RESEARCH STARTER

LEGO Therapy

LEGO Therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes LEGO blocks to foster social interaction and communication skills among children with developmental disorders, particularly those on the autism spectrum. Originating in the 1990s, the method was developed by Dr. Daniel LeGoff after observing two children with Asperger syndrome engaging with LEGO creations, which sparked interest in collaboration and communication between them. This technique involves small group sessions where participants take on specific roles—such as builder or director—to complete collaborative LEGO projects, promoting both verbal and nonverbal interaction.

Research has shown that LEGO therapy can lead to significant improvements in social skills and communication among participants, surpassing traditional therapeutic methods for some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The structure of the sessions encourages positive reinforcement and role rotation, allowing children to practice and develop their social competencies in a supportive environment. Though primarily adopted in North America and Europe, the method's simplicity and effectiveness are leading to broader international acceptance. Ongoing studies continue to explore its efficacy and potential integration with robotics, highlighting LEGO therapy's growing relevance as a tool for addressing the needs of individuals with ASD.

Full Article

LEGO is the brand name of a popular series of construction toys produced by the Danish company LEGO Group and sold internationally. LEGO toys use plastic pieces, known as bricks, to create a variety of objects, including buildings, vehicles, and items/scenes representing popular film franchises. LEGO therapy is a set of therapeutic techniques and group-based tasks that use LEGO blocks or similar toy construction block products to encourage social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication among children with developmental disorders. 

LEGO therapy has been especially embraced as an emerging tool for coping with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that, among other things, are characterized by a deficit in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Since LEGO therapy was first integrated into ASD play therapy models in the 1990s, variations on the technique have spread throughout Europe and North America and are now used in a variety of play-therapy settings to teach a variety of skills to children and adolescents with ASD.

Background

The earliest research studies in LEGO therapy were published by Dr. Daniel LeGoff, a specialist in pediatric neuropsychology and in the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral conditions in infants and children, who is credited as the technique’s forerunner. LeGoff’s inspiration for LEGO therapy came from a coincidental encounter between two people who both happened to bring LEGO creations to his waiting area on the same day. Though the two young boys, both with Asperger syndrome (formally encompassed under ASD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision), seemed to ignore each other during previous meetings, they became interested in interacting when each arrived with LEGO models. LeGoff was inspired to use this interest in LEGO creations to form a new play therapy technique.

In his 2004 research paper on the subject, LeGoff describes the basic model for his method of LEGO therapy, which involves the formation of small interactive groups that cooperate to complete LEGO-based projects. Each participant is given individual and joint roles within the group and is asked to follow interactive rules that help guide the ways in which they interact with others in the group. In addition to group interactions, each participant is encouraged to use LEGO blocks individually. Group members also intermittently interact with therapists who help with the development and use of attention skills, turn-taking, eye contact while communicating, and conversation skills. LeGoff’s initial study involved forty-seven children and took place over twelve weeks. The study indicated that participants made statistically significant gains in interactivity with one another and with therapists, including in the frequency of self-initiated interactions with other group members and in the duration of a typical interaction.

In 2006, the journal Autism published further research by LeGoff and colleagues, including a three-year follow-up evaluation of participants in original LEGO therapy projects. According to the follow-up study, participants in LEGO therapy programs achieved significantly higher levels of improvement than did people with autism spectrum disorder who participated in alternative, non-LEGO therapeutic programs. Since the late 2000s, a large number of ASD support and research organizations have adopted LEGO therapy as an alternative or a supplementary tool in treating neurodevelopmental disorders.

In an early 2020s review of nineteen studies involving children with ASD undergoing LEGO-based therapy as a social development tool, LEGO-based therapy showed a positive impact in improving social interactions and collaborative play among children with ASD. However, most studies lacked proper sample sizes, methodologies, or evaluation methods to draw firm conclusions or generalize findings. The review called for more robust research designs, like randomized controlled trials, to determine the therapy’s efficacy.

Impact

Many researchers have continued studying and evaluating LEGO-based therapy as a method for treating autism spectrum disorders. For example, Dr. Chris Rogers of the Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) at Boston’s Tufts University pioneered a study using LEGO robotics products in therapeutic workshops. The Y.A.L.E. Schools, a group of schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for students with developmental and learning disabilities, also became an important center of research. In addition, the National Autistic Society of the United Kingdom and the Autism Research Centre produced a manual to facilitate the implementation of LEGO therapy.

In 2014, LeGoff and others collaborated on the book LEGO-Based Therapy: How to Build Social Competence through LEGO-Based Clubs for Children with Autism and Related Conditions. The book provides instructional guidance for ASD therapists and educators and describes the process of integrating LEGO-based therapy programs into treatment options. Detailed descriptions are also given on how to lead individual and group LEGO therapy sessions. The process begins by introducing prospective members of LEGO clubs to the rules and basic skills needed to start building with LEGO or similar construction blocks. Participants are then gathered into small groups, called LEGO Clubs, containing some individuals with ASD as well as others who do not have diagnosed functional disorders. The groups meet regularly (once a week is recommended) for ninety-minute sessions in order to fully participate in collaborative building projects.

An important component of LEGO therapy is the division of the group into various roles, which include supplier, builder, director, and engineer. For instance, some participants may be assigned to connect LEGO blocks together, while another member may be assigned to sort and organize the brick supply by color and size, and another individual may be assigned to design and plan the overall project. During the course of the program, roles are rotated among group members. This allows participants to experiment with, be exposed to, and learn to interact with other group members using verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Therapists are encouraged to create systems that allow for positive reinforcement to be given in the form of rewards and praise, which will encourage individual members and the group as a whole to work toward achieving various group goals.

LEGO therapy makes use of the tendency of many with ASD to gravitate toward systematic and repetitive activities, which then encourages continued involvement in the LEGO therapy groups and marked improvement in communication and social skills. As therapy sessions advance, participants have the opportunity to practice communicating emotions and desires to their group members and to therapists who oversee the groups. Behavior is then modified in order to engage more positively and appropriately with the group.

Research on the benefits of LEGO therapy is ongoing. It has also been used in robotics with a humanoid robot to study human-robot interactions and the potential benefits of robotics therapy. One study found that long-term use of LEGO therapy involving a humanoid robot significantly improved interactive parameters among participants.

LEGO therapy is a relatively recent technique in play therapy for individuals with ASD, and additional studies are required to evaluate the potential of this and similar therapeutic methods. While LEGO therapy was used primarily throughout North America and some parts of Europe through the early twenty-first century, the practice and acceptance of the technique began spreading internationally. Given the low initial investment and ease of implementation, LEGO therapy has the potential to become a standard tool in treating ASD.


Bibliography

Barakova, Emilia I., et al. “Long-Term LEGO Therapy with Humanoid Robot for Children with ASD.” Expert Systems, vol. 32, no. 6, 13 Nov. 2014, pp. 698–709, doi:10.1111/exsy.12098. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Biggs, Katie, et al. “Lessons Learnt about Implementing LEGO Based Therapy (Play Brick Therapy) Based on Fidelity Data and Experience from a Large School-Based Randomised Controlled Trial.” PLOS ONE, edited by Yuliang Zhang, vol. 21, no. 2, Feb. 2026, p. e0336952, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0336952. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Celestine, Nicole. “Lego Therapy: How Play Can Heal People (+ Resources).” Positive Psychology, 23 Oct. 2021, positivepsychology.com/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

LeGoff, Daniel B., et al. LEGO-Based Therapy: How to Build Social Competence through LEGO-Based Clubs for Children with Autism and Related Conditions. Jessica Kingsley, 2014.

LeGoff, Daniel B., and Michael Sherman. “Long-Term Outcome of Social Skills Intervention Based on Interactive LEGO Play.” The International Journal of Research and Practice, vol. 10, no. 4, 2006, pp. 317–29, doi:10.1177/1362361306064403. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

LeGoff, Daniel B. “Use of LEGO© as a Therapeutic Medium for Improving Social Competence.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 34, no. 5, 2004, pp. 557–71, doi:10.1007/s10803-004-2550-0. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“LEGO Therapy.” ASD Aid, www.asdaid.org/lego-and-asd/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy and Autism.” Raising Children Network, 29 May 2025, raisingchildren.net.au/autism/therapies-guide/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy Manual Announced» ASD Aid.” ASD Aid, 2016, www.asdaid.org/lego-therapy-manual-announced/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy Offered to Children with Autism.” BBC, 7 Aug. 2014, www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-28698819. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

McCullough, Marie. “Legos: Building Blocks in Autism Therapy.” Orange County Register, 17 June 2008, www.ocregister.com/2008/06/17/legos-building-blocks-in-autism-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Narzisi, Antonio, et al. “Could You Give Me the Blue Brick? LEGO®-Based Therapy as a Social Development Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.” Brain Sciences, vol. 11, no. 6, 2021, p. 702, doi:10.3390/brainsci11060702. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Seath, Nicole. “What Is LEGO-Based therapy?” Therapy Focus, 29 Jan. 2025, therapyfocus.org.au/on-the-blog/what-is-lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Wagenfeld, Amy. “LEGO Therapy: How to Build Connections with Autism—One Brick at a Time.” Autism Parenting, 24 May 2025, www.autismparentingmagazine.com/lego-therapy-autism. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Full Article

LEGO is the brand name of a popular series of construction toys produced by the Danish company LEGO Group and sold internationally. LEGO toys use plastic pieces, known as bricks, to create a variety of objects, including buildings, vehicles, and items/scenes representing popular film franchises. LEGO therapy is a set of therapeutic techniques and group-based tasks that use LEGO blocks or similar toy construction block products to encourage social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication among children with developmental disorders. 

LEGO therapy has been especially embraced as an emerging tool for coping with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that, among other things, are characterized by a deficit in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Since LEGO therapy was first integrated into ASD play therapy models in the 1990s, variations on the technique have spread throughout Europe and North America and are now used in a variety of play-therapy settings to teach a variety of skills to children and adolescents with ASD.

Background

The earliest research studies in LEGO therapy were published by Dr. Daniel LeGoff, a specialist in pediatric neuropsychology and in the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral conditions in infants and children, who is credited as the technique’s forerunner. LeGoff’s inspiration for LEGO therapy came from a coincidental encounter between two people who both happened to bring LEGO creations to his waiting area on the same day. Though the two young boys, both with Asperger syndrome (formally encompassed under ASD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision), seemed to ignore each other during previous meetings, they became interested in interacting when each arrived with LEGO models. LeGoff was inspired to use this interest in LEGO creations to form a new play therapy technique.

In his 2004 research paper on the subject, LeGoff describes the basic model for his method of LEGO therapy, which involves the formation of small interactive groups that cooperate to complete LEGO-based projects. Each participant is given individual and joint roles within the group and is asked to follow interactive rules that help guide the ways in which they interact with others in the group. In addition to group interactions, each participant is encouraged to use LEGO blocks individually. Group members also intermittently interact with therapists who help with the development and use of attention skills, turn-taking, eye contact while communicating, and conversation skills. LeGoff’s initial study involved forty-seven children and took place over twelve weeks. The study indicated that participants made statistically significant gains in interactivity with one another and with therapists, including in the frequency of self-initiated interactions with other group members and in the duration of a typical interaction.

In 2006, the journal Autism published further research by LeGoff and colleagues, including a three-year follow-up evaluation of participants in original LEGO therapy projects. According to the follow-up study, participants in LEGO therapy programs achieved significantly higher levels of improvement than did people with autism spectrum disorder who participated in alternative, non-LEGO therapeutic programs. Since the late 2000s, a large number of ASD support and research organizations have adopted LEGO therapy as an alternative or a supplementary tool in treating neurodevelopmental disorders.

In an early 2020s review of nineteen studies involving children with ASD undergoing LEGO-based therapy as a social development tool, LEGO-based therapy showed a positive impact in improving social interactions and collaborative play among children with ASD. However, most studies lacked proper sample sizes, methodologies, or evaluation methods to draw firm conclusions or generalize findings. The review called for more robust research designs, like randomized controlled trials, to determine the therapy’s efficacy.

Impact

Many researchers have continued studying and evaluating LEGO-based therapy as a method for treating autism spectrum disorders. For example, Dr. Chris Rogers of the Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) at Boston’s Tufts University pioneered a study using LEGO robotics products in therapeutic workshops. The Y.A.L.E. Schools, a group of schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for students with developmental and learning disabilities, also became an important center of research. In addition, the National Autistic Society of the United Kingdom and the Autism Research Centre produced a manual to facilitate the implementation of LEGO therapy.

In 2014, LeGoff and others collaborated on the book LEGO-Based Therapy: How to Build Social Competence through LEGO-Based Clubs for Children with Autism and Related Conditions. The book provides instructional guidance for ASD therapists and educators and describes the process of integrating LEGO-based therapy programs into treatment options. Detailed descriptions are also given on how to lead individual and group LEGO therapy sessions. The process begins by introducing prospective members of LEGO clubs to the rules and basic skills needed to start building with LEGO or similar construction blocks. Participants are then gathered into small groups, called LEGO Clubs, containing some individuals with ASD as well as others who do not have diagnosed functional disorders. The groups meet regularly (once a week is recommended) for ninety-minute sessions in order to fully participate in collaborative building projects.

An important component of LEGO therapy is the division of the group into various roles, which include supplier, builder, director, and engineer. For instance, some participants may be assigned to connect LEGO blocks together, while another member may be assigned to sort and organize the brick supply by color and size, and another individual may be assigned to design and plan the overall project. During the course of the program, roles are rotated among group members. This allows participants to experiment with, be exposed to, and learn to interact with other group members using verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Therapists are encouraged to create systems that allow for positive reinforcement to be given in the form of rewards and praise, which will encourage individual members and the group as a whole to work toward achieving various group goals.

LEGO therapy makes use of the tendency of many with ASD to gravitate toward systematic and repetitive activities, which then encourages continued involvement in the LEGO therapy groups and marked improvement in communication and social skills. As therapy sessions advance, participants have the opportunity to practice communicating emotions and desires to their group members and to therapists who oversee the groups. Behavior is then modified in order to engage more positively and appropriately with the group.

Research on the benefits of LEGO therapy is ongoing. It has also been used in robotics with a humanoid robot to study human-robot interactions and the potential benefits of robotics therapy. One study found that long-term use of LEGO therapy involving a humanoid robot significantly improved interactive parameters among participants.

LEGO therapy is a relatively recent technique in play therapy for individuals with ASD, and additional studies are required to evaluate the potential of this and similar therapeutic methods. While LEGO therapy was used primarily throughout North America and some parts of Europe through the early twenty-first century, the practice and acceptance of the technique began spreading internationally. Given the low initial investment and ease of implementation, LEGO therapy has the potential to become a standard tool in treating ASD.


Bibliography

Barakova, Emilia I., et al. “Long-Term LEGO Therapy with Humanoid Robot for Children with ASD.” Expert Systems, vol. 32, no. 6, 13 Nov. 2014, pp. 698–709, doi:10.1111/exsy.12098. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Biggs, Katie, et al. “Lessons Learnt about Implementing LEGO Based Therapy (Play Brick Therapy) Based on Fidelity Data and Experience from a Large School-Based Randomised Controlled Trial.” PLOS ONE, edited by Yuliang Zhang, vol. 21, no. 2, Feb. 2026, p. e0336952, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0336952. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Celestine, Nicole. “Lego Therapy: How Play Can Heal People (+ Resources).” Positive Psychology, 23 Oct. 2021, positivepsychology.com/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

LeGoff, Daniel B., et al. LEGO-Based Therapy: How to Build Social Competence through LEGO-Based Clubs for Children with Autism and Related Conditions. Jessica Kingsley, 2014.

LeGoff, Daniel B., and Michael Sherman. “Long-Term Outcome of Social Skills Intervention Based on Interactive LEGO Play.” The International Journal of Research and Practice, vol. 10, no. 4, 2006, pp. 317–29, doi:10.1177/1362361306064403. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

LeGoff, Daniel B. “Use of LEGO© as a Therapeutic Medium for Improving Social Competence.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 34, no. 5, 2004, pp. 557–71, doi:10.1007/s10803-004-2550-0. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“LEGO Therapy.” ASD Aid, www.asdaid.org/lego-and-asd/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy and Autism.” Raising Children Network, 29 May 2025, raisingchildren.net.au/autism/therapies-guide/lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy Manual Announced» ASD Aid.” ASD Aid, 2016, www.asdaid.org/lego-therapy-manual-announced/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

“Lego Therapy Offered to Children with Autism.” BBC, 7 Aug. 2014, www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-28698819. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

McCullough, Marie. “Legos: Building Blocks in Autism Therapy.” Orange County Register, 17 June 2008, www.ocregister.com/2008/06/17/legos-building-blocks-in-autism-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Narzisi, Antonio, et al. “Could You Give Me the Blue Brick? LEGO®-Based Therapy as a Social Development Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.” Brain Sciences, vol. 11, no. 6, 2021, p. 702, doi:10.3390/brainsci11060702. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Seath, Nicole. “What Is LEGO-Based therapy?” Therapy Focus, 29 Jan. 2025, therapyfocus.org.au/on-the-blog/what-is-lego-therapy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Wagenfeld, Amy. “LEGO Therapy: How to Build Connections with Autism—One Brick at a Time.” Autism Parenting, 24 May 2025, www.autismparentingmagazine.com/lego-therapy-autism. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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