Your new baby is learning to grab and hold onto things even if it’s just a blanket. That’s an important step in their development, but it can also be a bit frustrating for you.
You want them to grab your finger so that you can start teaching them about object permanence and other basic developmental milestones, but their little fingers just aren’t strong enough yet for that kind of grasping.
Luckily, there are plenty of toys that will help develop their grasping skills while giving both of you some fun playtime together.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Sensory toys can be an effective tool for developing a child’s grasping skills. |
| Choosing the right sensory toys for your child’s age and skill level is crucial for their development. |
| Sensory play can help improve a child’s gross motor skills, which includes grasping abilities. |
| Sensory toys with different textures, shapes, and sizes can help children develop their grasping and manipulation abilities. |
| Sensory play is a fun and engaging way to encourage a child’s development and can be easily incorporated into their daily routine. |
Doggy Grasping Toy
The Doggy Grasping Toy is a great way to help strengthen your baby’s grasp. It has three different sizes of holes and a bell inside, so you can use it as an interest-grabber or as a teething toy.
The colorful geometric shapes also make it fun for babies to look at, while the material is soft and easy to grip.
The best way to use this toy is by placing it in your baby’s hand when they are sitting up with their arms straight out (this helps prevent any choking hazards).
Then simply rotate the ball around in their hands until they get used to holding onto it. You can also try shaking it gently or ringing the bell inside for added stimulation!
Once your child has mastered holding onto this toy without dropping it, you can increase their challenge by placing objects such as rattle keys or plastic links between each opening and then letting them try lifting them out one at a time using only one finger from each hand at first until eventually trying using both fingers together again like before
but now with less gravity pulling down on them which means less force is required from either side which means less stress placed upon joints during movement thus reducing risk factors associated with early arthritis development later down the life span due to lack of proper development during youth years.
Enhancing gross motor skills is an important part of a child’s development. Our guide on sensory play for building gross motor skills provides valuable insights on how sensory toys can help children develop their grasping, throwing, and catching abilities.
Textured Touch Ring
For the baby who needs a little extra sensory stimulation, we recommend the textured touch ring. This fun toy provides a variety of different textures for your child to explore and discover.
They’re also easy to hold and perfect for grasping, which will help develop their fine motor skills. The textured rings are great for teething babies or those with sensitive skin because they don’t have any small parts that could come off easily and they won’t cause any issues in your mouth (which can happen with other types of toys).
They even come in multiple colors and shapes so there are endless possibilities.
Sensory play can be a powerful tool for improving development in children with special needs. Our guide on sensory play for children with special needs: how it can improve development offers insights on how to create a safe and stimulating environment for sensory play that can help children develop their grasping and other motor skills.
Mini Spiky Sensory Ball
The Mini Spiky Sensory Ball is a great way to stimulate your baby’s senses. It is made of high-quality materials and has various textures, including the spiky surface that gives it its name. The size of this ball makes it easy to grip and its shape makes it easy to clean.
Tactile Massage Ball
This is a great choice for sensory seekers, as it offers a textured surface that can be easily rolled. It is also useful for tactile stimulation and can be used to massage sore muscles.
The Tactile Massage Ball comes in three sizes, with the large size being best suited for children ages 3 and up. This ball is meant to be used by applying pressure while rolling it between your palms or fingers.
The texture of the ball allows you to simulate different surfaces such as sandpaper or ice cubes on the skin.
If your child has sensory processing disorder (SPD), this toy may help them become more comfortable with touch sensations in their environment which will ultimately lead them towards having better fine motor skills and ability when using scissors or other objects used at school or home during playtime
| Activity | Activities to Improve Grasping Skills |
|---|---|
| Using tongs or tweezers | Picking up small objects with tongs or tweezers can help improve a child’s pincer grasp and hand strength. |
| Stringing beads or pasta | Threading beads or pasta onto a string can help improve hand-eye coordination and grasping skills. |
| Playing with small toys or figurines | Encouraging children to pick up and manipulate small toys or figurines can help improve their grasping skills. |
| Playing with pegboards | Using pegboards to create patterns or designs can help improve fine motor skills and grasping skills. |
| Drawing or coloring | Holding and manipulating writing utensils can help improve grasping skills and hand strength. |
| Playing with puzzles | Manipulating puzzle pieces can help improve fine motor skills and grasping skills. |
Wrist Rattle And Foot Finder Toys
Wrist rattles are simple toys that you can make yourself. They’re basically just a piece of fabric, like a sock or a t-shirt, with some bells or other noisemakers inside. You tie the fabric around your baby’s wrist so it hangs loosely and then let them play with it.
This toy is great because it gives babies something to grasp while at the same time, they get auditory and tactile stimulation from the sound of the bells and the feel of the fabric on their hands.
A foot finder toy is basically any type of stuffed animal where each foot has its own pocket that can be filled with small objects (such as plastic links). The idea behind these toys is similar to that of wrist rattles they give babies opportunities to explore different textures while developing their grasping skills.
Choosing the right sensory toys for toddlers is crucial for their development. Our guide on sensory toys for toddlers: how to choose the right ones for your child provides helpful tips and advice on how to select the best toys for developing their grasping skills.
Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano
This Baby Einstein toy is a piano that plays music when your baby touches its keys. The three modes allow your little one to play with numbers, letters, or musical tones.
The Magic Touch Piano is perfect for babies from 6 months old and has an easy-to-use volume control button on the bottom so you can keep the sound at just the right level for your child’s ears. It requires 3 AA batteries (not included).
Bumbo Seat With Tray
Bumbo Seat With Tray is a great toy for developing grasping skills. The Bumbo Seat helps your baby sit up with confidence and has a tray that keeps her hands and toys safe. It can be used on the floor or at a table, so you can use it anywhere!
Zoo Pal Animal Grabber Sensory Toy
Zoo Pal Animal Grabber Sensory Toy is a great toy for developing grasping skills. The animal has a variety of textures and patterns, which are appealing to younger children who are just learning about the world around them.
It also has a rattle inside that stimulates the child’s hearing as well as their sense of touch. This sensory toy comes in several animals, so there’s something for everyone!
The Zoo Pal Animal Grabber Sensory Toy is great for young children who need to work on their grasping skills or are just beginning to explore their surroundings with their hands.
Baby’s First Blocks
Blocks are a great toy for babies to learn to grasp and play with. They can help develop motor skills, as well as teach children about shapes and colors. Blocks can be used to build towers and structures or create a variety of shapes.
Jumbo Pegboard Set
The Jumbo Pegboard Set contains 12 jumbo pegs, which are perfect for developing motor skills. The set includes 4 different colored pegs, and each one has a different shape. These toys can be used in conjunction with other pegboards or boards to create a house, car, or train.
They are brightly colored and have anti-slip grips on the base so they won’t slide around as your child plays with them on flat surfaces like desks or tables.
They’re great for children who need help building their grasping skills because of sensory issues like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Cerebral Palsy because they’re easy to hold onto when putting them into place on any surface that is stable enough to support their weight while they stand up straight while holding one hand above their head while trying not to teeter over backward due to having weak legs but strong arms instead since this makes sense if you think about it…
Motor skill development is an important aspect of a child’s growth. Our guide on the importance of sensory toys for motor skill development highlights how sensory toys can help children with various motor skills, including grasping, and offers insights on how to select the right toys for your child’s needs.”
Sesame Street Bathtime Elmo
Elmo is a fun, interactive bath toy for kids of all ages. The Sesame Street character’s head functions as a squirting water feature and his arms can be used to scoop and pour water. Elmo also comes with a built-in suction cup that allows you to mount him on the wall or tub.
Building Blocks In A Fabric Bag
In general, building blocks are a great way to teach your baby about shapes and colors. They’re also great for teaching sorting and matching, stacking and even building. One of our favorite ways to use them is by putting them into a bag with some kind of fabric lining.
This helps the blocks stay together without falling all over the place when your little one pulls them out of their bag! It also makes it easy for them to grab just one block at a time instead of having tons piled up in their hands (which can make babies less likely to put things in their mouths).
Another added benefit is that these types of bags don’t have any loose edges like traditional toy baskets do – this means there’s less risk that your baby will pull pieces apart or try putting smaller parts into their mouth (which could result in choking hazards).
| DIY Sensory Toys for Developing Grasping Skills |
|---|
| Sensory bags with various materials |
| Tactile treasure hunt |
| Sensory balls made with balloons and rice |
| Ribbon pull box |
| Pipe cleaner and straw activity |
| Cardboard box ramp and ball run |
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you some ideas for toys that can help your baby develop their grasping skills. Remember to always supervise their play time and to keep an eye out for any signs of overstimulation or frustration.
If a toy is causing these problems then it’s best not to use it until they are older.
Sensory toys play an essential role in infant and toddler development. Our guide on the best sensory toys for infants and toddlers provides a comprehensive list of toys that can help children develop their grasping skills, as well as other essential motor and sensory skills.
Further Reading
Toys for Fine Motor Skills Development: This article discusses various toys that can help children develop fine motor skills, which includes grasping skills.
Fine Motor & Sensory Tools for Phonics Activities: This blog post provides a list of sensory tools that can help children develop fine motor skills, which is important for phonics activities.
Scissor Skills & Pincer Grasp Development Resources: This website offers various resources, including toys and activities, to help children develop scissor skills and pincer grasp, both of which require good grasping abilities.
FAQs
What are grasping skills?
Grasping skills refer to a child’s ability to grip objects using their fingers and hands.
Why are grasping skills important for child development?
Grasping skills are essential for a child’s development as they help improve fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive development.
What are some activities that can help improve grasping skills?
Activities such as playing with blocks, squeezing soft toys, and playing with playdough can help improve a child’s grasping skills.
How can sensory toys help develop grasping skills?
Sensory toys provide a variety of textures, shapes, and sizes, which can help improve a child’s ability to grip and manipulate objects, ultimately developing their grasping skills.
What age should a child develop grasping skills?
Most children begin to develop grasping skills between 3 and 4 months old, but the development can continue until 6-7 years old.
Meet Hellen James, the multi-talented writer and nurturing mother who takes young readers on a thrilling journey through her sensory-infused blog. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences as a parent.
