Picks up small objects between index finger and thumb first time

It is around this time that your baby has had a lot of experience of picking up and putting back objects. They will have explored different sizes, shapes, weight and textures whilst in this exploratory phase and they have been moving from using all their fingers to pick up objects. They are now able to tweak their fine motor skills to make more precise movements.  

Your baby will now be confidently picking up and handling very small objects using their thumb and index finger. Your baby's fingers can now make small adjustments, allowing them to pick up objects with more ease. These skills are integral for many areas of development, from brushing their teeth to writing legibly.

Hand arches, thumb opposition and webspace 

Now that your baby is gaining more control over their thumb and index finger, you will start to see the rest of their hand developing. There are several hand arches within the hand and the hand arches not only direct the movement of your baby’s fingers but also control the power of their grasp. As the hand arches develop, they allow the tips of the fingers to meet the tip of the thumb and eventually the tips of the other fingers.  

When the tip of the thumb meets the fingertips, this is called ‘thumb opposition’. The thumb is able to rotate more flexibly which helps the thumb to work in harmony with the rest of the fingers. This is incredibly important as your baby can now rotate their thumb to touch their index fingertip, they will soon start to explore further and find that their thumb can reach and touch the other fingertips.  

When the thumb touches the index fingertip, a space is created between them which is referred to as webspace. Your baby's ability to handle items successfully for play, such as holding a bat or using scissors, is dependent on the development of the webspace. Pinching activities, such as picking up small items and dough play, support the development of the webspace and this is also crucial for your baby to understand how to apply pressure when using tools. By doing lots of activities, the muscles in your baby’s fingers will continue to strengthen, which will help them perform tasks that take longer periods of time.  

What next? 

As the muscles in your baby’s fingers and thumb get stronger, they will start to use their fingers and thumb for much more intricate tasks. They may start to try to hold eating implements with more control, use their fingers to pick up blocks to build towers and take off their shoes.