Toothpick Pincer Grasp Activity

Here is a super simple and super economical activity to encourage the pincer grasp.  Recycle and clean a Styrofoam tray.  Draw some simple shapes, letters, numbers or just let the child make a free form sculpture.  Put the toothpicks next to the tray in a container.  Poke the toothpicks into the tray around the shapes as pictured or anywhere.

Try using other objects to poke the tray like a dull pencil or the back of a paint brush.

This would make a nice sensory break as well that incorporates fine motor skills, proprioception and visual perceptual skills.

Want to add another element to your sculpture?  Put colored straws next to the tray.  The child can place the colored straws over the toothpicks to make the sculpture taller and colorful.  Be careful not to knock over the toothpicks as you put the straws on - takes a lot of graded muscle control.