Playing with LEGO Braille Bricks & Talking About Blindness and Childhood!

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I'm Molly, a typical sushi, makeup, and fashion loving millennial girl who just so happens to be blind! I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at just 4 years old and began public speaking at age 5. I started just doing motivational speaking, but now I make videos and even model! Even though I can’t see, I know that there are bright spots in everything we face. Let’s find them together. 💕

[@Ginnilini]

There should be a Lego X Scrabble collab! It would be so easy to create a Lego Scrabble board for the whole family to play on.

[@Sci_Kaos_Ity]

That would be a pretty cool collaboration. I have found scrabble inspired tiles on Etsy in braille and American Sign Language. There are some scrabble boards with raised edges to help keep the tiles from shifting. But tile sizing varies. I bought an ASL wood tile set on Etsy but then they were too big to fit in the spaces for the licensed Tile Lock Scrabble squares board I tried to pair it with.

[@CanadianChipmunk]

The piece that didn't have brailee on it is a brick separater, if Lego pieces get stuck together you can use that tool to pry them apart

[@subwarpspeed]

I wonders if the description sheet with braille has some explanation of it or they missed telling the blind people what they have sent them. Feels like this lego set you shouldn't have to be helped by sighted people to get. Sure, blind people can figure it out too eventually. The lego webpage for that brick separator (630) only has the description "This tool makes it a snap to pull those small plates apart." To Molly if you read this: In one end there it can be attached under or over other to pry apart. Useful for like 2x1 plates (those that are ⅓ height of the bricks you have). Then then there is the axle part to push lego axles (more used on lego technic) out of small bushings. The other end is pointy like a wedge and for getting plates off plates, like your big base plates you got to build on.

[@mamaK648]

My son is 6 and visually impaired. I LOVE that more companies are trying to be inclusive. It gives me more hope for the future. ❤😍

[@LovelyL0v3ly]

My cousin became increasingly blind and deaf due to an illness when we were kids and my grandparents went and bought a ton of different textured fabrics and would secure them to toys so she’d know what she was playing with. I was super little but I’ll never forget Connect Four had a small strip of some soft fluffy stuff glued to the back of just the red pieces so she could feel the difference between red and black. It took a while and a lot of experimenting to figure out what would actually work but looking back on it now as an adult there was such a difference in how she played once those accommodations to things were made!!

[@jesslikescoffee24]

These bricks could be such a fun way for sighted kids to spell out “secret messages” for blind kids who know braille, since the letters are printed as well

[@HiddenWindshield]

That thing you didn't know what it was at 9:55 is actually a brick separator. As the name suggests, it's designed to help you separate bricks that are stuck together without breaking your fingernails trying to pry them off.

[@Dehydrated-Noodle]

As a play therapist, this is so exciting! Your intro and description of play is 100% what I tell families about play.

[@mrsorganisestuff9502]

The outfit gives Mario vibes 😄 The kit is amazing, bravo Lego!

[@SierraMascara28]

I was going to say that! Definitely Mario ☺️

[@bluepurplepink]

100% mario

[@Ninkashi]

Totally Mario vibes, but really cute :D

[@emiliaholmberg3320]

Exactly! The only thing missing is the red hat.

[@theparagamer786]

@@emiliaholmberg3320and the moustache lol

[@casstheshadowdemon6399]

I am so glad that lego made it Accessible for all consumers. I remember when we first got them two years ago. And seeing everyone react to such a cool toy. I'm hoping that one day, when I become a braille instructor, I will be able to show these to my future students

[@spoonlessvalkyrie7514]

I’m a AFOL(adult fan of Lego). I have an extensive collection and I’m so happy to see them becoming accessible to everyone!! Lego isn’t only for kids!

[@bunbunbee]

Yes! I’d even argue that many Lego sets are actually meant for adults mostly, while kids can still enjoy them. Like entire movie or television sets of adult shows, or intricate designs with tiny pieces. Lego is seriously awesome, I’ve always wanted a large expensive set of my own 😂❤

[@karenrosenberger1321]

Me and my husband still play with Legos sometimes. We're both kids at heart!!! And I'm NOT ashamed AT ALL

[@---BAM---]

This is actually very healthy and it brings you joy. Nothing to be ashamed of. ❤️

[@gracelarmee]

When you were unboxing everything, Elton's eyes were following each piece you got out of the box, it's like he was getting excited for you

[@MossyBear]

You're so right about the importance of play! I'm glad you're taking the time to express your creativity and play :)

[@pauldempster2130]

Very good Lego

[@---BAM---]

You're never too old to have a childhood.

[@liadenis]

ugh love this. thank you

[@alexiabettencourt7535]

I am truly in love with your new hair color! Blonde was fun, but this color is such a cozy fall look.

[@kandipiatkowski8589]

I learned sign language as a kid, and I didn't have any deaf friends. I did learn some braille to write on greeting cards for my mom or my aunt.

[@senjidog]

Definitely getting these - I'm losing my vision and have been terrified about learning Braille - it seems so challenging. I'm not at the point where I qualify for programs in my area, so this seems like it would be an approachable way.

[@tabithajackson7758]

I am 30 almost 31 years old and I'm just now learning Braille. I just recently got my Braille bug poster and hung it up on our wall. I wish I had started learning Braille when I was younger but my parent did not know much about helping me as a blind child/teenager. Glad I am learning now though. My Independent Living Coordinator is going to help me learn Braille

[@Scarletlight525]

My 36yo very adult self who's been wanting to learn braile for a few years... Yes, i seriously might get these!

[@clarap.1115]

I got them and I recommend ! They are super fun and they are genuinely helping me learn braille! I brought it at work as a awareness tool on disabilities which I use doing lunch break and my colleagues love it so much!

[@KCallia]

I would imagine that training finger sensitivity for braille can be like learning an instrument, as many required digits to be used individually. "Can you play these three notes on the piano, like this?" _Yo, my hand doesn't do that yet._ 🙃 "Hold the strings like this." *For how long?!*

[@dylanquinn7]

I use the braille on my headphones to know which side is left or right because I can never see/find the letter that indicates R or L! Also without contacts/glasses my vision is -5.75 so I'm forever on board with Molly pushing for tactile markers that distinguish shampoo and conditioner, etc. Keep giving us tactile info companies!

[@meganmyers2429]

hello Molly, I love your content I am blind and studying to be an early childhood educator. I would have loved to play with braille Lego as a child and I think once I’m in my own classroom braille, Lego will be some thing I add to my classroom as a universal toy that can be used by everyone

[@tiffanimilburn8885]

I wish there was something like this when I was growing up as a blind kid. They didn’t have any accessible toys back then. At least none that I knew of. I might eventually get myself some. I can tell you’re really having fun playing with it.

[@princessnanful2751]

Molly can now play scrabble, using the Lego braille bricks.

[@chels10902]

Yes! And to make it quicker, she could organize them maybe in some type of container from A-Z

[@rhiannaallen9676]

there is actually a braille scrabble i'm pretty sure but that's a really cool idea if she doesn't have it.

[@Sailor_Enchantix]

This reminds me of one of my favorite Doctor Who quotes. “What’s the point of being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes?”

[@Kirsten1313]

The weird shaped orange piece that’s long, is a brick remover. If they get stuck to the board or get stuck together, you can use that orange tool to take Lego’s apart!

[@jshivadas]

I love braille. When everyone had to go to bed and shut off the lights, I could keep reading. No charging or electricity needed. Braille is very handy for eye strain.

[@enaraalcalde4226]

I just screaming with this viedo! My orientation and mobility instructor showed me this a few months ago and I absolutely LOVED it! I was literally fangirling with it and I could not believe I was touching that. It was a surprise as I did not expected she would have it and when I saw it I was super happy.

[@beverlydust5381]

I'm glad that you have more braille toys for adults and kids with visual impairments.,hopefully more companies will have braille on their packaging and their products. Good job,Lego Company. ❤

[@littleprincess-dm1ne]

I'm a 16 year old blind individual and I never played with legos but playing with dolls has been apart of me sinse I was 5. Thank you for making these videos and showing me how independent I can be in the future.

[@bethjones4903]

Out of all of the hairstyles you have rocked, this one is definitely my favourite!

[@BirdyNerd]

The long wedge shaped piece with 2 dots at one end is a brick separator. You can use it to get some leverage to pull flat pieces off of the plates when they get stuck.

[@rose_ugh]

I 100% get what you're saying. The character Danny wears that exact combo (same colors and all) in The Shining, and he's about four. That being said- you rock it!

[@lyfeasicit]

Soooooo I’m a visually impaired mom learning braille and I have 2 small visually impaired boys (4/6) and we are all learning braille together and I am definitely getting this for us I think it’ll be a great fun way to learn and play

[@marcellastname6862]

The letter A (or it's equivalent) also being number 1 and so on is also true in Hebrew! Since we basically have 22 letters and no other symbols to work with!

[@therubestergaming]

Oh yeah I forgot about that haha

[@lynsdeyblack]

While I was looking up stuff to learn Braille on Amazon, I found out there's also Uno cards for blind and low vision people! I love that they have those for y'all. 🥰

[@emrilbennett8704]

I have those🥰 love em.

[@rhiannaallen9676]

i have them too. they're awsome. and i also have braille playing cards.

[@shirleyhand4002]

I can't find them now, but when I was a TVI, we were able to order TacTiles from APH. They were essentially Lego with Braille on them. I LOVED them for my students. I'm not sure why I can't find them now, but I'm so, so glad that Lego has embraced them. Enjoy, Molly. I know you're thrilled to see a truly accessible learning toy for kids with VI.

[@justmeish1997]

I'm a big Lego fan and also a fan of learning... as soon as I i saw this set was coming I knew I'd be buying it! I also want to expose my daughter to Braille as well as sign language (I'm Hard of Hearing but was denied my right to sign language as a child because I wasn't Deaf enough) I also loved learning Morse Code as a teen! 💚

[@harveyabel1500]

Hey, Molly, I saw an ad on TV just recently for LEGO, and the tag line was "Play is your super power!". Dang, they *did* get you to a "T" 😂

[@7BearSarah]

I’m not blind but as an adult, I’ve really enjoyed the Lego sets made for adults (the botanical collection and all that). I wish they could find a way to make those accessible to everyone because they have brought me so much joy and peace as an anxiety ridden person.

[@quinevere]

thank you for encouraging us to play with toys and be kids again! it really helps to reinforce that toys aren't just for kids!

[@afiiik1]

I'm sighted but i actually used braille when playing "code games" (not sure how to translate). A group of people would prepare a track to follow through a city and you'd move from one spot to the other by decoding your next destination. They would use braille to code quite often. Like you'd get a box of chocolates and the flavours would represent fits and blanks of braille. You'd get a street number and continue to another spot with a code waiting for you. It was so much fun😊

[@brookedance1038]

Your hair! And the red lip/jumper combo! I love your coloured hair but this colour suits you so so much, and the bold red colour looks amazing 🥰

[@mad_exx]

I'm sighted but I really want these. It'd be sooooo cool to learn and then I can teach my niece when she's old enough to play with Legos. Even though she's sighted too, it'll help her with empathy and reading braille is not a bad skill to have ❤

[@mirandabug]

Molly, bangs are so good on you. You need bangs. Never stop with the bangs.

[@dzymslizzy3641]

Why, indeed can we not continue to play? One of my favorite quotes that I've seen on a T-shirt says, "Growing old is inevitable; growing UP is optional!" 😀 I'm a 75 year old kid! 😀 Oh! I see! The bricks are actual Braille patterns instead of the usual type for just sticking together...though I guess you can also do that! What a fun learning tool! I've often thought that it would be fun and useful to learn ASL, but as I'm not deaf, and don't know anyone who is, it would be a matter of "use it or lose it" from lack of practice. Same thing with Braille, since I am sighted, and don't know anyone who is not. (But, I have a family heirloom that fascinates me. It was made by my great-great grandmother, and it is a beaded napkin ring, strung on thin wire in an intricate pattern using tiny seed beads in various colors. And she was blind! I don't believe I could construct such a thing with full use of both eyes!)

[@jimmyjiang3413]

I am a long time fan of Lego, and I like Molly and all disabled people play and build more disability-friendly Lego sets even more than now :)

[@JennaGetsCreative]

I believe junior & senior kindergarten is specifically a province of Ontario thing. My husband and I are a little older than you, we grew up in British Columbia and Newfoundland respectively, and we both just had 1 year of kindergarten. Specifically started in September of the year you turn 5.

[@carmenattallah6244]

If these had been available when my kids were little and into Legos I would have gotten them for sure. It would have been like learning a neat spy code.

[@birdbrainz32]

This is so cool! Thank you so much for sharing! I work for a nonprofit organization that loans assistive technology to residents of my state for free (it's basically an AT library for anyone who has a disability or cares for people who have disabilities), and I'm totally putting this on our wish list. We've been trying to expand our accessible toys selection, and it's been a bit of a struggle. There are accessible toys on the market, but they're usually unreasonably expensive. Most of our clients either live in rural areas or have a low income (or both) which greatly reduces access to toys that are modified for disabled people. We also have very low levels of braille literacy, and this could really help families and schools teach low vision kids (and adults) braille. I'm so excited to share this with my clients and coworkers!

[@ghlmk5931]

I have become a AFOL (adult fan of Lego) recently. So great to see accessible toys! On a separate note, I thought there was a fuzzy throw or blanket on the floor to your left…until it moved!😂😂😂. Your beautiful dog just blended with the rug you’re sitting on.

[@sergeykomarov2203]

When I was little, I had a constructor, like Lego, from which I could assemble trains. It also had an electric motor. The train was moving along the railway, in a circle. Now I wonder if it was a real Lego or a Chinese counterfeit.

[@Rebecca-zp4gm]

My prescription tablets has braille on all the boxes. I also spotted braille on the signs in McDonald’s too.

[@olgac.h.1278]

I am sighted. At school they made us buy a dictionary that had the braille code on the last page. I thought it could be useful in the future and I learnt it. I ended up marrying a blind man and taught him braille with some success. But he doesn't ever use it because he never got to read fast enough, so he forgot the little he did learn.

[@colin5227]

These are so cool! When you mentioned it being good to start training finger sensitivity young, that makes a lot of sense. I'm diabetic and have a bit of visual problems as a result, but I also have a bunch of scars on the ends of my fingers from testing my blood sugar. So this would be a great way for me to start learning! I don't need it, but it would be very good to learn

[@chelseag113]

I did a project about Lego Group for a business ethics class last year, this is such an amazing toy to offer!!

[@megjulia4007]

These are soooo cool!! I’ve just gotten into LEGO as an adult (my brother loved LEGO when we were kids, but I really struggled following the directions as a kid with ADHD.) I have been having a blast playing with LEGO as an adult, and it makes me so happy to see you having fun with LEGO and playing too ❤️❤️

[@Ossey1976]

I may not be the biggest fan of Lego, but I am a fan of brickbuilding, and thankfully there are a lot of other brands besides Lego nowadays, but theese Braille Bricks are a damn good idea!

[@wolverineuncovered]

Depending on where you are in the US and the school system, we have pre-K (pre-school) , sometimes K4& K5 before 1st grade. The private school I went to after Pre-K, I had K4 &K5 then 1st grade. But thats also dependent on your parents availability...like my mom worked. So school was pretty much an alternative to daycare

[@Fairies00]

My second cousin is a Sign Language Teacher. I love they made this game for the blind.

[@ashleepowers8887]

I recently found a braille Hot Wheels car at Walmart. It's full crome with "Twin" in braille on 1 side of the car and "Mill" on the other. Twin mill is the type of car. The packaging also had braille on the outside.

[@melaniedavis7638]

I love how you enjoy discovering new, interesting, and helpful tools! I appreciate how you encourage people to keep growing ❤

[@kacie-jobradford2632]

The outfit giving Mario. 💯

[@Katelynhm]

Love this it’s a different prospective on play

[@astridmyst]

I loveeee this! I love Lego and I'm so glad they made this! For sure play is the best way to learn and just live life!

[@trimmerman96]

Talking about how braille is a code reminds me of your video with Karlie Kloss, making her office blind-accessible. #Throwback

[@Khunai.]

This is so awesome! It filled my heart with pure joy seeing how happy you were to be playing with those Lego's. You put a big ol' smile on my face. I guess toys isn't one of the things that I thought of as being super inaccessible but you've really opened my eyes. Great video as always Molly 💙 Thanks for continuing to teach us about your world so we can all be better humans!

[@christinebenoit301]

You've just made my day! I've been wanting to get this FOREVER! And you couldn't buy them now you can! I know what I'm asking for, for Christmas haha.

[@YVRCasting]

Glad they've brought this out now, long overdue, but great! Have fun!

[@user-kc6jd2bn5h]

Oh yay! I tweeted this at Molly, and she made a video about it! :)🎉

[@Janknitz1]

I thought you might enjoy a different perspective. When my eldest was about 3 years old, Target had an ad featuring kids playing with toys from target. One model had glasses and a Walker. My daughter’s reaction to the photo was “if you get that toy you get to be an old kid”. 😂

[@gaymerjerry]

That weirdly shaped thing you found is called a lego brick separator included in all lego kits. Its pretty much a specially designed tool to separate hard to separate bricks. That's why it has a long end so when you attached it to the brick you want to separate it acts as a lever. The end you attach to the bricks had a few different parts going on if you go back to feel it more that's to attach to different types of lego bricks.

[@emmagiget243]

This would be so handy to have on the fridge to write notes to other members of the household when there's a Braille reader there. With still have print on them makes it so handy for a mixed household. You can leave notes like "feed the cat" I hope this made sense

[@lisacook1074]

As a primary sped teacher I used word tiles for helping kids learn reading and writing. This is so neat🎉

[@ccubed215]

I freaking love LEGO. They are on the front end of so many things in industry.

[@simplymedieval]

I have the first edition for school at work (I am an assistant to a boy that is almost blind). We got chosen to test them out. They are really fun even though he think that he is a bit old for them now (14 years old)

[@alextuck5613]

I will say, at first i thought your rug moved, then i was like, oh wait, that's her dog. Also this is awesome that Lego finally got around to adapting to variations of blind people. I paused like 1/3 of the way through to type this so i can enjoy your joy with lego's. I once attempted to do an article on Lego's but i lost the data i collected. It was going to be for a side project in high school.

[@kristinaboylan4320]

Awesome that these are hitting the market--every school should have multiple sets for kids to play and learn together, and if folks want to learn and play at home, all the better!

[@bonjouritsizzy3405]

I am glad to see a major company like this finally become inclusive, play should be for everyone, regardless of age. I feel like it could have been sooner, but this is a step in the right direction

[@Matt_the_Bat444]

Molly, This is so cool! Thank you for sharing. I am going to buy this. I love learning codes and braille is so beautiful. I loved playing with Legos when I was a kid too and this makes me very happy that Lego made inclusive blocks.

[@thewisepowerchair2369]

When I was able bodied I built so much lego. I donated a lot of my lego, to bring happiness to other people. I had tables full of lego, and a small flat. When I became disabled, I needed more space in my flat. So I donated the remainder of my lego models.

[@sylvieevans4737]

You should come see them in action at Perkins School for the Blind!

[@MollyBurkeOfficial]

Amazing no doubt

[@juliacornejo7802]

Since I started watching your channel I've been interested in learning braille though I'm not visually impaired, but I haven't really dedicated time to learn. However, every time I stumble upon something in braille I like touching it even if I haven't memorized every letter, and after hearing you say that you had to train your fingers before actually learning braille, it makes sense that I have a hard time trying to figure out how it works and how to read it correctly 😂 Thank you Molly for being you and for sharing everything you share, I always learn with you and thanks to you I have a different perspective about a lot of things. Sending love your way ❤

[@irhonda31]

Very cool! You teach us sighted folks so much!

[@gothski4773]

I believe braille and sign language should be taught in all schools to all kids, this Lego is brilliant, educational and fun!

[@adriannegarrison3434]

Molly looks so gorgeous in this video ❤️

[@sierrareyelts1481]

I love how happy the LEGOs make Molly ❤

[@ariannagonzalez2776]

Wow! I can't wait to get these. I love using braille especially to make pictures with it so these legos will be very helpful.

[@Blind_Prime]

so i have a funny story to tell you. Back in 2017 I had an idea for an affordable braille teaching system that people could make easily. I designed and produced my first batch of Buildingraille. Before I did so, mainly because many of my friends and family kept pushing me to do so, I called the Lego Customer Service line and explained the concept to them. After explaining everything to them I asked if they would have problems with me producing these sets on my own. They told me it was all good so I didnt give it much more thought. I went and made that company. Years later I learned that Lego started making Braille Bricks. I am not saying I had anything to do with it, I am just saying that the timing was purly coincidentil lol. Great video mate and if you are ever interested in listening to a blind person talk about Lego and other things check me out. I also have an entire playlist called Building Braille and my other one called Blindbuilds. Thanks for doing this mate! :)

[@ImmortalAbsol]

9:57 that's a brick separator for if you're having trouble removing pieces by hand, you clip it on and it gives you leverage 😊

[@jorrdan.]

I saw these and was hoping you’d test them out!

[@joeashley-xc5yz]

Anybody else ever stepped on a piece of lego bare footed on a hardwood floor? That pain is real

[@H.R.B.]

The carpet bindi eye as we call them in Australia.

[@titanbuck7]

Wow, that was a big swallow as you thought back on your childhood. ❤❤❤I wish you total healing in any nonprocessed areas left. ❤❤❤

[@rinmayer936]

I love this (and now want to try and get a set)! Those look like a lot of fun to play with and would be good tactile practice. I am sighted but learned to sight-read braille in middle school thanks to my neighbor (she worked with blind and visually-impaired students). Sometimes I come across pages in my old notebooks covered in braille practice.

[@julypatchouli9719]

I'm almost 40 and still buy myself a Lego set every year for christmas. Never too old 🙂

[@erikahlennox5602]

This hair color looks amazing on you!! ❤

[@melanierousseau7964]

These look like so much fun and i lowkey want them even though I have no reason to get them 😆

[@melissaleeds1626]

🥰💖 I love this! So cool! Thanks for sharing!💖🐕🐾

[@angiecastro9345]

I can’t wait to get the braille lego set. I’ve been wanting it for so long! LOL

[@AshleysAdvice]

I was taught Braille as a child and while I think this is really great, I was someone with both a vision impairment and a physical disability and because of that it made it really difficult for me to learn Braille when I couldn't use my right hand, not to mention I had too much site according to my teachers to learn touch typing, since I would keep looking at the keys and it was the same for Braille, the fact I couldn't feel the dots with my right hand meant that it just wasn't a viable option, luckily I have enough site that I've been able to manage pretty well since then, because my vision impairment is brain related not my eyes, meaning that it depended on the day, how tired I was etc in terms of how much I could and couldn't see, so I learnt to read with audio and large print text, so while I might have a big vocabulary doubly my written vocab isn't as much. I was able to explore with different games like this when I was little tūī having all these different circles with holes to put stuff in, which was a little bit different but I had all these board games I would play that I got from the Blind foundation. I think it's really cool though that more games for children are becoming accessible, it's just unfortunate that when it comes to blindness or vision impaired meant, we haven't figured out something for when it's mixed with something physical like cerebral palsy, I know a language was created for that lady who had both a vision impairment and a hearing impairment, but nothing for physical disabilities, I don't know if there's anyone else like me who has both a physical disability and division impairment who can relate to what I'm saying, but It can make life difficult sometimes, having to rely on your minimum site or a cell phone instead of braille because you can't feel it.