Pincer grasp activities, sometimes called pincer grip activities, are essential for fine motor development. It is crucial to develop foundational pincer grasp skills to be able to learn to eat independently, get dressed, write, draw, and more. Find more fine motor activities here. Make sure to print out your free printable list of 65+ pincer grasp activities for kids with autism to get the most out of this post.
What is pincer grasp?
Pincer grasp is the coordination of thumb and index finger to perform a task. It is an essential fine motor milestone skill which can be improved with specially created activities for pincer grip.
This skills usually develops in babies between 9 and 10 months old, however, several children with autism need help building pincer grasp skills, as toddlers, as young children, as older children and even as teenagers.
If your child or student needs help building crucial pincer grasp skills, keep reading to find my best pincer grasp activities that I’ve used with autistic individuals again and again.
When a child uses the tips of their fingers to pick up small objects, this is called a “superior” or “neat” pincer grasp. “Inferior” pincer grasp is when a child holds an object between their thumb and index finger using the pads (rather than the tips).
Click here to get your free printable copy of 65+ pincer grasp activity ideas
Why are pincer grasp activities important?
Developed pincer grasp skills are essential for children to be able to pick up small objects, feed themselves, learn to write, get dressed and more. Use fun pincer grip exercises to build these essential skills.
Pincer grasp activities
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Wondering what activities develop pincer grasp? These 65+ activities will help! Use these activities to improve pincer grip.
- Lacing beads
- Building with blocks
- Draw lines and shapes
- Cutting activities
- Playing with play dough
- Using tweezers to pick up items
- Transferring from one bowl to the other
- Picking up sequins
- Picking up toothpicks
- Printable fish matching game
- Create string art
- Pick up small pasta
- Geoboards
- Fine motor color match activity
- Squeezing clothespins to open and close
- Pick up and peel stickers
- Turning pages of a board book
- Montessori knobbed puzzles –> (one of the best Montessori pincer grip activities!)
- Coloring pages
- Puzzles
- Tracing worksheets
- Lacing cards
- Clothespin game for kids –> (one of my favorite pincer activities!)
- Montessori trays (find inspiration from these Montessori tray ideas)
- Pushing pompoms into water bottles
- Painting
- Opening and closing jars and bottles
- Transferring dried rice or pasta from one bowl to another with a spoon
- Sticking stickers in sticker books
- Bending pipe cleaners using the pincer grasp
- Drawing with sidewalk chalk
- Threading pipe cleaners through the holes of a colander
- Matching locks and keys
- Tying knots
- Tearing paper
- Moving dried beans from one spot to another using the pincer grasp
- Wind up toys
- Dinosaur play dough mats
- Stacking Lego
- Pop beads
- Squeezing foam balls using the index finger and thumb
- Squeeze the water out of a sponge using the thumb and index finger
- Gluing with a glue stick
- Coloring with crayons
- Coloring with markers
- Gluing pompoms
- Gluing dried pasta
- Gluing dried beans
- Ocean coloring pages
- Crumpling tissue paper using the index finger and thumb
- Rolling play dough between the thumb and index finger
- Rolling pipe cleaners between the thumb and index finger
- Rolling dried pasta between the thumb and index finger
- Pizza coloring pages
- Picking up small finger foods using the pincer grasp (baby carrots, popcorn, cubes of cheese)
- Push pompoms into a whisk and pull them out using the pincer grasp
- Open a drawer by pulling on the knobs
- Dog coloring pages
- Use the pincer grasp to place small toys into the holes of an empty egg carton
- Pull tissues out of a box, one by one
- Spin a spinning top
- Sticking stamps
- Pulling apart play dough into pieces using the pincer grasp
- Sticking washi tape
- Zoo Animal Play Dough Mats
Pincer grasp activities for babies
You may be working with a baby to develop pincer grasp skills. In that case, you will need to use pincer grasp exercises that are appropriate for babies.
Click here to get your free printable copy of 65+ pincer grasp activity ideas
These are some of my favorite baby appropriate pincer grasp activities
- Practice pointing to images in board books
- Stacking large blocks or cubes
- Eating finger foods
- Doodling with extra large crayons
- Pulling a pull toy
How do toddlers develop pincer grasp?
Pincer grasp typically evolves automatically as a simple reflex. Toddlers with autism sometimes don’t develop the reflex on their own or need some extra help to develop it fully.
When should I be concerned about pincer grasp?
If your child hasn’t developed pincer grasp skills by 1 year old, it may be cause for concern.
All of the pincer grasp activities on this list are fun and help develop pincer grasp skills, so use them with your child or students.
Click here to get your free printable copy of 65+ pincer grasp activity ideas
Is the pincer grasp a gross motor skill?
No, pincer grasp is a fine motor skill.
Why can the pincer grasp be a concern to caregivers?
Pincer grasp is one of the foundational fine motor skills, a necessary prerequisite for further developing essential fine motor skills. Pincer grasp is essential for eating independently, getting dressed, writing and more.
What toys help with pincer grasp?
These are some of my favorite toys and therapy tools to use with activities to work on pincer grasp.
Click here to get your free printable copy of 65+ pincer grasp activity ideas
More Fine Motor Activities
- Autism Activities (including several fine motor activities)
- Easter Cut and Paste Printables
- Free Autism Resources
More Autism Activities
- The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
- Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
- Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
- How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
- Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!
Pincer Grasp Activities
Use these 65+ activities to pincer grasp
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