Baby milestones: Grasping

Newborn babies are born with a grasp reflex, which means that if you place a finger in her hand she’ll grasp it tightly.

As sweet as this is, it is just a reflex and she won’t be able to grasp an object until she’s nearer the two. Stick to your baby’s own pace if trying to encourage her to grasp, rather than forcing her to hold something. Grasping is the first step towards hand-eye coordination, holding things steadily, throwing, catching, drawing and eventually writing, and your baby will learn to do it in time.

By two months Your baby may start to uncurl her fingers and grab at anything within reach (this means your hair, your earrings and your necklace!). She will explore everything with her mouth if she does manage to get a hold of it! She still can’t grasp for very long and will often try to grasp at something and completely miss.

By three months She might try batting at objects in front of her – evidence that her hand-eye coordination is improving. Hanging brightly colored toys from her play gym or from the handle of her infant seat while in the car will encourage her to bat and grab even more. Go to our Kit section to find reviews on a selection of baby play equipment. You can also leave comments and ratings, informing other parents what you think about a particular product.

By four months It’s helpful around now to offer your baby brightly colored rattles and other toys that make sounds to encourage her to hold on tight.

By six months She may start to show interest in objects placed around her, reaching out to grasp them or twisting her body to get at an object behind her. Once she has grasped her object she might try to pass it from one hand to the other.

By nine months Your baby will have mastered the art of picking up small items with her thumb and forefinger (the pincer grasp). You can encourage her by placing some Cheerios in front of her so she can try to pick them up. Be careful not to give food she could easily choke on, such as nuts or grapes.

By one year Your baby should be able to roll a ball back and forth, throw objects and push them away (she may do this with her food if she’s had enough), stack blocks and beat on a drum.

By two to three years She’ll enjoy experimenting with crayons and creating scribble masterpieces and by three she may even attempt to draw some letters.

How to encourage your baby to grasp

- Don’t rush to assist her if she’s finding something difficult or has dropped something she can reach. Let her work out for herself what happens when she lets go.

- Encourage her to grasp by placing brightly colored grasping toys like rattles or soft playgym mobiles in her reach.

- At nine months you can give her smaller objects to pick up, but make sure thy aren’t so small they could be a choking hazard and stay by her side as she experiments.

- Offer your baby a variety of objects so she can try holding different things. Try awkward shapes, smooth surfaces, even a toy that’s wet and slippery so she can learn how to grasp it.

It’s important to remember that if your baby doesn’t master these skills in this exact timeframe, it shouldn’t be a problem. Babies develop at their own pace and if you try to rush or force a stage it could slow them down. Remember that premature babies will develop at a slower pace than babies born at term and should be considered from their estimated due date when it comes to milestones such as sitting, walking or crawling, not from when they were actually born.

Why not chat to other parents about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on our chat forum.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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Last Modified: 03/07/2007

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