Putty Treasure Dig

Ages:: Preschoolers (3 to 5), School age (6+)
Play time:: 10 to 15 minutes
Setup:: 5 minutes
Where:: Table

Why it helps

This is a wonderful 'heavy work' activity that helps strengthen the small muscles in the hands and fingers while providing organizing sensory input (proprioception). It’s excellent preparation for tasks like holding a pencil or managing scissors!

Steps

Prepare the 'treasure' by breaking 8-10 pipe cleaners into halves. Hide them deeply inside a large ball of playdough (this is the 'monster mash'). Place the playdough in a plastic container or on a safe mat.
Challenge your child to become a 'Treasure Hunter.' Use two hands to squeeze, stretch, pull, and mash the playdough to uncover all the buried pipe cleaner pieces.
Encourage them to use different hand movements: squeezing the dough with their whole hand, pushing down with their thumbs, and stretching it apart using both hands together.
Once all the pieces are found, help them reshape the dough back into a ball. They can hide the treasure again or count how many 'gems' they found!

Safety tip: Always supervise this activity closely. Ensure that the child understands that the playdough and pipe cleaners are not food items. Wash hands thoroughly when finished.

Make it easier

Use soft, fresh playdough and bury the pieces close to the surface, with a little end poking out.
Hide fewer, bigger treasures, like whole pipe cleaners bent into rings, so no sharp cut ends poke out.
Flatten the dough into a pancake first so the treasure is easier to spot.

Make it harder

Swap the playdough for firm therapy putty, which takes more squeezing and pulling.
Pinch and pull the dough apart using only the thumb and pointer finger.
Search with eyes closed and find the treasure by feel alone.

What to watch for

Notice which moves your child uses most, like whole-hand squeezing, single-finger poking, or two-handed pulling.
Watch whether your child pinches out each treasure with the fingertips or pulls it out with a fist grip.
If your child would rather not touch the dough, offer a craft stick or a plastic fork for digging, or thin gloves.

Where this helps in daily life

Squeezing, pulling, and pinching dough uses the same hand strength kids need for opening a bag of chips, pulling up socks, and squeezing toothpaste onto a brush.

These activities are for home practice and don't replace the guidance of a licensed therapist.