By what age is the pincer grasp well established?

• A. By 6 months
• B. By 1 year
• C. By 2 years
• D. By 3 months

Answer: (B)

The main concept here is fine motor development, focusing on the pincer grasp—the ability to pick up small objects using the thumb and index finger. This skill progresses from a palmar grasp in early infancy to a refined pincer grasp as hand-eye coordination improves, typically around 9–12 months. By about 12 months, the pincer grasp is well established and commonly used for feeding and manipulating tiny objects. So, being well established by one year aligns with the expected timeline. At 3 months or 6 months, infants mainly use larger, crude grips, and by 2 years they have even more advanced dexterity, but the milestone described best fits the end of the first year.