Lego Braille Bricks have been available to specialised institutions serving vision-impaired students for a couple of years now, and due to positive feedback, they're set to launch to everyone from September.
How exactly do Lego Braille Bricks work? Well, instead of having eight studs like standard Lego, the studs are arranged into the Braille alphabet, with space below for a visual indicator of the letter, symbol or number. The idea of having both symbols is that it allows for more accessible/inclusive play.
The set includes two baseplates and 287 bricks in five colours – yellow, blue, red, green and white, and the box comes with braille embossing. There are also some suggested games, called Play Starters, included, to help people get into using the bricks, as well as a supporting blog, which contains activities with braille.
The Braille Bricks are compatible with other Lego products, although keeping them separate is probably advisable if you don't want them to get mixed up.
“For blind and partially sighted children, and adults for that matter, it makes all the difference if they can share their journey of learning braille with the people they love the most," says Martine Abel-Williamson, President, World Blind Union in a press release.
The set feels like a natural fit for Lego, and the design is simple yet effective. Perhaps the biggest surprise with this announcement is that the product wasn't already widely available.
You can pre-order the English/French Braille Lego kits via the Lego store. Sets cost $89.99 and will launch 1 September. Italian, German and Spanish versions are set to launch early 2024.
