“Children are struggling to hold pencils and use scissors,” reports The Times in a recent article highlighting a growing concern among primary school teachers. According to a YouGov poll, 77% of educators have observed a decline in pupils’ fine motor skills over the past five years—skills vital not only for handwriting and creativity but for overall learning readiness.
At Build to Learn, this doesn’t come as a surprise. In fact, it’s something we witness regularly when delivering workshops in schools. There is a noticeable difference between children who frequently engage with hands-on toys and construction sets, like LEGO® bricks, and those who have limited exposure to them.
These differences go far beyond just how confidently a child holds a brick or positions a model. They reflect something deeper: resilience, focus, problem-solving, and the joy of persevering through a challenge. These are foundational skills, and they are being developed, not by chance, but by doing.
The Decline of Creative Time in Classrooms
The same survey also found that art education is being squeezed. Only 12% of schools offer more than an hour of art each week. This narrowing of creative subjects leaves even fewer opportunities for children to develop motor skills through tactile, expressive learning.
That’s where hands-on, creative workshops can make a difference.
How Build to Learn Bridges the Gap
Our curriculum-aligned workshops provide more than just a break from routine. They reintroduce the kind of practical, creative engagement that supports not just academic learning but physical development too. Whether it’s engineering a bridge, designing a habitat, or building a historical scene, children are encouraged to build, tweak, fail, and try again ,all while using tools that strengthen their fingers, focus their attention, and stretch their imagination.
And yes, it’s fun. But make no mistake, it’s also essential learning.
A Call to Rebalance
We know that schools are under pressure to meet academic targets, but hands-on learning doesn’t have to sit on the sidelines. When used purposefully, it can enhance learning across the curriculum while giving children the sensory and skill-based input they desperately need.
So, if you’re a teacher, curriculum lead, or educational leader looking to bring back balance and opportunity into the classroom, we’d love to work with you.
Let’s build the skills that matter, brick by brick.
