Developing Reach, Grasp and Release Skills

Judy Benz Duncan, Occupational Therapist

A child’s ability to reach, grasp and release are fundamental fine motor skills that are the foundation for the development of the more complex skills of refined pinch, prehension, and dexterity. 

As with all developmental activities and ideas presented, please speak with your child’s pediatrician, OT, ST, PT, and service providers for their input, advice and guidance in order to make the best choice for your child. Working with those who do know your child is the best bet for success!

Your child’s therapists and service providers can help modify, adapt, or give suggestions on how to make changes that will be the most effective for your child.

 The variety of activities and ideas provided here are by no means the only things you can try - personalize, adjust, and modify to fit your lifestyle, and your child’s needs and abilities. Use the suggestions given as a “springboard” to coming up with more ideas you can try.

Activities range from very simple, early development up to quite challenging! Pick and choose which works best for your child and build from there

Have Fun! Play is a Child’s Work!

Basic Reach, Grasp to Release Activities

Children love basic play that includes placing objects into containers and then emptying them out! Looks simple enough, but this basic learning activity helps them to develop the foundation for their grasp and release skills, as well as refine their eye-hand coordination skills. 

Children typically start with large, gross movement patterns and typically miss the container when trying to drop or move objects into the “hole.” As they play and practice they learn how to hold, move, release, and move on to being able to accomplish handling smaller and smaller items and smaller openings to place objects in to.  

Reach, Grasp, and Release Activities and Ideas

o   Provide a variety of objects to reach for

o   Offer toys that fit in one hand as well as bigger objects that require your child to use a two-handed grip

o   Then start to put toys just out of reach and then to your child's side, so they must turn their body to grasp them

o   Ask your child to give you a toy they may already be holding.  Start by placing their hand and the object on your palm so that they only have to open their fingers to let go.  Use the same phrase whenever you play this game.  Take turns with your child and slowly move your hand farther away from your child so that they have to reach further away from their core, or base of support, during the game

o   Vary the shape and texture of objects and toys you practice with.  Picking up a soft squishy ball requires different grasp and release skills than picking a solid wooden block

o   Add more variety to the action by asking your child to pick up a toy/object that is just sitting there, as opposed to reach and grasp onto a toy that is rolling or moving across the floor

o   Make a “treasure chest” where the child has to place several special toys and items into the treasure chest (or shoe box you’ve made into their special box)

o   Use an empty box or laundry basket to have the child move a pile of balls, or soft stuffed toys, etc. into the new container; they can sit and do this so that distance is short, or you can have them get up and have to carry the item a distance back and forth until all the items have been moved

o   Ask for help in “clean up” where they need to help grasp and release the toys used back into their container to “help you out”

o   Large Blocks to stack or build a tall tower (reach, grasp, release)

o   Large Lego’s to stack and build a tower with

o   Bean bag toss into a bucket

o   Shape sorters are a great fun way to work on multiple learning skills; start with simple shape sorters with a few shapes (circle, triangle, square) and then slowly move up to more complex shapes that require more manipulation.

o   Form boards (take out and put in) start by getting your child to take out the pieces or you to put back in. Once they have mastered this, move on by letting them put the last piece in.  Again, start with simple shapes for confidence building and quick success, then move to more complex puzzles that require more motor and thought effort.

o   Large puzzles (with or without the knobs on each piece); you can start with simple large 2-3 piece puzzles and move on to smaller and more complex puzzles

o   Pots and Pans, Plastic Bowls, and Containers with Lids - plastic bowls can be great fun for making lots of noise as well as practicing reach, grasp, and release!

o   Building Blocks are just as much fun building up as knocking down!

o   Stacking Cups are great for use in pretend play as well as for learning how to stack! Your child can build towers with them or put them inside each other.

o   Have your child try to pick up and transfer a variety of items from one container to another using their thumb and pointer finger – you can use:

•  foam puzzle pieces

•  cotton balls

•  craft pom-poms

•  bottle caps

•  game pieces

•  rolled up balls of playdough

• pieces of ribbon and lace

•  large thick buttons

•  thimbles

•  bobbins

•  large nuts and bolts

o   Laundry Basket and Socks may help to get your child to help with the housework.  Give your child clothes to put in the laundry basket or washing machine. Reach, grasp, and release are all part of this activity!

o   Tidy Up Time after playtime is a great way to get your child to help put their toys away in a container before moving on to another toy or game

o   Coin & Button “Bank”

• Use the thumb and index / pointer finger to pick up large buttons, checkers, and large coins including “pirate money” and big plastic play money

• Cut a slit in the lid of a plastic container to push the coins and / or buttons through – make the slit wide enough to avoid frustration

• Have a race to see how many they can get into the container in 30 seconds or 1-minute

• Make a game of switching between a button, a coin, a checker, and so on. “Put in a button,” then “Put in a red checker,” and so on

o  Pegboards

• There seems to be an unending variety of pegboards from teeny tiny too big and clunky!

• If you have pegs and a pegboard or tactile pegboard mat, these are great for practicing pincer grasp and placement skills.

• Sort by color

• Sort by size

• Timed race to fill pegboard or tactile mat

• Use the pre-made pegboards or tactile “rubbery” mats

• Make your own “pegboard” by using Styrofoam where they need to press pegs into the material; use a marker of various colors to draw “circles” around where the holes are for improved ability to seek and find where to put the pegs

• Make holes with a screwdriver into clean cardboard boxes, then have your child push the pegs into the holes (let them help make the holes too if they are able to safely do so); you may have to wiggle the hole bigger to fit some of the larger easier to grip pegs

o   Find hidden items in a Sensory Rice Box (CLICK & GO to Blog on Sensory Rice Box on TheraPlay4Kids.com)

o   Race your child to see how many blocks they can fit into one of their socks; to make it harder, see how many water balloons they can stuff into a small pillow case (you may want to do this one outside!)

o   Games and Activity Kits like Barrel of Monkeys, Connect Four, Tiddly-Winks, Operation, Bedbugs, Jenga, Pick-Up-Sticks, Don’t Spill the Beans, Lite Brite, play-dough stampers/construction kits, Bristle Blocks, Legos, Mega Blocks, lacing and craft activities, hole-punch activities, and there are just hundreds of choices out there in the toy and craft aisles!

o   Squish and squeeze small foam balls, rubbery animals, foamy letters and shape

o   Squeeze out soaked sponges, wring out soaked wash cloths (can do in the tub, outdoor pool, or in yard)

o   Fine Motor Grasp Activity Blog (CLICK & GO!) on this site.  

NOTE: All activities and suggestions presented here at TheraPlay4Kids can be modified to fit the child’s ability and developmental levels. Working with the child’s early intervention specialist, therapist, teacher, or practitioner is highly recommended for guidance, safety concerns, and for any needed accommodations or adaptations for the child’s specific individual needs, or developmental stage of development.

What other ideas can you come up with?

Please Share with credit to TheraPlay4Kids.com

Thanks for your support!

Before beginning any new program, activity, exercise, or make changes, be sure to consult with your child’s doctor, and service providers for individualized guidance, direction, and supervision. These ideas and suggestions presented on TheraPlay4Kids are meant to help support and promote, however, since each child, diagnosis, medical status, and situation is different, one should seek help and approval from your child’s providers in order to achieve the best outcomes and ultimate safety for all involved. Please make use of this site and all the information presented at your own discretion for the safety and well-being of all involved.