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The LEGO Group and Sesame Workshop have introduced Build the Change for Little Ones, a set of videos and activities encouraging children to learn about animals by building habitats. The first video features a bat, with butterflies and worms planned for the next two; families can find resources at LEGO.com, and additional videos are set to appear on the Sesame Street YouTube channel.
The LEGO Group and Sesame Workshop have launched Build the Change for Little Ones, a collection of videos and activities that invites children to learn about animals by building habitats with LEGO bricks and household materials. The project pairs Sesame Street characters with short animal features and printable guides, with resources available at LEGO.com and additional videos planned for the Sesame Street YouTube channel.
The partners describe the initiative as a combination of LEGO’s Build the Change social impact program and Sesame Workshop’s education-based play approach. The activities focus on animals children may encounter around their homes and introduce details about each creature’s habitat, food and role.
Each short video features Sesame Street characters alongside an animal built from LEGO bricks. The first focuses on a bat, timed for Halloween; the next two are planned to feature butterflies and worms. Families are encouraged to watch a video, build a habitat using bricks and materials such as cardboard, tape, pens and paper, then share and discuss what they made.
Printable inspiration cards are intended to help caregivers and educators extend the activity. Each card shows possible builds for an animal’s food source, water source and home; the reverse includes photographs of the real animal, a brief habitat description and suggestions for what to include in a brick-built version. LEGO says the activities are aimed especially at children ages 4 to 6.
Turning Animal Lessons Into Play
The project gives families and educators a structured way to connect information about animals with a hands-on activity. Children are prompted to apply details from a video when designing a place for an animal to live, rather than only watching or hearing about it. The cards also give adults prompts for discussing food, water and shelter.
The companies frame the effort as a way to encourage care for nature through play. That is their stated aim, not evidence that the activities have produced measured changes in children’s knowledge or behavior. The practical reach of the initiative will depend on families and educators finding and using the free online resources, and on the activities being accessible to children with different materials and play settings.
For readers, the immediate development is a new set of resources that can be used at home or in educational settings. Its format combines familiar characters with simple building prompts, while asking children to think about what an animal needs to thrive. The launch also gives Sesame Workshop another way to use its characters in educational content outside the core television format.
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A New Build the Change Partnership
Build the Change is LEGO’s social impact program, and the new project adapts that play-and-building concept for younger children by working with Sesame Workshop. The announcement describes the collaboration as centered on learning through creative projects and using well-known Sesame Street characters to introduce nature topics.
The initial rollout focuses on three creatures: bats, butterflies and worms. LEGO and Sesame Workshop say families can access the videos, activity guides and inspiration cards through LEGO.com. Further videos are expected to be available on the Sesame Street YouTube channel. The announcement does not specify a complete release calendar or whether the collection will expand beyond the three animals named.
“Children look after what they love, and we want to help them fall in love with nature.”
— Lauren von Stackelberg, vice president and head of social responsibility at The LEGO Group
Release Schedule and Reach
The announcement does not give dates for the butterfly and worm videos or specify how often new materials will be added. It also does not say how long the resources will remain available, whether more animals are planned, or whether the companies will evaluate the activities’ effects on children’s learning or environmental attitudes.
Although the project is described as especially suited to children ages 4 to 6, the source material does not provide detailed guidance for adapting each activity to different ages, abilities or classroom settings. The activities suggest using ordinary and recycled household materials, but no information is provided about accessibility provisions or a formal educator program.
More Animal Videos Planned
The next announced videos will feature butterflies and worms, following the bat short. Families can check LEGO.com for the videos, activity guides and printable inspiration cards; additional videos are planned for the Sesame Street YouTube channel. The companies have not provided specific publication dates for those installments.
Caregivers and educators can follow the suggested sequence: watch a short, build an animal habitat with bricks and available household materials, then discuss the design together. Any further expansion of the project or information about its impact has not been announced.
Key Questions
What is Build the Change for Little Ones?
It is a collaboration between The LEGO Group and Sesame Workshop that combines animal-focused videos with habitat-building activities and printable inspiration cards for young children.
Which animals are featured?
The first video features a bat. The next two are planned to feature butterflies and worms.
Where can families find the activities?
The videos, activity guides and inspiration cards are available through LEGO.com. Additional videos are planned for the Sesame Street YouTube channel.
What do children do in the activity?
Families watch a video, build a habitat for the animal using LEGO bricks and materials such as cardboard or paper, then talk about the creation. The guides prompt children to think about the animal’s food, water and home.
What age group is the project aimed at?
The announcement says the activities are intended especially for children ages 4 to 6. It does not provide detailed age-by-age adaptations.
Source: toybook.com
