LEGO Fun Day: Bringing the Brick into School

/

Everyone has at least one day they count down to all year long. For many, it’s Christmas. For me, I look forward to my school’s Fun Day: a school-wide event that allows students to take a break from the routines and expectations of the classroom and learn through novel and engaging activities. I’m a member of the Fun Day committee which lets me help select the stations students can visit at the event. I also host and run the LEGO station! Join me as we take a look at the development of my LEGO station at my school’s Fun Day!

Fun Day Before LEGO

As a kid in the 80s in my small town, Fun Day was a community-wide event called Sports Day. There were numerous sports to be played; there was even a visit every year from Tina the Traveling Elephant, all the way from the Greater Vancouver Zoo. It seems unbelievable, but it happened. Looking back on it now, I feel terrible for the elephant having to take two ferries and travel such a long distance. But as a kid, I didn’t realize the gravity of the situation. It’s sad looking back at it now, but as a kid, it was magical.

Fun Days at my school, until only recently, were neither like past big events in my small town… nor were they particularly fun. They were quite un-fun. Meticulously planning how students could engage with the stations with restrictive rules made for a boring time for the students… and for me—and it’s very hard for me to be bored. My heart hurt for the students as I remembered how fun and awesome my Fun Days were. That year I vowed never to let the fun be sucked out of Fun Day again.

LEGO Stations: Making Fun Day Fun Again

The following year, I joined the Fun Day Committee. That same year, I also started a school LEGO Club—something that I had been wanting to do for years. It was the best work decision I have ever made. It was my outlet for building connections and for creating my own fun at work.

In my opinion, the 2023-24 school year was when fun was put back into Fun Day. The handful of teachers on the committee and I had great ideas to breathe life back into the event. We all worked in harmony like a well-oiled brick-moulding machine. Everything fell into place easily, even though it was our first year collaborating to plan Fun Day. Alongside new protocols that allowed students to choose which stations they wanted to go to and with whom they wished, I hosted my LEGO station.

Because I was able to grow the school LEGO collection a lot during the year, my LEGO station at Fun Day was even more epic. It was bigger and better than the year before.

Within my LEGO station, I had enough space to create mini zones. They included a bunch of building zones, a “Build a LEGO ball” station, a quilt build station, a LEGO Mascot display dressed up in the Fun Day theme, and a few of my MOCs on display for inspiration. And of course, Herachio the LEGO Rubber Chicken (aka Archie) came all dressed up in the Fun Day theme for the day. Once the kids finished building their models, they put them in a box to be put on display. After Fun Day, I placed the kids’ models in a few of the school’s hallway displays.

Kids from every grade came to the LEGO station and had a great time. I make a point to invite certain kids I know might struggle on Fun Day due to various reasons. I make a point to pay attention to who comes, who stays, and who looks like they might need help getting started with building at the LEGO section because they might not be as familiar with LEGO as others.

One student, in particular, whom I invited to the LEGO station, attended both sessions and stayed the whole time. This student took it upon themself to ‘guard’ the Garfield model I brought to display. It was adorable. This student, along with another student, noticed I was missing two 1x1 orange plates and began looking for parts for me. I was happy to see that this student seemed to be having a great time. Normally, crowds and noise trigger this student. It was loud and crazy with kids, similar to a convention, and this student did not even notice it. Those are the moments that make the hard days at work all worth it.

Finding Fulfillment Through Fun

I’m a firm believer that a fun workplace creates an enthusiastic and caring workforce. Bringing my LEGO hobby into my workplace gave me a sense of purpose and job satisfaction. Something I had been longing for, for a very long time. I love my job, it is challenging in a good way, but it is also often emotionally draining. I am thankful I can have LEGO-related fun to look forward to on the days I feel burned out at work.

Some days, it’s the little things that leave the biggest impression. A student who quietly focuses longer than usual. A smile when they finish a build and proudly place it on display. A burst of laughter over a goofy minifigure outfit. These moments remind me that fun is meaningful. It creates room for connection, builds confidence, and encourages creativity. LEGO has helped create a space where students feel comfortable exploring and expressing themselves, and it has honestly become one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

Do you think LEGO Club or a LEGO station at Fun Day would work at your school? Let us know in the comments below.

Do you want to help BrickNerd continue publishing articles like this one? Become a top patron like Charlie Stephens, Marc & Liz Puleo, Paige Mueller, Rob Klingberg from Brickstuff, John & Joshua Hanlon from Beyond the Brick, Megan Lum, Andy Price, John A., Lukas Kurth from StoneWars, and Wayne Tyler to show your support, get early access, exclusive swag and more.