The pincer grasp – being able to hold a small object between the thumb and index finger – is one of the fine motor milestones, and once your baby can do it, he or she will want to do it all the time. This activity is perfect for babies who have learned to manipulate objects with their fingers.
Appropriate for:
8 months to 1 year
Skills developed:
Fine motor, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need:
One or more long cardboard tubes, such as those inside wrapping paper or paper towels; balls
Cut the tubes in half lengthwise to make a trough. You can use strong tape to join two troughs together to make one longer one, if you like.
Sit on the floor with your baby, and show him or her how to hold the trough at an angle to the floor. Then start placing balls at the high end of the trough and let your baby watch them roll down. Let your baby put the balls onto the trough, and help tilt the trough more or less to make the ball roll faster or slower.
Once your baby gets the hang of rolling the ball down the trough, you can play games such as marking where each ball finishes and seeing which ball rolls the longest distance. Your baby won't care much about this, of course, but it may make the game more fun for you!
Safety note: Don't use marbles or any balls that are small enough for your baby to swallow or choke on. (A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything small enough to fit through a toilet-paper roll.)