What is Building Buddies?
LEGO®-based therapy is an evidence-based therapy that allows children to work together to assemble LEGO® models using collaborative play.
Our students work in teams. Each member of the team is assigned a different, authentic role. Those roles help teach joint attention, collaboration, sharing, joint accomplishment, a division of labor, turn-taking, gaze following and verbal/non-verbal communication skills. Each student team is coached by an instructor.
But at it’s heart, LEGO® therapy is a peer-to-peer program that allows students to work together to accomplish a goal.
Basic Principles
- LEGO®-based therapy uses a skill-building approach. Kids are engaged mentally and physically.
- LEGO®-based therapy focuses on the reward of completing a task as a motivational aspect of constructive play.
- LEGO®-based therapy is a collaborative process between the students in a group. Teachers support and guide the process but the students are tasked with solving problems and creating solutions together.
How Does it Work
Building Buddies is a progressive program that grows with children as they learn. Our students participate in two different levels. Level One students meet twice a week and Level Two meet once a week.
Every student starts out in Level One, lasting 6 weeks. After the initial 6 weeks, progressive sessions are based on ability as the students move through the different skill levels of building, design, and creation.
Results
Initial assessments are showing a marked improvement in the student’s ability to work together, to share and to understand roles. An unexpected component has been the growth of friendships!
In other LEGO® therapy programs held around the county, studies have assessed the benefits of LEGO® therapy in three measures of social competence: self-initiated social contact, duration of social interaction and reduction in “stereotyped” behaviors. Each of these three measures showed significant gains.
More Information
Want to learn how you can incorporate LEGO® therapy for your child? More information is here below, or just give us a call to learn more about enrollment, class sessions, start times or more.
Scheduled Dates
To be announced.
Enrollment Costs
$120 for 6-week session.
Payment is required at the time of registering.
Registration
Contact Jodi Woolf at jwoolf@goldenkeyschool.com or 330-493.4400 to register.
LEGO®, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations are the trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this program.
