This page is intended as a helpful series of Frequently Asked Questions for Principals,School Administrators, and After-School Care Directors. If your question is not answered here, please feel free to email [email protected] or call (718) 300-7305.

What is Bricks 4 Kidz^®?

Bricks 4 Kidz is an educational program that uses LEGO^® bricks to teach basics of architecture and S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). Bricks 4 Kidz employs creative methods for using a LEGO^® products many consider “just a toy” to engage children’s interest and leverage it for higher learning.

Why should I invite Bricks 4 Kidz to come to my school?

Bricks 4 Kidz will be a great addition to your curriculum:

• Students will explore engineering, architecture, physics, science, math, and technology in a fun atmosphere.
• Students will have the opportunity to play and socialize with friends while learning fundamentals of engineering and architecture in a non-competitive setting.
• Students will have an opportunity for creative expression.
• Students will gain insight into how things work.
• Students will understand that Architecture and Engineering are viable career choices.
• Students will learn the math and science involved with advanced LEGO^® building.
• Students will develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Does the school need to train anyone to teach the materials?

No. Bricks 4 Kidz has their own trained and screened teachers who will present the lessons and guide the class.

Does the school have to purchase anything?

No. You don’t need to buy LEGO^® kits, instruction manuals, or anything else. Bricks 4 Kidz has proprietary Project Kits and Instructions. Our teachers are familiar with the models the students will build and have specific, prepared lesson plans for each class unit.

But we already have a LEGO^® club . . .

Bricks 4 Kidz is more than just a LEGO^® club! Each session has a “Model of the Day” with specific teaching goals, vocabulary words, and architecture or S.T.E.M principles being taught. Kids will have fun, just like in a LEGO^® club, but they are also learning important concepts and principles that are a good foundation to a career in Architecture, Engineering, Physics, or Technology — all very important fields today!

What does a typical Bricks 4 Kidz after-school enrichment class entail?

Each after-school class period has a structured time-line: Welcome & Attendance, the Lesson, the Model Build, Creative Play, Clean-Up, and Dismissal.

During Welcome time we go over the “ground rules” and make sure that everyone on the schedule is accounted for.
During the Lesson, the teacher presents the model of the day and goes over the prepared lesson plan with the students.
For the Model Build, each student works with a Project Kit and a set of model instructions. On the first day of the session, the teacher will go over the names and basic uses of each of the LEGO^®pieces in the Project Kit.
Creative Play is a “free build” time where students can build whatever they’d like either by modifying the design of the model we worked on or by constructing something completely different with the large Lay-N-Go bag of LEGO^® Bricks that we bring.
Clean-Up is a brief time toward the end of the class period when each student is responsible for taking apart his or her model and ensuring all the pieces are back in their proper spots in the Project Kit. We also look around for any “lost” LEGO^® Bricks.
At Dismissal, the teacher will ensure that each child is picked up by the right person or sent to the right place.

For an overview and video of our after-school programs, visit our After-School Programs page.

How does the typical Bricks 4 Kidz in-school field trip work?

Field Trips are very similar to our after-school classes, except that these are usually a one-time event and there is a stronger focus on learning (i.e, the field trip does not usually include the Creative Play time at the end, and there will be a greater focus on the Lesson; we also expect to spend a bit more time on the model build since these will likely be kids that aren’t “used to” our weekly model builds and need a little more help understanding the various pieces in the Project Kit and working through the instructions). We expect the field trip to be on the school property, either in a classroom or in another room on the campus. We work with the teacher in advance to plan a model build that fits into a topic or subject area she’s been covering at school.

For an overview and video of our field trips, visit our Field Trips page.

Can you do a field trip for an entire grade or even the whole school?

Yes! It just might not include everyone at the same time. Every school is different, so we tailor our field trips to the number of students we are accommodating. Typically, we teach a single class group at a time (for average-sized classes of 25-32 students) and successively work our way through the various classes. So if you wanted to provide a field trip for all of 4th grade, we might take 4-A for the first class period, then do 4-B for the second class period, and so on.

How do students register for Bricks 4 Kidz?

We can handle registration and payment directly through our secure website or work with your school office to conduct the registration process. While we prefer the simplicity of managing registration ourselves (parents pay online with debit or credit, we have a complete student roster before class starts, classes don’t overfill, etc.), we are happy to let you oversee the process if that is your preference.

What do you charge the students for Bricks 4 Kidz?

Enrollment cost varies depending on a few factors — the topics we are covering, the number of sessions for the class, the possible rental fee for classroom space, etc. We work hard to keep the price in “ballpark range” with other programs offered at your school and in your area.

Great! How can I get Bricks 4 Kidz at my school?

Call (718) 300-7305 or email [email protected] today to get things started. We’d love to meet with you and show you a Project Kit, instruction booklet, teaching guide, or some finished, working models. (You can even build one if you’d like!  )