Child development expert receives 2019 LEGO Prize

At the LEGO Ideas Conference 2019, the LEGO Prize was awarded to Dr Jack P. Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

This year’s LEGO Ideas Conference was recently held in Billund, Denmark, which saw experts in education and child development gather to share ideas and help inform the future work of the LEGO Foundation. During the three day conference, Dr Jack P. Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, was awarded the 2019 LEGO Prize.

He was recognised for his work in revolutionising the field of early child development and awarded $100,000 to support the future development of work in his area. Over the 30 years, the LEGO Prize has been awarded to individuals or organisations making a significant contribution to the lives of children and championing playful learning.

His work has helped to raise awareness of how children’s brains develops and the importance of primary caregivers in their early development. The Center on the Developing Child is a global leader in the arena of child development.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this year’s LEGO Prize and humbled to be included among its long history of worthy recipients. The LEGO Foundation is shining a bright light on the wide range of skills that young children build through play and the importance of unlocking the power of parenting to nurture that development around the world. I’m excited to be a fellow traveler on that compelling journey,” said Dr Shonkoff.

“We are thrilled to honor Dr. Shonkoff at this year’s LEGO Idea Conference. He has made monumental contributions to enhancing and supporting research in the field of child development and demonstrated the critical importance of learning through play and playful parenting,” said John Goodwin, CEO of The LEGO Foundation.

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