Grasping in the grass – taking your baby’s fine motor skills outdoors!

What you need: 

• Outdoor space 
• A blanket 
• Natural or found objects 

What to try: 

• Take your baby outside to explore all the textures, smells and sights that nature has to offer. 
• Set up a blanket in the shade for your baby.  
• Place some interesting natural items where your baby can reach out and explore them. This could be small sticks, large pebbles or leaves and flowers that are safe for your baby to touch.  

Good to know 

As your baby explores each item, notice how they approach it and when they close their fingers to pick it up. With time and practice this will become smoother and need fewer attempts to grip new shapes. Talk about what they are holding and how it feels.   

You’ll need to supervise closely while you explore outside, as your baby will probably try tasting many of the exciting new things they can hold.