Tearing and peeling: how the skill grows from 14 to 36 months
Tearing and peeling means ripping paper and peeling tape or stickers off a surface. Tearing moves two hands in opposite directions at once; peeling trains a fingernail pinch at a thin edge.
Updated
Tearing and peeling: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Peels loose tape. Peels off strips of painter's tape that have a folded tab at one end.
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect · 15–24 months · 3–8 min
- Sticky Note Body Spots · 19–30 months · 5–10 min
- Junk Mail Tear-and-Stuff · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Tears with two hands. Holds paper in both fists and pulls them apart to rip it.
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect · 15–24 months · 3–8 min
- Sticky Note Body Spots · 19–30 months · 5–10 min
- Junk Mail Tear-and-Stuff · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Finds the edge. Picks at the edge of a sticker or tape strip with a fingernail to lift it.
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect · 15–24 months · 3–8 min
- Sticky Note Body Spots · 19–30 months · 5–10 min
- Junk Mail Tear-and-Stuff · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Tears with a plan. Rips paper into pieces for a collage or peels the sticker off a piece of fruit.
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect · 15–24 months · 3–8 min
- Sticky Note Body Spots · 19–30 months · 5–10 min
- Junk Mail Tear-and-Stuff · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
Top of the ladder (tears with a plan). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect · 15–24 months · 3–8 min
- Sticky Note Body Spots · 19–30 months · 5–10 min
- Junk Mail Tear-and-Stuff · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
The tearing and peeling ladder
5 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 14 to 36 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
-
Crumples and pulls
Grabs paper, scrunches it and pulls ragged bits off.
-
Peels loose tape
Peels off strips of painter's tape that have a folded tab at one end.
-
Tears with two hands
Holds paper in both fists and pulls them apart to rip it.
-
Finds the edge
Picks at the edge of a sticker or tape strip with a fingernail to lift it.
-
Tears with a plan
Rips paper into pieces for a collage or peels the sticker off a piece of fruit.
When tearing and peeling usually shows up
Tearing is not on the CDC checklists. Pulling paper apart and peeling loosely stuck tape are often possible in the second year; tearing a strip on purpose and lifting a tight sticker edge usually come later, toward age 3.
This page follows tearing and peeling from 14 to 36 months, a window that spans the 15-month, 18-month, 24-month, 30-month and 36-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 3 activities practise tearing and peeling (2 as their main skill), for ages 15 to 34 months. One of them needs no prep and takes 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 2, 3 and 4 of the 5-step ladder.
Activities that practise tearing and peeling
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 2 fine motor and 1 language. Quickest to start: Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect (3–8 minutes).
Step 2: Peels loose tape
Step 3: Tears with two hands
Step 4: Finds the edge
Skills practised alongside
The activities for tearing and peeling most often also work on body parts (1), following one-step directions (1), household helping (1), posting objects (1) and walking on their own (1). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Fold the end of each tape strip back on itself so there is a tab to grab.
- Save junk mail and paper bags for tearing; a small snip at the edge makes the first rip easier.
- Peel one strip slowly yourself, then point at the next one and wait.
What to avoid
- Leaving paper scraps or stickers with a child who still mouths things; small wet pieces are a choking risk.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
Mention it to the pediatrician if your toddler hardly ever uses both hands together on a task, or seems to hold one hand fisted or tucked away during play.
Worried about tearing and peeling between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start tearing and peeling?
Tearing is not on the CDC checklists. Pulling paper apart and peeling loosely stuck tape are often possible in the second year; tearing a strip on purpose and lifting a tight sticker edge usually come later, toward age 3. The first step to look for: grabs paper, scrunches it and pulls ragged bits off.
How can I help my toddler with tearing and peeling?
Fold the end of each tape strip back on itself so there is a tab to grab. Save junk mail and paper bags for tearing; a small snip at the edge makes the first rip easier. A good first activity is Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect (15–24 months).
What should I avoid when practising tearing and peeling?
Leaving paper scraps or stickers with a child who still mouths things; small wet pieces are a choking risk.
When should I mention tearing and peeling to the pediatrician?
Mention it to the pediatrician if your toddler hardly ever uses both hands together on a task, or seems to hold one hand fisted or tucked away during play. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.