Lego's braille bricks are helping parents bond with their visually impaired children

The Lego game is no stranger to parents let alone the kids. The colorful blocks have been a trending catch for quite a few years. Apart from being an excellent and creative way for children to learn and play, it has also been a bit of a hassle to have Lego blocks lying all around. However, the company has come up with something heart-touching that will boost your love for the game.

Lego recently revealed on its social media that it created Lego bricks with braille alphabets and numbers for blind children and their parents, per The Guardian. While the motives for creating the same were many, the idea mainly revolved around providing the feel of Lego and playing for blind children along with learning. The idea was originally initiated in 2020 when certain companies tried and tested the creation of these braille-inspired bricks. However, of late the announcement was made official and the company is looking forward to building and growing its consumer family by including blind children and making them feel welcome as well.

The company partnered with several blind organizations and associations to test the products to ensure maximum efficiency. The bricks will have numbers and alphabets in braille to help blind children feel and learn along with playing. However, the braille bricks are not just for children with visual impairments but also for their parents. Often, parents find it hard to learn braille and communicate with their children in the written language. The new Lego creation aims to help parents learn while bonding with their children through the game.

The company also consulted the RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind) and Dave Williams, their design ambassador, was completely supportive of the plan. The article mentioned that he said that the creation would help blind children and their parents to get print independence innovatively. He went on to say that though the current technology permits converting audio to written text, it doesn’t give the person the freedom to write on their own. He further gave the example of a greeting card and said, “Who would want greeting cards read to you?” He also said that learning with Lego bricks “that everybody recognizes means it doesn’t feel weird. It breaks down barriers.”

7-year-old who lost her eyesight due to a brain tumor has been playing with the Braille Lego bricks for a while. She said, “I can play with my sister. I like writing, building and playing games.” Her mother Taylor said the bricks were easy to use and Olivia’s grandmother was now starting to learn braille alongside Taylor herself, her husband and their four-year-old sighted daughter, Imogen. She further went on to explain how having their own braille set at home is a convenient and fun way to bond with their children and learn. 

Several people reposted this and were in favor of Lego’s creation. Many parents shared the posts and captions thanking the company for their effort to create something insightful. @ShonaaLouisee_x said, “The best resource to teach children & young people braille! I love teaching braille using Braille Lego - the engagement & progress it brings out in my pupils is phenomenal.” @haufru said, “Lego braille bricks are accessible for her without being really different from other kids, so she gets to play and learn just like every other child.” Parents are truly grateful for this creation and it has been a thoughtful development on behalf of Lego.