There’s something amazing about watching a small child navigate
a new toy or pick up a pencil and quickly transform that white
wall in the living room into a masterful work of art (before you
can get to her in time to snatch that pencil away). Fine-motor
skills are developed through manipulating, playing, and
experimenting with small toys, objects, and mark-making tools.
Those wee little muscles in your child’s hands are honed while
she is squashing play dough, drawing with a marker, or turning
the pages of a book. Most babies begin exploring the wonders of
fine-motor skills through clenching and un-clenching their
fists. Those little hands sure seem to have the ability to tug
your hair or pinch that tender skin under your arms from birth!
Encouraging fine-motor coordination at this age is as easy as
offering things to your babe for her to reach, hold, and pull on
– other than your hair and arms. There are tons of toys that
will encourage her to grasp, but using simple around-the-house
items, such as a clean