The overall development in the hands and fingers is referred to as ________.

The term that best describes the overall development in the hands and fingers is fine motor skills. Fine motor skills encompass the precise movements that involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers, allowing infants and toddlers to perform tasks such as grasping objects, buttoning clothes, and using utensils. This type of skill development is crucial as it lays the foundation for more complex tasks later in life.

Dexterity is often associated with the skillfulness or agility of the hands and fingers, but it does not encompass all aspects of fine motor development. Manipulation refers to the movement of objects using the hands but is a part of fine motor skills rather than the overarching term. Grasping specifically refers to the action of seizing or holding something with the hand, which is just a component of the broader fine motor skills development.

Thus, fine motor skills encompasses a range of movements and abilities associated with the development of the hands and fingers, making it the most appropriate term.