Grasp - Page 12 of 35

Putty Pancake Decorators

Steps:

Give your child a large chunk of Theraputty or stiff playdough. Encourage them to use both hands to squeeze, mash, and roll it into a thick ‘pancake’ on the paper plate. Press hard for heavy work!
Ask your child to hold the paper plate firmly steady with their helper hand to keep the ‘pancake’ from sliding.
Pick up the tweezers or tongs. Use a strong pincer grasp to grab one small bead at a time.
Carefully aim the bead. Push it firmly and precisely into the resistant putty surface to create a colorful design or pattern.
Repeat the process until the entire putty pancake is covered in decorative beads. Try using different colors or sizes of beads.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Beads and Theraputty/Playdough are small objects. They pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths.

Heavy Foil Rock Decorate

Steps:

Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil. Encourage your child to use both hands to tear the resistant foil into a large, manageable piece.
Use maximum hand force to crumple and squeeze the foil tightly. Form a dense, hard 3D rock shape (the ‘foundation’). Squeeze hard for heavy work input.
Place the finished foil rock securely onto the piece of cardboard base. This acts as a stable work surface.
Use the glue bottle to squeeze several small, controlled dots of liquid glue onto the foil rock surface.
Pick up one dry bean using a precise pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Carefully aim the bean at a wet glue dot. Press the bean firmly onto the resistant foil surface. Repeat until the foil rock is covered in textured dots.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Dry beans and small, dense foil pieces pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.

Heavy Anchor Cup Clip

Steps:

Use markers to decorate 4 or 5 paper cups. Draw colorful faces or stripes on the outside.
Place the heavy bean bag flat onto a stable surface like a table or the floor.
Ask your child to press down firmly on the bean bag with their helper hand to stabilize it.
Use the dominant hand to pick up a clothespin. Squeeze it open using a strong finger pinch.
Aim the open clothespin and clip one paper cup onto the side of the resistant bean bag. The bag should hold the cup securely.
Repeat the squeezing and clipping action until all the decorated cups are attached to the heavy anchor.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Clothespins and small pom-poms (if used) are small objects. They pose a potential choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths.

Felt Roll & Clip Match

Steps:

Use markers to draw a simple dot on one felt strip and a matching dot on one index card.
Place the felt strip flat. Roll the felt tightly around the pencil to create a dense, resistant cylinder.
Remove the pencil carefully while holding the felt roll firmly with your helper hand to keep the shape.
Pick up the paper clip using a strong pincer grasp (thumb and index finger).
Slide the paper clip onto the felt cylinder to secure the roll. This requires effort and focus.
Set the finished felt scroll onto the Index Card that has the matching marker dot. Repeat for all felt strips.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small paper clips and felt scraps pose a potential choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure all materials are collected immediately after play.

Tacky Track Bead Push

Steps:

First, draw a winding path or a thick circle onto the cardboard using a marker.
Use the glue bottle to carefully trace a thick, continuous line of liquid glue over the marked path. Controlled squeezing is key!
Immediately sprinkle a thick layer of dry beans onto the wet glue line. Press the beans down firmly and let the glue set for 5-10 minutes until it is very tacky, but not completely dry.
Place the cardboard on a table. Hold the cardboard firmly steady with your helper hand.
Pick up one small bead using a precise pincer grasp. Place the bead near the start of the tacky bean path.
Use the tip of a craft stick to push the bead along the resistant, sticky track. Use strong, sustained force to move the bead without lifting it.
Continue pushing the bead to the end of the path. Repeat the challenge by pushing more beads along the sticky line.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small beads and dry beans pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended and collected immediately after play.