Play-based LEGO® MRI Scanner set reduces anxiety and sedation for children in hospitals worldwide

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Over one million children around the world have used the LEGO Group's MRI Scanner set, helping transform a potentially stressful medical procedure through a playful, hands-on learning experience.

The set, which features a scanner, patient bed, waiting room, scanning room, staff minifigures and medical accessories, was designed by the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation to help children understand MRI procedures by learning through play. MRI scans are frequently used in pediatric care because they do not use radiation. But for many children, the experience can be overwhelming requiring them to lie still in a large, noisy machine for extended periods. As a result, sedation or general anesthesia is often used.

New research conducted by the LEGO Group revealed that 96% of healthcare professionals globally who used the LEGO MRI Scanner set say the model helps alleviate children's anxiety, and 46% report that it has reduced the need for sedation or anesthesia during MRI procedures.

Since 2023, more than 10,000 LEGO MRI Scanner sets have been donated to hospitals and health professionals around the world as part of the LEGO Group's commitment to unlocking the power of play for children, especially those who may need it most.

From Scan to Smiles

Through role play and storytelling, the LEGO MRI Scanner allows hospital staff to offer a more child-centered, playful approach when they prepare a child for a scan. The research also showed that 95% of healthcare professionals using the set say it improves the family's hospital experience, while 94% find it fun and engaging for children.

The LEGO Group has gathered testimonials from children, parents and healthcare professionals around the world, including 14-year-old Sam, who was diagnosed with brain and spine cancer. Over a year of surgeries, chemo, radiation therapy and MRI scans followed whilst being treated at Boston Children's Hospital.

Christina, Sam's mum said: "Sammy's bravery has been awe-inspiring. He's not once complained, but there were points in his treatment where he felt pretty miserable - he wouldn't feel like playing or doing much. When he was at one of his lowest moments in hospital, Laura, an amazing child play specialist, invited him to help build the hospital unit's first LEGO MRI scanner model. Sam had already had countless MRI scans by then, but he liked the thought of being able to help other children who would go on to use it. I watched his confidence grow with this sense of purpose as he plugged away building.

"For a child, being in hospital can be terrifying, going to a different room can be terrifying, so imagine how scary it is then going into a big MRI machine that makes all these loud noises. For a child and their family to play with this set ahead of an MRI scan to help take away the nerves is truly amazing. This would have helped us so much before Sam's first MRI scan.

"Play is so powerful and real for children. There are times in hospital when children can't easily see any other kids or leave their room. So for them, that little LEGO minifigure in the MRI model is their buddy. That's a friend that's also going through the same thing they are going through.I would love to see this set in every hospital."

Sam, who is celebrating being a year cancer-free, added: "I really enjoyed building the LEGO MRI model, it let me focus on something other than my illness and helped me to pass the time. It actually started my love for LEGO bricks - I ended up building so many things in hospital after that! I found my first few MRI scans quite scary - I didn't like the noise and it felt claustrophobic. Playing with something like this before my scan would definitely have helped me understand more about what was going to happen. It's cool to think that so many children have been helped by the MRI model I built." 

Alyssa Sachs, MS, CCLS and Laura Boegler, MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialists on the Inpatient Neuroscience Unit at Boston Children's Hospital said: "As Child Life Specialists, we often use visual tools to help prepare and educate patients for upcoming procedures. The LEGO MRI machine is especially unique because it immediately feels familiar to patients. They recognize LEGO bricks from home and associate them with fun and play. When they see a large medical machine represented through something they enjoy, a layer of anxiety is instantly reduced. This sense of comfort makes children more eager to learn, ask questions, and engage with the preparation process. As a result, it allows us as professionals to clear up misconceptions, provide accurate information, and ultimately help patients feel more confident and better able to cope with their healthcare experience."

Courtney Englehardt RN, BSN, CPN, Nurse on the Inpatient Neuroscience Unit at Boston Children's Hospital, said: "I recently worked with a patient who was scheduled for an MRI and was feeling very scared and nervous about the procedure. Before the scan, our child life team met with her. The Child Life Specialist (CLS) introduced a LEGO MRI set, designed to look just like the real machine. Together, they played with the set while talking through what the procedure would be like. Through this interactive play and preparation, the patient's anxiety noticeably decreased. By the time the scan approached, she was able to describe the procedure back to me and even said, 'I'm not scared anymore! I thought the machine would be big and scary, but now I know exactly where I'll be going and what is going to be done.' The LEGO set provided a hands-on, visual tool that made a big difference in helping her feel calm and prepared." 

Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps distribute the LEGO MRI Scanner to every state of the U.S, said: "Through the power of play, Starlight helps turn stressful medical procedures into a more positive, less frightening experience for kids. Our partnership with the LEGO Group to deliver their LEGO® MRI Scanner to hospitals across the U.S. provides an innovative tool for medical staff to help children understand and feel more at ease with an MRI scan – often reducing the need for sedation." 

Diana Ringe Krogh, Vice President and Head of Social Responsibility, said: "Our MRI Scanner set shows how a simple act of play can have a big impact. We know scans can be unfamiliar and even scary for children. By giving children the opportunity to explore, ask questions, and play their way through a medical procedure, we're helping them feel safer and more in control. It is amazing to see how this set is reducing the number of children who need to be put to sleep for their scans and improving the whole families experience and wellbeing at what can be a difficult and stressful time."

The sets are not available for sale and are instead donated to hospitals through the LEGO Group's Social Responsibility team's partners across the globe including Fairy Bricks, Starlight Children's Foundation, United Way and Ai You. The program supports the LEGO Group's broader ambition to ensure more children can access the benefits of learning through play, including in clinical settings.

To learn more about the LEGO MRI scanner, please visit our website here.

About the LEGO MRI Scanner setThe LEGO MRI Scanner is a non-commercial model created exclusively for hospital use. It is not available for sale or for request by the general public. Only eligible healthcare institutions may receive the set through selected LEGO Group partners.

About the researchHealthcare professionals using the LEGO MRI set around the world were sent an evaluation survey where they were asked to reflect on the impact the MRI set had on their medical practice and the hospital experiences of the children and families they interact with. Over 430 healthcare professionals from 432 hospitals in over 13 counties completed the survey between December 2024 and September 2025.

About the LEGO Group The LEGO Group's mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.

The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words Leg Godt, which mean "Play Well".

Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide.

For more information: www.LEGO.com

About the LEGO Foundation The LEGO Foundation shares the LEGO Group's mission to build a future where all children benefit from learning through play. Through research, partnerships and innovation, it works to empower children around the world to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. Learn more at learningthroughplay.com.

About Starlight Children's FoundationHospital stays can be lonely, stressful, and scary. That's why Starlight exists. Founded in 1982, Starlight Children's Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that aims to deliver happiness to seriously ill children and their families through vital programs that impact millions of kids annually. Donor-funded and offered free of charge to hospitals and families, Starlight programs unleash the power of play, empowering kids with a renewed sense of optimism, resilience, and courage. Starlight is a top-rated charity committed to the equitable allocation of programs to its nationwide hospital network. Healing begins with happiness™.Learn more at starlight.org and follow Starlight on social media @starlightchildrensfoundation.

SOURCE Starlight Children’s Foundation; The LEGO Group