My Baby Isn't Banging Toys Together
The short answer
Banging two objects together at midline is a milestone that typically develops around 7-10 months. It shows that your baby can use both hands together and coordinate movements at the midline of their body. If your baby is not banging objects together by 10-11 months, mention it to your pediatrician.
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By Age
What to expect by age
Your baby may be holding objects in both hands but has not yet figured out how to bring them together purposefully. They may accidentally hit toys together. This is the beginning of bilateral hand coordination and is completely age-appropriate.
Most babies begin intentionally banging objects together during this period. They love the noise and the cause-and-effect relationship. If your baby is not doing this yet but is holding objects in both hands, the skill will likely emerge soon.
Banging objects together should be well established by now. If your baby is not doing this, observe whether they bring their hands to midline and use both hands together during other activities. If bilateral hand use seems limited overall, discuss with your pediatrician.
If your baby still does not bang toys together, evaluation of fine motor and bilateral coordination skills may be helpful. An occupational therapist can assess hand function and coordination.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 9 months and holds objects in both hands.
- Your baby bangs objects on surfaces but not together yet.
- Your baby occasionally brings objects together at midline.
- Your baby is developing other hand skills on track.
- Your baby is over 10 months and never bangs objects together.
- Your baby does not bring hands to midline.
- Your baby seems to avoid using both hands together.
- Your baby has lost the ability to hold objects or use their hands.
- Your baby cannot bring hands to midline at all after 5 months.
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
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Related Physical Concerns
Baby Not Bringing Hands to Midline
Bringing hands to midline - the center of the body - is an important early motor milestone that typically develops between 3 and 4 months. Before this, babies tend to keep their hands to their sides or near their face. Once midline play develops, you will see your baby clasping their hands together, reaching for toys with both hands, and bringing objects to their mouth. This skill lays the foundation for many later abilities like transferring objects between hands and self-feeding.
My Baby Has Difficulty Using Both Hands Together
Bilateral coordination (using both hands together) develops gradually. Babies begin bringing hands to midline around 3-4 months and use both hands together for tasks like holding a bottle or banging objects by 7-9 months. If your baby consistently avoids using both hands together by 9-10 months, mention it to your pediatrician.
My Baby Has Overall Fine Motor Delays
Fine motor skills develop gradually from grasping rattles to using a pincer grip to scribbling and stacking. If your child seems behind in multiple fine motor areas, an occupational therapy evaluation can identify specific areas to work on. Many fine motor delays respond very well to targeted therapy and practice.
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.
My Baby Only Army Crawls
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is a completely valid and normal way for babies to move. Many babies army crawl for weeks or even months before transitioning to hands-and-knees crawling, and some skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters is that your baby is independently mobile and exploring their environment.
One Side of My Baby's Body Moves Differently
Babies should generally use both sides of their body equally. If one side consistently moves differently, is weaker, stiffer, or less coordinated, this warrants evaluation. Asymmetric movement can indicate hemiplegia (cerebral palsy affecting one side), brachial plexus injury, or other neurological conditions that benefit from early therapy.