How to improve pincer grip of toddlers
Development of pincer grip is of utmost important for small children
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Pooja
11/10/20220 min read
The pincer grasp is the ability to hold something between the thumb and first finger. This skill usually develops in babies around 9 to 10 months old. The pincer grasp is an important fine-motor milestone. While we have to work/do the activities that focus on the overall development of the child like focusing on their eye-hand coordination, development of fine motor and gross motor skills, stimulating their logical and critical thinking, cognitive development etc, we as parents can practice different set of activities that are home based to help and develop pincer grip in your child.
The pincer grasp is the coordination of the index finger and thumb to hold an item. Each time you hold a pen or button your shirt, you’re using the pincer grasp. While it may seem like second nature to an adult, to a child this is an important milestone in fine motor development. The pincer grasp represents the coordination of brain and muscles that’s necessary to help them gain increasing independence.
A child will typically develop this skill between the ages of9 and 10 months, although this can vary. Children develop at different rates
Parents can foster a child’s pincer grasp development through these activities.
Put differently sized small items in front of your child and watch how they try to pick up various things. Examples could include play coins, marbles, or buttons. Babies at this age put everything in their mouths, so supervise this activity carefully to ensure your child doesn’t choke or try to swallow them.
Place soft finger foods like pieces of banana or cooked carrots in front of your baby and have them reach to pick them up and eat them.
Using spoons, forks, markers, crayons, and anything else that is held in the fingers can help your child develop a pincer grasp. Eating with the hands and playing with balls and toys of varying sizes can also help.
Pick up sequins. Pick up toothpicks.
Peel tape.
Try this process art activity to stick and peel paint to address neat pincer grasp for fine motor skills.
