The five characteristics of playful experiences

Learning braille through play.

We say that play can lead to deeper learning when the activity is experienced as joyful. Nothing spurs us on more than the feeling of progressing or simply enjoying the task even when it’s challenging.

This is easier if what we are doing or learning feels meaningful and builds on what we already know and truly care about. When you really grasp ideas understand how they connect and apply them in new ways, this is learning at its deepest.

It is also much easier to learn something new when we are actively hands-on engaged and get so invested in what we’re doing that learning happens naturally.

This happens through a process of experimentation and iterative thinking. As learning is not about being told how to do something correctly, but rather to explore, test and try things out. Sometimes it takes a few mistakes to understand how to reach a goal, which is why we need to let children keep trying, and help them learn from their mistakes, and try again.

Learning also happens when the activity is socially interactive, like learning from others, allowing us to see something from another perspective, to explain things, negotiate and reach a compromise by sharing our ideas, and understanding a subject.

That’s why, these five characteristics will be at the core of all activities with LEGO Braille Bricks.

In practice, these five characteristics will ebb and flow; each characteristic is not necessary all the time, but over time, children should be active and absorbed, feel moments of joy and a meaningful connection, iterate and engage with others.