Picks items with thumb and index finger

Your Child’s brain is now able to coordinate the thumb and index finger to pick up and hold on to small objects — a skill also known as the ‘pincer grasp’.

Close to their first birthday, children’s fine motor and coordination skills often improve significantly, and they learn what’s known as the ‘pincer grasp’. The ability to coordinate index fingers and thumb is essential for performing seemingly simple tasks, such as picking food, playing with Lego, or holding a pen properly. 

How to support this development
Parents can support this development by providing many objects for Your Child to practice how to pick up things: food during lunch, small toys (1 ½ inch) during playtime, or flowers in the garden — anything goes, as long as you keep an eye on Your Child to be sure that the little one is safe.

Note: All children develop differently and at their own pace. For children born preterm, the referred timeframe for achieving the various developmental milestones might be incorrect.

Sources: The information and graphs about when children reach specific milestones are taken from various sources, including the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Denver Developmental Screening Test, and the State Institute of Early Childhood Research, Germany (IFP).