Overview

Learning to use a variety of grasp patterns is the foundation for the development of fine motor skills. Grasp patterns are the different types of grips used by the fingers and thumb to hold, move, or work objects. Your child uses a variety of grasp patterns to play and explore their world. Daily living skills, like dressing, feeding, grooming, and chores require a range of different grasp patterns.

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Types of grasp patterns

Grasp patterns fall into 2 groups. Both are important for daily living skills. Power grasp patterns use the whole hand. Precision grasp patterns use the fingers and thumb.

Power grasp patterns

These grasp patterns help build your child’s finger, hand, and wrist strength and encourage thumb movement. There are 3 main types of power grasps:

Hook grasp: The fingers work as a group to hook around an object, with or without the thumb. Your child uses this grasp when pulling a wagon, pushing a cart, hanging on monkey bars, or carrying a bag.

Cylinder grasp: Builds on the hook grasp. The thumb is needed and moves opposite the fingers. The fingers work together. Your child uses this grasp when they drink from a cup, hold larger toys, or use a hairbrush.

Ball grasp: Builds on the cylinder grasp. Your child’s fingers spread out to match the shape of the object. The thumb stays opposite the fingers to give stability. Your child uses this grasp pattern when they pick up or use anything round in shape, like balls, apples, or to squish Play-Doh into a ball.

Precision grasp patterns

These grasp patterns start developing after power grasp patterns. Precision grasp patterns help your child learn how to use their fingers and help them develop hand dominance and dexterity. Precision grasp patterns are used in a wide variety of daily activities. There are 3 main types of precision grasp patterns:

Pincer: Uses the index finger and thumb. This can be pad to pad or fingertip to fingertip. Your child will use the version that works for the activity. You may see your child using a pincer grasp when they pick up small pieces of food or play with small toys. Dressing activities, like putting on socks and zipping a jacket, use the pincer grasp.

Lateral pinch: This is a strong pinch grasp using the thumb and side of the finger. You may see your child using this grasp when they carry a plate, hold an open book, or hold papers. This grasp is also known as the key grasp.

Tripod grasp: The most versatile grasp pattern. This grasp uses the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. The tripod grasp is used for activities that require precise fine motor control. You may see your child using this grasp with their fingers held still (static) or with movement in their fingers and thumb (dynamic).

Your child uses a static tripod grasp when they move their arm and pick out a snack from a bowl. They use a dynamic grasp for more precise activities, like creating with small items, colouring or drawing, or tying laces.

The type of grasp pattern your child uses depends on the activity they’re doing. If your child can do what they’re trying to do, that’s a functional grasp pattern.

How grasp patterns develop

Grasp patterns start developing at birth. Your baby is born with a grasp reflex. They will grab or grasp any item that touches the palm of their hand.

This reflex becomes an intentional grasp by around 4 months of age. After your baby gets enough practice with intentional grasp, their thumb learns to move separately from their fingers.

With even more practice, your baby learns to use their fingers to point or poke. Once your baby has discovered these parts of the hand, they’re ready to develop different grasp patterns.

Grasp patterns build on each other. Your child’s hands and fingers need to develop strength and comfort with movement to get ready for the next level of grasp patterns.