The Lego Group (Billund, Denmark) has unveiled plans to make its stores in the U.S. and Canada more “sensory inclusive” via a variety of steps, including providing fidget tools, noise-reducing headphones, visual cue cards and added inclusion training for staff.
The brand’s Lego House and Lego Foundation unveiled those initiatives and others designed to support and celebrate neurodivergent children and adults to mark World Autism Acceptance Month in April.
“All Lego entities are united by our mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow and a belief that the benefits of play are equally critical to all children,” Colette Burke, Chief Commercial Officer at the Lego Group. “This fuels our exploration of how to make the Lego experience more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.”
Lego teamed on the project with KultureCity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing accessibility in public spaces for individuals with sensory needs and non-visible disabilities. It certifies locations that provide visitors with an inclusive experience through staff training and access to support tools.
The group makes “sensory bags” available to checkout at no cost during store visits. These contain items such as noise reducing headphones, fidget tools, visual cue cards, KultureCity branded lanyards and strobe-reduction glasses.
All 112 Lego stores in the U.S. and Canada will be KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Certified by the end of April. The partners also plan to expand such certification to stores in more countries later this year.