Child Struggles to Put In or Take Out Their Own Hair Clips and Rubber Bands: A Fine Motor Self-Care Skill

Why this task is genuinely harder than it looks

Putting in a hair clip or stretching a rubber band around hair needs a small, precise pinch between the fingers, enough hand strength to open a clip or stretch a band, and the ability to coordinate both hands doing different jobs at once - one holding hair in place, the other manipulating the clip or band. Many children also have to do this while looking at a mirror rather than watching their own hands directly, which adds an extra layer of motor planning.

What parents usually notice

It often shows up as a child who can manage buttons or zips reasonably well but is still completely dependent on an adult for hair clips, bands or scrunchies, sometimes well into the primary school years. We have heard this same pattern described by families from Preet Vihar and Vivek Vihar - a child who is otherwise fairly independent getting ready for school, except for this one specific task. It is worth paying attention to whether the difficulty is isolated to small-object, precise-pinch tasks, since that pattern can also show up with threading beads, buttoning small buttons or picking up small items.

What helps, and when it is worth a closer look

Practising with a large, easy-to-grip clip first, and building up to smaller or more fiddly ones, can help some children gain confidence outside the rush of a school morning. It is worth a professional opinion if the difficulty is consistent across several small-object fine motor tasks, not just hair accessories, or if it is noticeably behind what same-age classmates manage. See our note on occupational therapy for what a fine motor assessment typically involves.

Book a fine motor assessment for your child with our occupational therapy team. Call 7481909090 or message us on WhatsApp to get started.