Your Brilliant Baby in Week 48: Developing the Pincer Grasp

Right now, you'll notice your little guy exploring objects by bumping, banging, shaking, squeezing, tasting, and throwing them. Annoying? Sure. But think about this: When you look at a sponge, you don't need to touch it; you know how it feels. How do you know it? Because when you were a baby you likely had many opportunities to pick up sponges and explore their properties. All the touching, tasting, and exploring your child is doing right now provide him with lifelong knowledge about various objects within his reach.

So while you might find some of these activities irritating (so long, favorite picture frame!), be patient. Your baby is learning valuable lessons about the properties of objects.

Your Week 48 Toolbox

Related skills and topics this week include …

• Week 4: Identifying Smells, Sounds, and Tastes
• Slideshow: The Precise Pincer in Motion!
• Great Finger Foods for Baby
• Quiz: Do You Know Your Child's Physical Development Milestones?
• Next week, look forward to: Week 49: Improving Memory
• Catch up on last week: Week 47: Moving with Skill

Curious about how else Baby might be developing right now? Learn more about her brilliant brain and her growing body here:

• What's happening in Baby's 12th month?
• Use our Development Tracker to check off your child's 8-12 month milestones.
• Here's what our pediatrician says you might be worried about this month.