Elementary Students Building a Brighter Future with LEGO Group

Kendrick Elementary School’s after-school program is leading the charge to make cities more playful. Last week, fourth and fifth-grade students were chosen to participate in a hands-on creativity workshop led by the LEGO Group’s Build the Change program.

Build the Change is a social responsibility effort that aims to inspire children to use their creativity to solve real-world challenges using LEGO® bricks and other creative materials. Past challenges have included climate change, building better schools, and improving accessibility. This workshop focused on ‘creating playful cities,’ challenging students to reimagine urban spaces into playful environments. Ultimately, the students’ creations will be integrated into an animated video and global learning materials reaching millions of children.

Ben Courtney, senior program and creative content manager with the LEGO Group says the most important part of the Build the Change program is letting the kids learn through play. 

“Play is the brain’s favorite way to learn,” he said. “It’s giving kids the chance to express themselves, building 21st century skills, and also building creative confidence.” 

Garrett Shipes, curriculum liaison for Kendrick Elementary’s extended day program, agreed, emphasizing the impact of play-based learning.

“Play allows children to be creative, build relationships, and engage in hands-on learning. It’s a key part of how we understand the world and each other,” he said. 

First Book Marketplace, a LEGO Group partner and nonprofit that provides free and low-cost books to underserved areas, first identified Kendrick Elementary as a champion school. The nonprofit recognized the school’s dedication to innovative student programs and reached out to offer this first-of-its-kind opportunity. 

“We were looking for a school that delivers really great programs to the students and has this desire and ability to do things like learning through play,” Courtney explained. 

The workshop began with a discussion on city planning and how urban environments are not always designed with kids in mind. Students were then given LEGO bricks, cardboard, and crafting materials to tackle different design challenges, including creating a playful fountain, reimagining walls with interactive elements, improving transportation, and enhancing trash services, all with the idea of making these urban spaces more fun and playful. 

“The things that kids come up with are incredible,” Courtney said. “There’s a programmable fountain, there’s a sidewalk shaped like a castle, there’s a trash can that lights up and thanks you, there’s all kinds of ideas coming out.”

Students Asher and Santiago were asked to come up with an idea for a playful fountain. They built an interactive and programmable fountain that changes its design to offer different types of food, ice cream, and other treats. They even developed a narrative story about the people placing their orders and the consequences of stealing from the snack fountain. 

The students said they enjoyed playing with the materials and developing cool ideas. Asher and Santiago agreed that cities need more places to play; otherwise, they would be boring. They also say it’s important for adults to listen to children’s ideas, to make sure their creativity is not overlooked.

“I think it’s really important for kids to understand that their ideas matter,” Courtney said. “They can have ideas, approach a problem, communicate, collaborate with each other, and come up with something, then also inspire other kids.” 

Students were able to present and explain their designs in filmed interviews, sharing their thought processes and excitement about their contributions. Their designs and interviews will be used in free curricula, teaching materials, and lesson plans that will be distributed worldwide. 

“What they’re getting to do is not only great for them, but it will be used to create these materials for other kids,” Shipes explained. “They’re creating a model to inspire other kids to know that they can tackle big problems.”

The LEGO Group also partnered with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, an animation film studio. The studio will use the students’ ideas in a new stop-motion animated video that will be distributed alongside the free learning materials. 

Nearly 30 students participated in the event, which fostered collaboration, problem-solving, and confidence in self-expression. The Kendrick Elementary after-school program hopes to continue incorporating Build the Change initiatives into its curriculum, ensuring that students have ongoing opportunities to use creativity and play as tools for learning and community improvement. 

“This is more than just playing with LEGO bricks,” Shipes said. “It’s about showing kids that their ideas matter, that they can take on big challenges, and that they have a voice in shaping the world around them.”

Students participate in an interview to describe their creations.