FM.B.61  PICKS UP PINS OR THREADS USING A PINCER GRASP

The previous skill in this sequence, FM.B.31, occurs among the 9–12-months skills. Picking up a pin with a pincer grasp occurs among the 18 months–2 years skills. So you see there is quite a long time between the two. If you try yourself to pick up first a raisin and then a pin using just the tips of your fingers, you will see just how much harder this later skill is.

Given plenty of practice, your child will become more and more efficient at using a pincer grasp month by month. Once he has reached the 18 months–2 years level of Fine Motor skills, or if you suspect that he might score on this item earlier, have another close look at his pincer grasp.

How to Assess

Materials: Dressmakers’ pins about 2 cm long and/or pieces of fine string or thread.

Method: Place one pin on the table and direct your child to pick it up. Repeat, directing your child to use the other hand this time.

Score plus if your child picks up the pins using a neat pincer grasp with each hand in turn.

How to Teach

As for FM.B.31, using smaller objects. At this level, you will probably be able to add extra verbal explanations.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

You probably won’t be too happy about your child playing independently with pins, so here are some suggestions for other materials to use. Many of them can be combined successfully with craft activities, such as collage pasting.

Tiny pieces of paper (such as confetti), tinsel fibres, grains such as wheat and barley, pieces of ribbon or wool, tiddlywinks, matchsticks, uncooked broken spaghetti.

Pulling self-adhesive stickers off their paper backing is a good exercise too.

REMEMBERING AND EXTENDING THIS SEQUENCE

Once your child has mastered this skill, he has reached an important milestone in hand-eye coordination. As long as he has challenging activities to try, he will practise it, without prompting,in all sorts of ways. He will use it in play and, when the time comes, in his school work. It will help him to hold a thin pencil and to do up buttons and zips and buckles. The best thing you can do, apart from providing opportunities to practise, is to observe him closely from time to time, to check that he is still picking things up in the most efficient way.