Your future writer or sports player – why their rotating arm is so vital!

Turning the forearm is more incredible than you might initially give credit to. Up until now, your baby has tended to reach, grasp and play with their forearm facing the floor. But consider all the activities you do that call for the rotation of your forearm: holding a pen to write and hitting a ball with a bat are just two examples. 

A world of practical tasks and activities is opening up 

Being able to turn their forearm now enables your baby to try to pick up and use objects like a cup handle, spoon, or sponge in the bath.  

This skill will eventually lead to their ability to use objects as tools, play sports and so much more. From using cutlery or snipping with scissors, to throwing underarm and turning a key, the ability to rotate our forearm is essential to so many things we do in life.^[1] 

References 

[1] Chien, C-W., Brown, T., & McDonald, R. (2009). ‘A framework of children's hand skills for assessment and intervention’. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(6), 873-884.