Putty Spool Force Push
Purpose
This activity focuses on building sustained, controlled strength in your child’s hands and fingers. Pushing the stick through the stiff putty and resistant yarn provides wonderful 'heavy work' input (proprioception). This sensory feedback helps calm the nervous system and improves hand awareness. It is also an excellent task for boosting proximal stability, meaning the child must hold their elbow/shoulder steady while the fingers work hard. This stability is key for later drawing and writing control.
Activity Steps
Steps:
- Adult Prep: Press a large lump of stiff playdough firmly into the bottom of the container to create a stable base.
- Adult Prep: Twist 5 to 6 short pieces of yarn tightly into small loops. Embed these yarn loops halfway into the surface of the playdough, ensuring they are resistant.
- Ask your child to hold the container firmly steady with their helper hand to stabilize the base on the table.
- Pick up one craft stick. Encourage a firm, three-finger or pincer grip on the stick.
- Aim the stick at a resistant yarn loop embedded in the playdough base.
- Use a strong, controlled push to drive the stick straight through the yarn and deep into the resistant playdough. Feel the effort!
- Repeat this action until all the yarn loops have a stick pushed through them. Pull them out quickly for extra heavy work!
Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Playdough, yarn, and craft sticks are small objects and pose a choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.
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