x close

0 - 5 years – The Role of Fingers in Growing Up

One of the most amazing sights is seeing your child’s fingers for the very first time, just a few minutes after birth. You notice how perfectly they are formed, so small and yet so intact, complete with tiny fingernails.

In fact in those early weeks a baby’s finger curled around a parent’s one is wonderful connection point, the first of many, as fingers and hands come to play a major part in how we express ourselves, find out about the world and play a role within it.  Fingers are fundamental to the early years – and yet almost one in two trapping accidents happen to children under five. Have a look at how important fingers are.


From Birth to Three Months

A baby begins to learn the basics of self-movement and master the skills needed for hand-to-mouth co-ordination. They can hold hand in a fist. They touch, pull and tug their own hands with fascination.



From Three Months to Six Months

Babies are becoming stronger and more agile. Most begin to push their bodies forward and pull body up by grabbing the edge of a crib. They can reach for and touch  objects. They reach and grasp and put objects in their mouths. They discover that a rattle makes a noise when it is moved.


From Six Months to Nine Months

Child safety around the home becomes important now as babies become more mobile. During this time babies start to grasp and pull things towards themselves and transfer objects between hands.


From Nine Months to One Year

By this time most babies can roll a ball, throw objects, pick things up with thumb and one finger, drop and pick up toys.


One Year to Two Years

Self-initiated movements become easier at this stage. Most children can pick up toys from a standing position, push and pull objects, and paint with a whole arm movement. Balance improves and eye-hand co-ordination becomes more precise. Most children can put rings on a peg, turn two or three pages at a time, scribble, turn knobs, grasp and hold a small ball, shift a pencil or paintbrush from hand to hand and draw strokes. Children learn to eat with a fork and spoon, drink from a cup, kick a ball, build up a tower of up to six blocks, then smash them down and sort shapes. They will begin screwing and unscrewing lids from jars and zipping and unzipping large zips.


From Two to Three Years

Children are able to manipulate small objects with increased control. Most can string large beads, turn pages one by one, hold a crayon with thumb and fingers instead of fist, draw a circle, paint with wrist action, making dots and lines, roll, pound, squeeze and pull clay.


From Three to Four Years

Children become more precise in their hand movements. Most are able to build a tall tower of blocks, drive pegs into holes, draw crosses and circles, manipulate clay by making balls and snakes etc.


From Four to Five Years

Children start to develop skills which will help them as they enter school and begin writing. They learn to control the small muscles of the hand and fingers better. Most can use safety scissors, cut on a line continuously, copy squares and crosses, draw a person with two or four body parts, print a few capital letters.  They can also tackle tasks like brushing teeth or tying shoelaces with a little adult assistance.

<back to report index> <next section>