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Parentpedia
Grasping
What Experts Say
Newborns naturally hold their hands curled up into fists, which is why they can grasp their hand around one of your fingers as soon as they?re born. Somewhere between 2 and 4 months, your baby will become aware of her hands. It's fun to watch her stare inquisitively at her hands; it's as if she's thinking "Hey, where in the world did these things come from? I can move them in different directions. Pretty cool!"
At around 5 months, she'll start to loosen up her vice grip enough so that she can open her hands and -- using her palm, fingers, and thumb (known as the "palmar grasp") -- hold on to a small toy. A month or so later, she'll still use the palmar grasp, but she may now be able to reach out on her own and grab a toy. (If you hadn't already noticed, your baby is also curling her toes quite a bit, which is known as the "plantar grasp.")
Keep lots of age-appropriate toys near her changing table, and in your diaper bag and stroller, so that your baby always has something to hold on to. This will help entertain her and stimulate her mental development.
Around 8 months, your baby will begin to refine how she picks up objects by using just her thumb and pointer finger. Known as the "pincer grasp," she'll get lots of practice at refining this skill during feeding time, when she begins picking up small pieces of diced food. Other fun ways to practice: Playing with age-appropriate puzzles, and, as she gets older, picking up seashells on the beach. Later on, this fine motor skill will come in real handy as your child learns to feed and dress herself.
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