LEGO® Based Therapy
How it works:
Each week the children are assigned special roles within the group and take it in turns to play out each role for the duration of the project activity. All roles are clearly explained to each child at the start of the session. One child becomes the ‘Engineer’ who oversees instructions and design, another becomes the ‘Supplier’ responsible for understanding the engineer’s requests and finding the bricks, and the third child is the ‘Builder’ who is responsible for actually putting the bricks together.
This team based approach requires development of various social communication skills such as turn-taking, team work, and negotiation.
What is LEGO® Therapy:
LEGO® therapy is a group-based therapy program targeted at children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. LEGO® Therapy supports the development of fine motor skills, creativity, perseverance, and task development. It encourages active problem solving, social interaction and team work to ensure success. Due to the consistency of the same children attending each week, it is also an opportunity for children to meet new peers out of school.
The sessions focus on creating and building different projects, designed to encourage interactions between the children and enable them to come up with their own solutions to challenges they face. Each week the group is provided a new "structure" to build and every member is assigned a role. Children work as a team, communicating together to build this shared project each week. The collaborative teamwork encourages joint focus, sharing, communication, problem solving and reinforces positive behaviour and social contact. Social skills and conventions are encouraged and reinforced by the facilitator and the use of language skills, negotiation and compromise are discussed to help settle any conflicts or challenges.
Who can benefit?
-
Children with emotional regulation difficulties e.g. easily frustrated or difficulties persevering on challenging tasks
-
Difficulties initiating or sustaining friendships with their peers
-
Children who want to gain confidence speaking in a group, and likewise for children who could benefit from listening to others more
-
Difficulties with negotiating social conflicts, compromising and turn taking
-
Social, communication or developmental delays, for example those with mild learning difficulties, language delays or difficulties with fine motor skill coordination.
-
Children with anxiety or those who may be nervous or worried in social situations
LEGO® Therapy at Thrive OT
Groups will run for 6 weeks at a time after school or on a Saturday morning (based on numbers and preferred times). Children will be placed in groups according to their age and functional abilities. A telephone call and intake form (15 minutes) may be completed with an Occupational Therapist prior to payment to ensure Lego therapy will be suitable for your child.
Group therapies at Thrive OT are billed under Occupational Therapy services to ensure coverage for extended health benefits!
Please contact Thrive Occupational Therapy to hear about upcoming groups and to secure your spot!