Children
Inspiring children to learn through play
- 2019 result1,860,000children reached
- 2020 result3,229,390children reached
- H1 2021 progress1,131,491children reached2021 target3,500,000children reached
Inspire and engage parents in Learning through Play
We launched the ‘Prescription for Play’ programme in 2020 for healthcare providers in the U.S. who support 18- to 24-month-old children. Families that receive a Prescription for Play get a LEGO® DUPLO® box containing a variety of brick animals, encouraging parents to spend time playing with their children. Caregivers and parents play a critical role in developing children’s essential skills for the 21st century. This programme aims to help parents and caregivers bring quality Learning through Play opportunities into the home. In the first half of 2021, we reached over 230,000 parents and caregivers, and aim to reach to 1 million parents by the end of the year.Prescription for Play
Play it safe
We create safe, high-quality products that meet or surpass even the most rigorous international toy safety regulations and standards. In 2020, we had our 11th consecutive year with no product recalls.Read more
Partnering with Save the Children in China
We made progress bringing Learning through Play to children in Yunnan Province in China as part of a three-year, US$2.3 million partnership with Save the Children.
Through this partnership, we aim to reach 50,000 children and are making good progress.
Play the video to explore the story of the Dayao kindergarten where the inspirational headmaster Li Ming and his staff refurbished the site and brought the fun of Learning through Play to the children.
Playful parenting for Chinese families in need
The LEGO Group, LEGO Foundation and UNICEF launched a partnership in May 2021 to bring Learning through Play to families in 200 disadvantaged rural Chinese communities. The three-year partnership will see US$2.5 million invested in resources to support early childhood development.
We expect this partnership to directly benefit 20,000 children aged 0 to 6 years and around 40,000 caregivers through access to quality family support services and use of age-appropriate play materials.
Learning about sustainability through play
Children are the builders of tomorrow, and we want to give them the opportunity to learn about sustainability through play.
We celebrated Earth Day in April by taking our Build the Change series online. We asked children to share their ideas for building a sustainable future using LEGO® bricks and other creative materials. More than 14,000 children globally participated in the challenge, showing amazing creativity and inspiration.
We also launched LEGO sets designed to educate children about sustainable living, including LEGO Friends Olivia’s Electric Car and LEGO City My Family House.
Respecting and supporting children’s rights
We’re serious about safe play
New Build & Talk adventures
In August we released another story-style Build & Talk activity pack to help parents start a conversation about online privacy and safe sharing. The interactive story encourages children to build an imaginary character using LEGO bricks. Parents use simple talking points to educate children about online privacy, such as what makes a good password and what’s safe to share online. Further activity packs addressing a range of online safety topics will be launched in 2021.Learn more
Partnering with the DQ Institute
At the beginning of 2021, we joined forces with the DQ Institute, a world-leading think tank on digital citizenship and child online safety, to help children develop the skills they need to thrive in the digital world. As part of our partnership, we developed learning experiences based on a competency framework pioneered by the DQ Institute to teach children vital digital life skills.Learn more
Promoting inclusive play
LEGO® Braille Bricks
In 2019, together with the LEGO Foundation we announced a pilot project with LEGO Braille Bricks – a learning through play based concept to teach braille to children with visual impairment. The first LEGO Braille Bricks were launched in 2020. In 2021, we extended the availability of the LEGO Braille Bricks in partnership with local sight loss organizations, and LEGO Braille Bricks can now be found in 11 languages and 20 countries
The first LEGO Audio & Braille Building Instructions were released in 2019, and in the first half of 2021, 19 new instructions were released, bringing the total number available to 45.
Learn more
The Brick-by-Brick programme
The Brick-by-BrickTM programme is a partnership between the LEGO Foundation and Play Included™ C.I.C., a UK-based social enterprise using a Learning through Play LEGO brick-based methodology for therapeutic purposes.
The programme provides neurodivergent children with playful learning opportunities to build social communication skills and develop friendships in a fun and safe environment.The programme was launched in April 2021 and is currently available in 40 countries. Going forward, Play Included plans to extend the program in existing and new countries and undertake research to explore the impact of the programme among participating children.
Learn more
Play Day in a Box
After a successful Virtual Play Week in 2020, we launched ‘Play Day in a Box’ in 2021. This format supports both in-person and online events to respect local COVID-19 conditions. Employees received a box containing a variety of LEGO elements as well as activity cards to inspire fun and playful experiences with colleagues, family and friends.
More than 10,000 colleagues at our manufacturing sites took time away from work in June to play. All other LEGO colleagues will participate in ‘Play Day in a Box’ events during the second half of 2021.
Throughout the year we also support our employees to volunteer in Learning through Play-inspired programmes and help them reach more children in their communities. While COVID-19 has impacted the level of volunteering in the first half of 2021, we plan to ramp up activities as restrictions begin to lift in communities around the world.
