Using LEGO® in Political Science and International Studies: A Flexible and Effective Tool for Playful Learning

This article presents two innovative exercises that can be utilized in undergraduate and postgraduate education courses to introduce war and peacebuilding, whilst also encouraging teambuilding and the inclusion of students with different language backgrounds and learning styles. The exercises engage students in building, concept analysis, and storytelling with and through LEGO® bricks. They draw on the literature on playful learning, which proposes that kinesthetic experiences (such as those provided through LEGO®) provide the freedom to experiment, reflect, and anchor thoughts, allowing for critical reflection without directly challenging individuals on sensitive topics. The article provides the full process of the two exercises, from their theoretical grounding in playful learning, to the execution of the activities, and finally to presentation of the benefits and shortcomings of using LEGO® in the classroom, as captured through our observations and a student survey. On these bases, we suggest that LEGO®-based activities could be a valuable addition to the existing portfolio of playful learning techniques.