Bricks for the Blind NYC: Live LEGO Building Workshop

Bricks for the Blind will host a hands-on LEGO building workshop at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, bringing together blind, low-vision, and sighted members of the public to build the LEGO City Go-Karts and Race Drivers set (Set #60400) using BFTB's free, screen-reader-compatible text-based instructions. Matthew Shifrin will lead the session, with sighted volunteers on hand to assist builders as needed. The five fastest builders will win a LEGO Tiny Plants Botanicals set, made accessible by BFTB. Space is limited to 75 attendees.

Bricks for the Blind (BFTB) is a non-profit organization that brings the joy of building LEGO® sets to blind people.

By following BFTB’s free Text-based Building Instructions, people with visual impairments can enjoy the excitement and thrill of building amazing things that they couldn’t have built before. BFTB provides instructions for LEGO sets ranging from 100 to 4,000 pieces so visually impaired people of all ages and skill levels can enjoy hours of relaxation, independence, and empowerment.

People everywhere love building LEGO sets. Unfortunately, blind people can’t follow the pictorial instructions that come with each set. However, by using the assistive technologies they already use every day, such as magnifiers and screen readers, people with visual impairments can use BFTB’s Text-based Building Instructions to guide them through the building process. Now people with vision challenges can enjoy the fun, creativity, and relaxation of building LEGO sets, and the thrill of doing it all on their own.

As miniature 3D replicas of real-life and imaginary things, LEGO sets help visually impaired people “see” wonders that are impossible to explore by touch, such as the towers of the London Tower Bridge or Hogwarts Castle. When a blind person builds these marvels with their own hands, they understand them in a new and enlightening way; there is an “aha” moment that they can’t get from just reading about them. Building LEGO sets helps blind people learn about the world while also having fun.

BFTB’s Text-based Building Instructions are created by sighted and blind people working together. Sighted people write the instructions and blind people test them to ensure they are clear. BFTB then posts the instructions on their website where visually impaired LEGO fans download them free of charge and use them to build marvelous creations.

BFTB has only one goal: to bring the joy of building LEGO sets to as many visually impaired people as possible. BFTB is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit organization.