當馬克遇上莎莉

Newborn to two months
Babies are born with the grasping reflex. Touch your child's palm, and she'll curl her tiny fingers around yours. But these movements are instinctive and involuntary for the first eight weeks. Your baby's hands will mostly be clenched in a fist during this stage, but she'll soon begin to open and close them on purpose and to examine them. She may even try to grasp soft objects such as a stuffed animal.

Three months
Your baby still can't grab what she wants, but she can bat at toys over and over. She's also developing her hand-eye coordination, noticing things she'd like to hold and attempting to pick them up. A floor gym is handy at this time, since it lets your child lie on a soft mat and swipe at fun things hanging above her.

Four to eight months
At four months, she can pick up large objects such as blocks, though she still won't be able to grab smaller objects such as beads until she develops better finger dexterity. Shortly before she gets her first tooth (usually between three and 12 months), your baby will start picking up items here and there so she can put them in her mouth. If she's eating solids, she won't be able to hold a baby spoon steadily, but she'll try. She can rake an object toward herself, and will start moving objects from one hand to the other. It's a good idea to keep valuables out of her reach from now on and to start childproofing your home now.

Nine to 12 months
She can pick up objects with little effort now, and her preference for her left or right hand is emerging. The dominant hand will be more dexterous and strong, but you won't be able to determine true left- or right-handedness until she's two or three years old. She's also perfecting her pincer grasp, which lets her pick up small objects such as beads between her thumb and forefinger. And since she's becoming better coordinated, she'll be able to use a spoon and fork fairly well at mealtimes. 

What comes next

Once your baby perfects grasping, throwing isn't far behind, so watch out. Many babies enjoy hurling their toys and having you pick them up. By the time she's a year old, she'll enjoy playing ball, stacking towers, and banging things together. By the time she's two, her artistic side will come out, and she'll be fascinated with crayons and how to use them to draw and write. At three years old, she'll be coordinated enough to attempt to jot down letters and maybe her name. 

Your role

To stimulate your baby's grasping reflex, try putting a toy or colourful object slightly out of her reach and encouraging her to grab it. But don't put it so far away that she can't get it, or she'll get frustrated. Give her a plentiful supply of objects she can easily grasp, too, such as soft blocks, plastic rings, and board books. Later, when she's working on her pincer grasp, encourage her to pick up finger foods such as peas and carrots -- she'll use her spoon or fork when she's ready. 

When to be concerned

If your child doesn't seem interested in any toy you put in front of her by eight weeks and doesn't attempt to touch or pick up toys by nine months, discuss your concerns with her doctor. Premature babies may reach this and other milestones later than their peers -- check with your doctor about a reasonable time frame.