LEGO®-based therapy at OT Therapy Tullamore.Therapy is a collaborative, play based social skills intervention for children with autism and related conditions

LEGO®-based therapy is a structured, group intervention designed to help children learn and practise social skills. LEGO®-Based Therapy is a collaborative, play-based social skills intervention originally designed for children with autism and related conditions. However, Lego-based therapy is enjoyed by all children even if they do not have a diagnosis.

 

Goals of LEGO®-based therapy

 

1. Social Skills

2. Communication with peers

3. Working in a team

4. Being a leader of a group

5. Fine motor skills and manual dexterity

6. Visual perception and spatial skills

7. Learning how to have fun with peers and other group members 

8. Learn how to follow strict rules of the group. 

9. It builds confidence and self-esteem

 

LEGO®-based therapy aims to develop social competence through the development of social skills. Collaborative play provides opportunities for children to practice skills such as turn-taking, listening, sharing ideas, communication, compromise, problem-solving and shared attention. Groups are run by a trained facilitator and children are encouraged to build together within set roles. Each child plays the role of an ‘engineer’, a ‘supplier’ or a ‘builder’ and together they follow pictorial instructions to build a model.

 

LEGO®-based therapy encourages children to interact with each other through collaborative play with construction toys; materials which are often highly motivating to most children including those with autism and related conditions.

 

Children are motivated to participate in the group intervention because they are interested in building, and therefore they are more willing to work together as a group. The shared focus on building and construction enables the children to learn and practice skills within a social environment they feel comfortable in.

 

Lego is a great tool for building and strengthening fine motor skills, and LEGO® explores visual perception concepts, problem-solving, planning and initiation skills.

 

 LEGO®-based therapy is a social development programme which was designed to help children and young people with autism spectrum disorders and related social communication difficulties, such as Asperger’s Syndrome.

 

The programme is based on the highly structured, systematic and predictable nature of building play which makes it appealing to children with social communication difficulties who are particularly attracted to systems.

 

Much more than simply playing with small blocks, OT therapy includes the presence of an Occupational Therapist who guides the children and encourages them to address and resolve their problems in a safe, structured,  and skill building environment.

 

This is not pretending to play. Through 'real life' situational therapy, children can learn to communicate with others, express their feelings, change their behaviour, develop problem-solving skills and develop a relationship with peers and with the world around them.

 

Therapy rules can be customised according to the abilities and skills of each individual. Common rules include:

• Structures must be built together by the group.

• If you break something, you have to fix it or ask for help to fix it.

• If another group member is using something and you want it, ask for it. Don’t just take it.

• Use quiet indoor voices without shouting.

• Use kind and polite words.

• Keep your hands and your feet to yourself.

• Do not put brick building bricks in your mouth.

• In the end, tidy everything away and put it back where it came from

 

The different roles in brick building therapy are:

• Engineer: oversees the design and ensures the instructions are followed.

• Builder: puts the bricks together.

• Supplier: keeps track of which size, shape and colour bricks are needed and passes them to the builder. .

• Roles are rotated throughout the brick building therapy session so that every child gets to try each role – this helps stimulate different aspects of the child.

 

Cost:

 

E25.00 per group session of 1 hour

Paid in advance for 4 sessions: E90.00.

(Must attend 6 sessions in a row.)