Donate
Facebook

Brick Club

We all love to play! That’s the core concept behind the Brick-by-Brick® program. Young people collaborate together to build LEGO® models – making friends and developing skills all while having fun with their peers.

Supported by trained facilitators, the Brick-by-Brick® program offers children positive, meaningful social experiences in an understanding, playful and accepting environment. Brick Club (as it’s known to children) supports its members to collaborate, communicate, problem-solve and share fun experiences all through collaborative LEGO® play.

Brick-by-Brick® programs have been in existence in the UK and Europe for about 3 years. In 2022, The Miracle League of CT, along with program partners – Creative Development and Goodwin University, were invited to become the first trained facilitators in the United States for Brick Club programs. In late September of 2022, 3 representatives from our group traveled to Cambridge in the UK for the Level 2 Facilitator Training. We learned so much and are very excited to apply what we have learned to this exciting new offering.

Learning Through Play

The genius of Brick Club is that the participants are developing important social and life skills, all while engaged in meaningful play with – LEGO® Bricks. While working together to build a LEGO® kit, participants are working on:

  • Learning basic social skills
  • Learning how they can persist and accomplish a task through collaboration
  • Learning to work within defined roles
  • Learning to work as a team
  • Learning patience, taking turns
  • Develop problem solving skills
  • Developing a sense of accomplishment through collaboration
  • And so much more…

That’s lots of important learning and skill development – all while having lots of fun!

Who is Brick Club For?

Simply put, Brick Club can be for everyone. but as we are just getting this brand-new program up and running, we will have some more stringent prerequisites in place than our usual Miracle League of CT programming. Our plan is to start small and then grow the opportunities to a wider range of ages and abilities (including neurotypical people) to participate. We may even have a DUPLO® session for younger builders.

We ask that participants meet the following criteria:

  • Be 8 – 21 years old for our first session 
  • Participants of all abilities are welcome, the curriculum is designed for neuro-diverse learners, neuro-typical friends or siblings are welcome to join the fun
  • Have the ability to follow 2-3 step instructions
  • Have some interest in playing with LEGO® Bricks
  • Have the manual dexterity to manipulate (hold, place, connect) the small pieces of a LEGO® set
  • Be able to communicate verbally or with an AAC device or other communication method
  • Manage their own personal hygiene (bathroom needs)
  • Participate without parental support
  • Be able to remain attentive for a 60-minute session with short breaks (if needed)
  • Be able to control behavior in a way that it will not be harmful to others

What Happens at Brick Club?

At Brick Club we begin with an opportunity to get to know each other through LEGO® building.  This may be engaging in free play or more facilitated building in which members have defined roles and are guided through the process of changing roles, making decisions, and solving problems together.  As the group progresses, participants are encouraged to work toward more complex or free build projects while still in a collaborative model. Brick Club is different from other social groups, and research has proven that participants of Brick Club are able to learn skills without the anxiety often associated with other prescriptive social programs.  Participants are guided to make choices, problem solve, and work collaboratively in a natural meaningful activity they are familiar with and enjoy. Participants of Brick Club programs, which is based on LEGO® play theory, are better able to generalize this social learning in other activities.

Each session will have no more than 9 participants for the 6-week program.  All LEGO® Bricks and Build Kits will be provided by and are the property of The Miracle League of CT. While projects can’t go home, we will be sure to send photos to families who would like to see the accomplishments.

Brick Club Greater Hartford

The next session of Brick Club will begin on Saturday October 6, 2024. There will be 6 meetings ending on November 16, 2024. We will not meet on Saturday October 26.

Please note that at the end of the registration process, a window will come up with an invitation to join Active Advantage – PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK NO THANKS if you do not want it, or you will be charged for it.

The goal of the Miracle League of CT is to remove all barriers that prevent children with special needs from participating in recreational, educational, and cultural activities.  If one of those barriers is a financial one, please email us at miracleleaguect@comcast.net to request a fee waiver for any of our programs.  We will do our best to accommodate your request which will be kept strictly confidential.

Our Brick Club Greater Hartford Facilitators

Mike Michaud – Executive Director of The Miracle League of CT. Mike has more than 10 years of experience working with children with all types of intellectual, developmental, and physical challenges. Certified Brick by Brick® Level 2 Facilitator – September 2022.

Deanne Anderson – Owner and Occupational Therapist at Creative Development, LLC. Deanne has many years of experience working with children with all types of challenges. Certified Brick by Brick® Level 2 Facilitator – September 2022.

Kathi Krivanec – Kathy is the Fieldwork Coordinator at Goodwin University for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. She is also an Occupational Therapy Practitioner. Certified Brick by Brick® Level 2 Facilitator – September 2022

This program is supported by the LEGO Group

and

 

 

Upcoming Programs

Our Sponsors