Inspired by stories from the blind community, this grassroots project from LEGO was designed to help blind and visually impaired children learn through play. Here’s everything we know about the LEGO Braille Bricks idea and how it came about.
In a bid to encourage creativity, inclusiveness, and fun, LEGO worked with blind organisations to design a 250-piece Braille set of bricks intended to make play and learning easier for children with vision impairment.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 19 million children around the world are vision impaired, and approximately 1.4 million children have irreversible blindness. Despite this, the number of children learning Braille has dropped worldwide, partly due to more digital aids becoming available. In the United States, only around 10% of blind children learn to read Braille today, compared with over 50% in the 1950s — though there has been a welcome upward trend recently, as parents and teachers recognise the ongoing relevance of Braille literacy.
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What Are LEGO Braille Bricks?
LEGO Braille Bricks were first unveiled at the Sustainable Brands Conference in Paris, having originally been suggested to the LEGO Foundation in 2011 by the Danish Association of the Blind, and again in 2017 by the Brazilian-based Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind.
The idea was developed with blind associations from Denmark, Brazil, the UK, and Norway, with early prototypes tested in those same countries.
“With thousands of audiobooks and computer programs now available, fewer kids are learning to read Braille,” said Philippe Chazal, Treasurer of the European Blind Union.
“This is particularly critical when we know that Braille users often are more independent, have a higher level of education and better employment opportunities. We strongly believe LEGO Braille Bricks can help boost the level of interest in learning Braille, so we’re thrilled that the LEGO Foundation is making it possible to further this concept and bring it to children around the world.”
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How Do the Bricks Work?
LEGO Braille Bricks are moulded with the same number of studs used for individual letters and numbers in the Braille alphabet, while remaining entirely compatible with traditional LEGO bricks.
Each brick also features a printed letter or character, so sighted teachers, friends and family members can play and interact equally alongside blind and visually impaired children. This combination brings a playful approach to learning Braille, helping children develop the range of skills they need to thrive.
Morten Bonde, LEGO Group Senior Art Director, was an internal consultant on the project. Morten lives with a genetic eye disorder that is gradually causing him to lose his sight, but has said he won’t let it limit him.
“Experiencing reactions from both students and teachers to LEGO Braille Bricks has been hugely inspirational, and reminded me that the only limitations I will meet in life are those I create in my mind. The children’s level of engagement and their interest in being independent and included on equal terms in society is so evident.”
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What Was Planned for the LEGO Braille Bricks Kit?
The original trial set out plans for a full LEGO Braille Bricks kit containing approximately 250 bricks, covering the full alphabet, numbers 0-9, select maths symbols, and inspiration for teaching and interactive games. At the time, testing was underway in Danish, Norwegian, English and Portuguese, with German, Spanish and French testing planned to follow. The intention was for bricks to be distributed free of charge through participating networks in the countries taking part in testing.
“Blind and visually impaired children have dreams and aspirations for their future just as sighted children,” said John Goodwin, CEO of the LEGO Foundation. “They have the same desire and need to explore the world and socialise through play, but often face involuntary isolation as a consequence of exclusion from activities.”
“We believe children learn best through play, and in turn develop the breadth of skills, such as creativity, collaboration and communication, that they need in the post 4th Industrial Revolution. With this project, we are bringing a playful and inclusive approach to learning Braille to children. I hope children, parents, caregivers, teachers and practitioners worldwide will be as excited as we are, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are LEGO Braille Bricks?
They’re a specially moulded version of the classic LEGO brick, where the stud pattern matches individual letters, numbers and symbols in the Braille alphabet. Each brick also has a printed character on top, so sighted and blind children can play and learn together.
Who helped create LEGO Braille Bricks?
LEGO developed the concept with blind associations from Denmark, Brazil, the UK and Norway, along with the Danish Association of the Blind and the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind in Brazil, who first proposed the idea.
Are LEGO Braille Bricks compatible with regular LEGO sets?
Yes — despite the different stud pattern, the bricks are designed to be fully compatible with standard LEGO bricks, so children can combine them with the sets they already own.
Why does learning Braille still matter for blind children?
Braille literacy has been linked to greater independence, higher levels of education, and better employment prospects for blind and visually impaired people, even as more audio and digital tools become available.
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