Affirmative Minds Psychology

Presents

The Build Lab

What is ‘The Build Lab’?

The Build Lab is a neurodiversity-affirming group program designed to support children to build social confidence through structured, collaborative LEGO® activities. In a supportive small-group environment, participants practise communication, teamwork, flexible thinking, and emotional regulation while engaging around a shared, meaningful activity.

Sessions are intentionally structured to reduce pressure while creating natural opportunities for interaction, connection, and skill development. Children are supported to participate in ways that suit their communication style, pace, and strengths, with a focus on building confidence and genuine connection rather than “getting it right.”

Children work collaboratively on individual builds across the program, which they take home at the end. This provides a tangible outcome that reflects their effort, collaboration, and skill development over time, while also supporting ongoing engagement beyond the sessions.

What Makes The Build Lab Different?

• Neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based

• Uses shared interests to support engagement and connection

• Combines explicit teaching with supported peer interaction

• Structured to support different communication styles and processing speeds

• Focuses on participation and confidence, rather than masking or “getting it right”

• Facilitated by psychologists in a supportive, low-pressure environment

What is Involved?

• Duration: 8 weekly sessions

• Session length: 60 minutes

• Group size: Small group format (e.g. 4–6 participants)

• Location: Affirmative Minds Psychology

Each session includes:

• Explicit teaching of a targeted skill

• Collaborative LEGO® building task

• Facilitated interaction and support

• Reflection and wrap-up

Parents receive brief updates and practical strategies to support skill development outside of sessions.

What Skills Does The Build Lab support?

Explicit Focus

• Communicating ideas and needs

• Listening and responding to others

• Asking for and offering help

• Flexible thinking when plans change

• Emotional awareness and regulation during challenges

• Problem-solving and repairing small social misunderstandings

Embedded Social Skills

• Turn-taking

• Collaboration

• Negotiation

• Perspective-taking

• Managing frustration

• Working toward a shared goal

• Celebrating others’ contributions

Who is this Program For?

The Build Lab may suit children, aged 8-12 years old, who:

• Enjoy LEGO® or hands-on building activities

• Find social interaction easier when there is a shared focus

• Would benefit from support with communication, teamwork, or flexibility

• Experience differences in social communication, attention, or regulation

• Are autistic, ADHD, or otherwise neurodivergent

• Would benefit from a structured, supportive small-group environment

Program Fees

The Build Lab program involves attending 8 weekly group sessions.

• Session fee: $77*

• Resources and Materials: $84 (Includes LEGO® kit)

• Total program cost: $700

Fees may be claimable through Medicare or private health depending on eligibility and referral type.

For NDIS participants, group-based capacity building supports may be funded where aligned with plan goals (plan-managed and self-managed participants only).

*Whilst participants may pay for each session individually, you are committing to the entire program and the full program cost is required to be paid in the event of missed sessions. All effort will be made to ensure your child catches up on any missed portions of the building program.

How to Register

To express your interest in an upcoming Build Lab group, please complete the enquiry form below.