What fine motor skill is expected of an infant by 11 months?

By 11 months of age, infants typically develop certain fine motor skills that reflect their growing coordination and dexterity. The ability to put objects into a container is a significant milestone for this age group as it demonstrates improved hand-eye coordination and manipulative skills. At this stage, infants are refining their grasp and are able to pick up small items with a thumb-and-forefinger grasp, commonly referred to as the pincer grasp.

This skill is not only indicative of physical development but also cognitive development, as it involves understanding cause-and-effect relationships—for example, realizing that placing an object in a container can result in the sound of a clattering noise when the object hits the bottom. Engaging in such activities encourages further exploration and learning about their environment.

Other milestones such as crawling, standing without assistance, or clapping hands are important as well, but they pertain more to gross motor skills or social gestures rather than the fine motor skills that are central to this question. Therefore, the ability to put objects into a container clearly aligns with the expected fine motor development for an infant at 11 months.