Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Health and Physical Development (HPD)

Subdomain: Motor Development

Goal: Children develop small muscle control and hand-eye coordination to manipulate objects and work with tools.

Skill Progression: Manipulation/Tool use

Age: 4-6 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 4-6 Months.

Observe the infant while seated in a high chair with a tray. Place first one small, safe-size object (such as a block or ping pong ball) on the tray table. After the infant explores the first object, add a second object.

No elicitation needed.

During the early phase of this age the child shakes or bangs the object with his arm from the shoulder down. Later, the infant uses the lower arm more and likes to bang objects.

Infants use hands and arms together to manipulate objects. They like to cause objects to move and make noise with gross movements. Encourage parents to buy or make toys and materials the infant can shake (ribbons) or bang (a spoon, or rock, an upside -down lid with a handle) to activate causing something interesting to occur.