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Original poster

Can your 7 year old open food wrappers?

16 replies

MamaRaisingBoys · 02/12/2022 22:19

Ds struggles with this, just wondering if it’s normal. If it’s something like sweets he can open it by tearing downwards, but he would struggle with opening a bag of crisps where you have to grasp and pull outwards.

OP posts:
Cheeseandabsolutelycrackers · 02/12/2022 22:26

Yes, but she's always had good fine motor skills (less well coordinated on the gross motor side). She can also tie her school tie, her shoe laces, and thread her sewing machine. My DS was the opposite - hitting a tennis ball reliably at 15 months but couldn't (or was too lazy to try) open things like crisps at 7. They are all different but generally boys are slower with the fine motor.

ReedRite · 02/12/2022 22:32

Mine can’t, but she has joint hyper mobility, so has less strength in her hands and has to practise movements a zillion times more than other kids before they get into the muscle memory.

Spacebears · 02/12/2022 22:36

Sometimes she can, sometimes she can't. If she can't she'll just use her teethGrinHmm

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7 year olds
RewildingAmbridge · 02/12/2022 22:38

My just turned 4 year old mainly can, I mean I struggle with some packets! 4 year old is an absolute food hoover though, so nothing is coming between him and a snack. sometimes he'll just decimate the packaging

Icecreamandapplepie · 02/12/2022 22:40

7 year old can't this end. Our 8 year old can.

Pinkflipflop85 · 02/12/2022 22:40

Yes.

3 year old can too - but I'm pretty sure she learnt early as she is a snack fiend and needs to open them before we catch her!

Luana1 · 02/12/2022 22:41

My 5 year old can, and most of his friends can too - I only know this as we held a party recently and none of them needed help opening their crisps.

parsniiips · 02/12/2022 22:43

My 5 year old cant open stuff. He squeezes bags of crisps till they burst open then collects them off the floor. Pisses me right off.

2catsandhappy · 02/12/2022 22:54

Primary school midday supervisor. I have seen hundreds of 7 year olds trying to open wrappers. Up to half can. Crisps are the trickiest. They need clean fingers to be able to grip the shiny bags. Pinch fingers on front and back then pull apart. Takes up to a week to get it. Non greasy fingers is key, being shown how and copying their mates.

Tesoroxx · 02/12/2022 22:57

My 5 year old can and also opens for older sibling who struggles so think it's more the child than the age

SpottyStripyDuvet · 02/12/2022 22:59

My just turned 7 year old is 50/50 at the moment.

SkankingWombat · 02/12/2022 23:12

My 8yo has been able to open different types of snack food packaging since around the time she started school, despite hypermobility and poor coordination in other areas (clearly she was highly motivated to learn this skill!).
My 6yo knows the various methods and can do them all, but sometimes still needs to be told which method to use.

However, we have now entered Glove Season... The little darlings aren't willing to get their fingers cold but are happy to see Mummy get frostbite if it means they can eat a Babybel, so it appears I am back on snack-opening duty.

MargaretThursday · 02/12/2022 23:15

I think it's some can, some can't. Some of it will be about determination and trying.
DD1 and dd2 both could, despite dd2 only having one hand. Ds couldn't really. However being the youngest of 3 he was always inclined to ask one of his sisters if he couldn't manage so didn't have the determination that the older two had, plus he was generally less good on fine motor control.

Original poster
MamaRaisingBoys · 02/12/2022 23:16

Ahh a huge range of answers then! Seems it’s nothing to worry about. I have had some suspicions about Hypermobility but this seems to be within the range of normal.

OP posts:
Original poster
MamaRaisingBoys · 02/12/2022 23:17

SkankingWombat · 02/12/2022 23:12

My 8yo has been able to open different types of snack food packaging since around the time she started school, despite hypermobility and poor coordination in other areas (clearly she was highly motivated to learn this skill!).
My 6yo knows the various methods and can do them all, but sometimes still needs to be told which method to use.

However, we have now entered Glove Season... The little darlings aren't willing to get their fingers cold but are happy to see Mummy get frostbite if it means they can eat a Babybel, so it appears I am back on snack-opening duty.

🤣 brilliant

OP posts:
Original poster
MamaRaisingBoys · 02/12/2022 23:19

2catsandhappy · 02/12/2022 22:54

Primary school midday supervisor. I have seen hundreds of 7 year olds trying to open wrappers. Up to half can. Crisps are the trickiest. They need clean fingers to be able to grip the shiny bags. Pinch fingers on front and back then pull apart. Takes up to a week to get it. Non greasy fingers is key, being shown how and copying their mates.

Yes! He always has sticky or wet fingers, which means I then get the pleasure of touching the manky packet when he gives up after a few attempts

OP posts:
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