and to cross the road. Ask
of what they are grateful for at this them to mark unsafe places with a
particular moment. Let them know red brick.
how much time they have in which to • Ask the groups to make changes to
build. their setup so it becomes safe for
• After finishing building, ask the children.
children to pair up and present their • Let the groups present their setup in
models to each other. to the full group and let them explain
• In the full group, ask questions like: what did they change, and which
• In what way, if any, did it affect impact will the change have on the
your mood to think about and lives of children?
maybe to experience the feeling of • End by summing up and reflecting
gratitude? about road safety.
• What did you think when you
heard the stories from others
about their feelings of gratitude?

40 41
Working together Working together

20-30 20-30

Build a Tower Team Model

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Working in groups, the children are • You can do different variations of • Divide the children into groups • In this exercise, the most important
to build the tallest and most stable the tower either by including design of 4–6. Without any further thing is the reflection afterwards, so
tower within a limited time, such as criteria – such as “a red brick needs instructions, ask the group to build a allow good time for this.
10 minutes. to be on top”, “it needs to have two model and tell them that they have • While the groups are discussing, walk
• After the time has ended, ask the windows, and be built on wheels” etc. 5 minutes to do so. They can build around, listen in, and maybe facilitate
children which tower is the tallest – • If you have more time, you can test- anything they want, but they should if needed.
measure it if necessary. shake all the towers hard so that not talk while doing it.
• Afterwards, test the stability of the most of them fall and then give the • After the time is up, ask the groups
tower by shaking the table or base groups more time to re-build and to remain and reflect on the following
plate, and/or create wind using thick strengthen their towers before the questions:
cardboard, paper or some similar final test. • Who initiated the structure?
material. • Who decided along the way what
• After the stability test, see which happened and what shape or form
tower is still the tallest – which is the the structure should be?
winning group? Some towers may • Who finished the structure? (Who
have fallen down. put the finishing touch to the
• Ask the groups to think about what structure or who decided it was
made the tower stable, and what finished, maybe ahead of time?)
they could have changed to make it • How did you work as a team?
more stable. • What and how did each group
member contribute?
• Is there anything in this role you
would like to change?
• Is everyone happy with the
result?
• Sum up the reflections from the
small groups in the full group.

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Working together Working together

10-20 10-20

The Imitation Game Back to Back

Activity steps Tips and ideas Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Before the activity, secretly prepare • Make a simpler model the first time • Ask the children to find a partner and • Start using a smaller number of
a model with approx. 20–30 bricks. you try the activity. Then adjust the then select the same 3–5 bricks. bricks, and increase the number of
• Divide the children into groups of 3–4. number of bricks and the complexity • Let them sit back to back. One bricks as the children become more
• Inform the groups that they will be of the model built later, depending on child builds a model and then has to confident.
allowed one pen and one piece of the group.. explain it to his/her companion. • You can allow the child copying
paper. Each group will be allowed • You can talk about different memory • The other child then has to try to to only ask a maximum of three
to look at the model for 1 minute techniques, such as creating a story build the model. questions.
(change the time limit depending about what you see. • Swap over so that both children have
on the age of the children and the a turn to explain a model.
difficulty of the model). Before • Afterwards you can ask the children
looking at the model, let the groups to reflect upon the activity by asking:
have a few minutes to discuss how • What was the most difficult in
they are going to do this activity. explaining or listening?
• After their 1-minute look at the • How did you overcome the
model, the groups have to rebuild challenge?
the model from memory and their
notes on the paper.
• When the groups are ready, bring out
the model and let the children see
whether they copied it correctly.
• Ask the groups to reflect on their
method for remembering, and what
they would have done differently.

44 45
Working together Tips and tricks

10-20

Grid Communicator
Tips and tricks
Activity steps Tips and ideas
• Arrange bricks on a grid using basic • Make sure your model only has bricks
bricks, and place it somewhere in the that the groups can find. Hands-on and off Make stable structures
room where the children cannot see it. • If you want to challenge the A good rule to learn for activities with If you build by stacking bricks directly on
• Divide the children into groups of 4–6, groups further, ask them to swap bricks is ‘hands-off’ during instructions. top of each other, the tower or structure
and ask them to pick one person from communicator after half the time has Then start an activity by calling ‘hands- you make is less stable. Try instead to
the group – the communicator. passed. on’. Try to discuss how to remember interlock the bricks, much like a mason
• The communicator goes to see how the rule and make it like a game with the building a house with concrete or clay
the model is built and returns to children. bricks.
explain it to his/her group. The group
should try to build according to the Scooping up the bricks Build on hard and stable surfaces
instructions, and the communicator When you do group activities, try to It is much easier to build on a surface,
is not allowed to build and has to keep spread out a thin blanket or bed sheet which is hard, smooth and stable, like a
his/her hands behind his/her back. on the floor, and build on this. Once the table or tiled floor.
• The communicator can go back and activity is finished, you can scoop up all
forth several times to check and the bricks in one go. Activity booklet using LEGO®
remember details. DUPLO ® bricks
• Continue until the groups have Storing the bricks A second booklet has been developed
finalised the model, then bring it out Store the bricks in boxes when not in use, to target children between 2 and 7,
and compare whether it is the same. and try to avoid leaving them in sunlight. using LEGO® DUPLO® bricks. Many
• Ask the groups: If you wish, you can store the bricks of the activities in that booklet could
• What was easy or difficult about in separate boxes for standard bricks, be modified to also be used for LEGO®
remembering the model? vehicles, base plates and other type of bricks. Please have a look if you want
• Which “tricks” did you use to bricks – so they are easier to find. some more inspiration for activities!
remember?
• What was it like trying to follow the Clean the LEGO® bricks
instructions? You can use mild soap or washing liquid
• How can you help each other in in warm water (no hotter than 40°C)
the next round? and wash the bricks using a soft cloth,
sponge or soft brush. Just rinse the
bricks with water, and leave out them to
dry (not in direct sunlight!).

46 47
Tips and tricks Tips and tricks

Creating your own activities Activity template

Title of your activity:

Duration:
Let the activities in this booklet be a source of inspiration, but don’t let
them limit you. Continue developing and creating your own activities. Number of children:

Here are a few tips to think about when developing your own activities: Activity steps:
•
• Always think about the purpose of the activity and what skills you want •
the children to practice during the activity. •
• Think about what space and environment you are working in. •
• Consider the steps involved in the activity and have a look at page xx. •
• Make sure that you have a “low entry” to ensure that everyone
succeeds – but at the same time have a “high ceiling” in order to keep Tips and ideas:
everyone challenged. •
• Try to think how to integrate play-based activities in your existing •
schedule at your centre/school/facility – maybe an activity from this
booklet can be modified and integrated to help you explain a particular Photo or illustration of your activity:
subject.
• Keep your activities simple!
• The next page has a template to help you when developing your own
activities.
• You can also let the children come up with their own activities.

Most importantly – try out your new activities!

48 49
Thank you. Only together, we can
champion learning
through play.
We would like to thank Care for Education, Ea Suzannae Akasha from
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the
teachers in Ukraine for their contribution to this booklet.
The LEGO Foundation

Get to know us better at LEGOFoundation.com

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The LEGO Foundation

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