It is said that children living with visual impairment learn faster as they have to adapt to daily life without being able to see, but, just as kids are, blind children are just as excited to play, explore and build.
Which is why it is refreshing to know that toymakers are just as invested in helping these children as educational organisations and institutes are.
The LEGO Foundation and the LEGO Group has announced the official launch of LEGO Braille Bricks, their fun and engaging way to help children with vision impairment develop tactile skills and learn the braille system.
LEGO Braille Bricks offer LEGO blocks moulded in a way that the studs on top reflect individual letters and numbers in the Braille alphabet, while still remaining full compatibility with the LEGO System in Play.
The best part is that kids can all play together because the bricks also feature printed letters, numbers and symbols so that they can be used simultaneously by sighted peers, classmates and teachers in a collaborative and inclusive way.
“With these Braille Bricks, the LEGO Foundation has created a totally new and engaging way for children with vision impairment to learn to read and write. Braille is an important tool, particularly for young people with vision impairment, and these cleverly designed bricks enable children to learn creatively while also engaging with their classmates in a fun and interactive way,” said David Clarke, Director of Services at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, who worked with the LEGO Foundation to develop and test the bricks.
LEGO is planning on launching the LEGO Braille Bricks in a total of eleven languages across twenty countries by early 2021 but what’s better is that they will also distribute these innovative bricks free of charge to select institutes, schools and services catering to the education of children with visual impairment.
We can’t wait for these to reach Malaysia!
What do you think about the LEGO Braille Bricks? Let us know in the comment section.
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