Fingers and thumbs, and holding a pen! Your baby’s grasp is developing again

Your baby is now developing a new grasp called a ‘radial digital grasp’, and this will be essential for eventual pen control. This is the first grasp that requires more accurate finger movements, as well as cooperation between the thumb and fingers. 

Your baby will start picking up objects with their thumb and fingertips rather than their whole hand, allowing them to efficiently grasp and handle tools or items by moving the thumb and fingertips harmoniously.  

This skill is particularly useful for gripping dining utensils, or using a toy hammer or paintbrush. It will then lead to the development of the pincer grasp as they get older, which means picking up objects using only the index finger and thumb.