Putty Pat Painters
Purpose
This fun sensory activity provides excellent heavy work input. Pressing the sticky putty onto the target gives strong feedback to the hand and arm muscles. This resistance helps develop finger and hand strength, which is essential for pre-writing skills. By patting a vertical surface, your child also builds proximal stability in their shoulders and core. This stability improves control over their fine motor movements at the wrist and fingers.
Activity Steps
Steps:
- Adult Prep: Secure a large piece of cardboard target vertically onto a stable wall or door using masking tape.
- Use markers to draw a simple target shape, like a large circle, on the cardboard at your child’s chest height.
- Help your child press a large lump of Theraputty or stiff playdough firmly onto the flat side of the sponge.
- Encourage your child to use their helper hand to stabilize the cardboard target on the wall.
- Challenge them to use a strong, controlled ‘pat’ motion to press the putty-covered sponge onto the marked target zone.
- Repeat this firm pressing and patting action until the entire marked area is covered in colorful, sticky putty patches.
Safety Tip:
Theraputty and playdough are choking hazards if ingested. Constant, direct adult supervision is required. Ensure the vertical cardboard target is secured tightly so it cannot fall or shift during the strong patting action.
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