Average age: 3 to 4 months

"First, Mayli grabbed my hair! Then we found a lightweight rattle to encourage her new skill -- and she never wanted to let go of it!"
-- Cassi Willoughby, Mayli's mom

When your child reaches for an object, put it in her palm, hold it still, and let her grab for it. She still gets the sensation of touching different textures even if the object falls out. "Use a feather, a blanket, your finger, whatever," says Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D., a pediatrician and editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics's book The Wonder Years. "They're learning from every little thing!"