Lego has revolutionized from wooden toys originating from Denmark to becoming arguably one of the most influential and powerful brands in the world. Since Lego’s rise to success, they have modernized the industry and expanded their reach to areas related to science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), coding, engineering and robotics.
Lego impacts multiple sectors by operating through programs such as Lego Education, the Lego Foundation and the FIRST Lego League (FLL). This diverse approach enables the brand to address education, global philanthropy and student learning under these specialized pillars.
Lego Education is an official division that focuses on creating hands-on learning experiences in STEAM for students in classroom environments. These early learning opportunities are targeted toward elementary and middle school students to help change their view toward different fields. The education program was first established in 1980, which provides students with specialized brick sets and software that allows for Lego to be integrated into daily classes.
Lego Education Vice President Alexander Mitchell notes his goals to remove the barriers that stop students and teachers from the opportunities of learning through Lego. Lego Spike is a learning system designed for students from age groups starting at 6 or older and 10 or above for primarily coding, robotics and engineering. Because many elementary school instructors do not have computer science backgrounds, Lego Education designed the Spike ecosystem to feature intuitive, color-coded blocks and icon-based coding applications.
“With Spike, I think one of the challenges is that it can be really intimidating…You look at it, see the colors, the technic builds, and you’re like, ‘That’s robotics–I’m not a robotics teacher,’” Mitchell said.
The education division focuses on being able to teach students through Lego by utilizing the specialized Lego Education Spike sets. These kits use hardware like programmable hubs, motors and sensors connected to an app that teaches robotics and mathematical thinking. Teachers can guide students through complex engineering principles without requiring a degree in advanced programming and give young students early exposure to interesting fields.
This helps bridge classroom learning to global competition through the brand’s primary youth program partnership. The FLL is an international science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) robotics competition for kids and teens to design, build and program Lego robots to complete challenges. Sponsored by Lego Education, the nonprofit robotics organization FIRST is one of the most notable STEM collaborations in the world.
While Lego Education and FLL focus heavily on school environments and technology competitions, the brand also addresses global childhood development through their philanthropic part-owner.
“The FIRST Lego League International Open Championship is really a personification of why FIRST exists–to bring together teams from around the world transforming cultural barriers…coming together to explore, to discover, and to problem solve,” Chris Moore, CEO of FIRST, said.
The Lego Foundation was established in 1986 by the Kirk Kristiansen family, as a 25% shareholder of the Lego Group, a large portion of the company’s profits goes directly into funding global charitable activities, neuroscientific research and educational partnerships in marginalized communities. The Lego Group and Lego Foundation officially partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2015, the first toy company to partner with UNICEF.
“When my great-grandfather founded the company…he recognised that play could change the lives of children–it brings families together and helps children develop skills that can enable them to reach their full potential. He only had a small workshop, but he had big ambitions to ensure as many children as possible could experience the benefits that play brings,” Chairman of Lego Thomas Kirk Kristiansen said.
Lego has evolved far beyond the boundaries of a traditional toy manufacturing company. By connecting Lego Education, the FIRST Lego League and the Lego Foundation, the organization has created endless possibilities. Lego ensures that equitable learning opportunities are accessible to all to help shape the future of global education and childhood development for generations to come.
