A Pincer Grasp Activity

Materials:

• Clothes’ pins and line – in our case, it was a hanger with attached pins
• Hankies

Activity:

• Let toddler pin the hankies

Variations:

• Clipping clothes pin to a line is already an activity in itself
• Let toddler alternately use his index, middle, ring and pinky finger with the thumb to pinch
• Let your imagination and creativity run as to what can be pinned: cut-out letters, numbers or shapes;
  family pictures; doll’s clothes; toddler’s own item of clothing; etc.

What’s the deal about pincer grasp?

Other than the general fact that it’s a fine motor skill, here’s what I’ve learned from Therapy Street For Kids:

“Over time, the child will be using this pincer grasp for other important tasks, such as

• holding a pencil, crayons and markers with a 3 or 4 finger tip pinch
• holding and using feeding utensils effectively
• fastening closures (zippers, snaps, buttons) on garments easily
• using scissor
• imitating various finger positions during finger play (e.g., touching each finger to the thumb-opposition, making the “ok” sign.
• manipulating small items within the hand (e.g., transferring coins within the palm out to the fingertips”

P.S.
You know what I find amusing with this activity? It was LC who initiated this.  I was folding and sorting the clothes that were washed the previous day.  He was initially “helping” me fold them.  Then he saw the hanger with pins with the hankies still on.  He removed them and then pinned them back again.  The next laundry days we had, I made him do the activity again ;P