Skill: Pincer Grasp

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.

Pincer grasp is a hand grasp that develops around the time a baby is 8-10 months old. This grasp corresponds to the time a baby is beginning to feed themselves finger foods. The pincer grasp is needed in order to grasp a small item, pinch it between the index and thumb and bring it to the mouth.

Foil Rod Roller

Foil Rod Roller

Steps:

  • Tear off a 6-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Encourage your child to use both hands to tear the resistant material.
  • Use both hands together to strongly crumple and squeeze the foil into a very tight, dense sphere. Focus on making it as hard as a rock!
  • Choose a craft stick. Decorate the stick with markers if desired. Hold the stick firmly using a comfortable grasp.
  • Hold the resistant foil ball steady with your helper hand. Use your dominant hand to aim and push the craft stick straight through the center of the foil sphere.
  • Apply strong, controlled pressure until the stick pushes all the way through to the other side of the foil ball. You have created a Foil Rod!
  • Repeat the process to create several Foil Rods. Challenge your child to connect them end-to-end to build a unique 3D sculpture or tower.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure children compress the foil tightly to avoid sharp edges. Collect all small materials immediately after play, as they pose a potential choking hazard.

Cardboard Clip Sculpture

Cardboard Clip Sculpture

Steps:

  • First, draw several straight lines or large shapes onto the cardboard using a marker.
  • Challenge your child to use both hands to tear the cardboard along the drawn lines. Encourage strong pulling and pressing action for maximum heavy work input.
  • Place the paper clips into the plastic container next to the workspace.
  • Take two torn cardboard pieces. Hold them together firmly with your non-dominant (helper) hand to keep them steady.
  • Use your dominant hand to squeeze open a paper clip using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and index finger).
  • Clip the paper clip onto the edges of the two cardboard pieces to connect them securely. Continue adding pieces to build a chain or a free-standing sculpture.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that the child handles torn cardboard edges carefully, as they can sometimes be sharp. Collect and store all small paper clips immediately after the activity.

Bubble Pop Thread Maze

Bubble Pop Thread Maze

Steps:

  • Adult Prep: Secure a large sheet of bubble wrap tightly onto the cardboard using masking tape. Ensure the plastic bubbles face outward.
  • Give your child one golf ball tee. Encourage them to hold the tee using a strong pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
  • Challenge your child to hold the cardboard steady with their helper hand. Push the tee straight through one bubble until it makes a satisfying pop, creating a tight hole.
  • Continue poking many holes all over the bubble wrap surface to create a challenging, textured ‘maze’ of openings.
  • Once many holes are poked, pick up a craft stick. Aim the stick at a hole and push it all the way through the resistant bubble wrap and cardboard.
  • Thread the craft sticks into the holes. Continue filling the maze with colorful sticks to create a rigid, unique sculpture.

Safety Tip:
Golf ball tees and craft sticks have pointed ends. Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Golf ball tees and craft sticks are small objects and pose a choking hazard for children under five.

Ripped Line Art

Ripped Line Art

Steps:

  • Secure the cardboard vertically to a wall or door at your child’s chest height.
  • Use a marker to draw several long, curvy, or zigzag lines onto the cardboard surface.
  • Give your child a piece of construction paper. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the paper into small, jagged pieces. This takes strong finger effort!
  • Drop the torn pieces into the plastic container nearby.
  • Now, use the glue bottle to draw a thick, wavy line of glue directly next to one of the marker lines.
  • Challenge your child to pick up the torn paper pieces using a neat pincer grasp. Press each piece firmly onto the wet glue line, filling the entire path.
  • Repeat this process, covering all the drawn lines with colorful ripped paper pieces.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that small pieces of torn paper are not put into the mouth, nose, or ears, as they pose a choking hazard for children under five. Ensure the vertical board is stable and secured well.

Clothespin Weight Tower

Clothespin Weight Tower

Steps:

  • Place the foam sheet flat on a stable table. Put the pom-poms and clothespins into the container nearby.
  • Show your child how to use one hand to firmly hold the foam sheet steady on the table. This is the helper hand.
  • Use the working hand to squeeze open one clothespin. Carefully clip one pom-pom securely inside the open pin.
  • Clip the weighted clothespin firmly onto the edge of the foam sheet. Encourage placing the clips close together.
  • Once all pom-poms are clipped on, challenge your child to carefully lift the foam sheet using their fingertips. Can they carry the sheet without dropping the weighted clips?

Safety Tip:
Clothespins and pom-poms are small items. Constant, direct adult supervision is required throughout this activity to prevent choking hazards.