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.

The Sunny Stained-Glass Bag

The Sunny Stained-Glass Bag

Steps:

  • Have your child choose three colors of tissue paper.
  • Ask them to use both hands to tear the paper into small pieces.
  • Have your child squeeze glue onto the front of the Ziplock bag.
  • Use a finger or a scrap of paper to spread the glue flat.
  • Pick up each paper square using a pincer grasp.
  • Press the colorful pieces onto the sticky glue.
  • Cover the whole bag to make a beautiful mosaic pattern.
  • Use masking tape to stick the bag onto a sunny window.

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely while they use scissors. Make sure they do not place the glue or small paper bits in their mouth.

The Colorful Jellyfish Weave

The Colorful Jellyfish Weave

Steps:

  • Have your child fold a coffee filter in half to make a dome shape for the jellyfish body.
  • Mix food coloring with water in a bowl.
  • Have your child use the eyedropper to drop color onto the filter.
  • Let the filter dry.
  • Ask your child to squeeze the hole puncher to make holes along the folded edge.
  • Show your child how to thread pieces of colorful yarn through the holes to make tentacles.
  • Challenge your child to slide shiny beads onto the yarn tentacles using their pinching fingers.

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely during this activity. Small beads are a choking hazard, so ensure they are kept out of reach of younger siblings. Keep the food coloring contained to prevent stains.

Floating Ball Sponge Rescue

Floating Ball Sponge Rescue

Steps:

  • Place an empty, clear plastic bottle on a flat table.
  • Drop a lightweight ping pong ball inside the bottom of the empty bottle.
  • Fill a large bowl with cool water and place it right next to the bottle.
  • Have your child dunk a sponge into the bowl to soak up the water.
  • Hold the bottle steady with their helper hand to keep it still.
  • Use the other hand to squeeze the wet sponge directly over the bottle opening.
  • Repeat this process, watching the ping pong ball float higher and higher.
  • Once the ball reaches the very top, use pinching fingers to pluck it out!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely during water play. Ensure the bottle has a wide opening with no sharp plastic edges.

The Wobbly Tightrope Balance

The Wobbly Tightrope Balance

Steps:

  • Use scissors to cut a long cardboard strip, about ten inches long.
  • Use your markers and ruler to draw a straight line down the middle.
  • Color the left side blue and the right side orange.
  • Squeeze two clothespins and clip them to the bottom to make legs.
  • Stand the cardboard strip upright on a flat table.
  • Hand your child a basket of colorful clothespins.
  • Ask them to hold the wobbly cardboard steady with their helper hand.
  • Use their pinching fingers to clip clothespins onto the top edge.
  • Challenge them to match the color of the pins to the cardboard side.
  • Gently place a pom-pom into each clipped pin to finish!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child closely during play. Clothespins can pinch little fingers, and pom-poms are a choking hazard.

The Golf Tee Nail Salon

The Golf Tee Nail Salon

Steps:

  • Place the Styrofoam block flat on a table.
  • Use colorful markers to color the flat, round top of each golf ball tee.
  • Explain to your child that these tees are fingers getting a manicure.
  • Ask your child to hold a tee tightly with their pinching fingers.
  • Use the other hand to hold the Styrofoam block steady.
  • Push the pointed end of the tee straight down into the Styrofoam.
  • Line up five tees in a row to create a hand.
  • Carefully place a small sticker on top of each colored tee to finish the style!

Safety Tip:
Golf tees have pointed ends. Always supervise your child during play to prevent accidental pokes or swallowing of small stickers.