Therapy 

Occupational Therapy

Theraputty Activities

Theraputty is a fun activity that can be used in several ways. It can be used to build up hand strength when finger and hand muscles are weak. It can be used as a fidget tool for anyone who needs their hands to be busy.

Fine Motor Strength is essential for so many reasons! From maintaining a grasp on a pencil to opening and closing scissors, to buttoning buttons, snapping snaps, tying shoes, colouring a picture without stopping, to most everything we do…hand strength matters!

Theraputty is available in five different colour-coded strengths: pink, (extra extra soft), yellow (extra soft), red (soft), green (medium), blue (firm) and black (extra firm). Theraputty is a non-toxic, and non-oily therapeutic putty.

Junior Martin Students have fun in their OT Fine Motor Session with Green theraputty:

Theraputty Activities

1. Make your name 

Hold the putty with both hands and roll into a ball. With the thumb and finger pads of your preferred hand, pinch off small pieces of putty by twisting and pinching the end of the ball. Roll small pieces into small pea shapes and then roll these into long sausages. Use the long sausages to make your name. 

2. Hide and Seek

Try hiding small objects (beads, marbles, coins) 

inside the putty and then try pulling and 

pinching them out.

3. Pancake spread. 

Roll the putty into a ball using both hands.

Place the ball on a table and flatten the ball

to make a pancake by placing one hand flat

on top of the other and arms straight.

4. Donut Stretch 

Roll putty into a ball using both hands. Roll the ball in to a snake. Squish ends together to form a donut.

Place putty loop around fingers. Stretch loop by opening at large knuckles only. Keep the thumb still and finger straight. 

Complete with both hands. 

• To increase the resistance, make the donut thicker or use a higher resistance putty 

5. Finger Scissor 

Using a small amount of putty roll into a ball.

Spread your fingers and place the ball in between

two fingers (e.g. index and middle finger).

Squeeze the ball with your fingers until they touch.

Repeat with all fingers and complete on both hands. 

6. Pinching/ Poking

Roll the putty into a snake, making sure it’s not

too thin and both sides are even.

Place the snake on the table and any of the below

exercises can be completed: 

A) Pinching: using the tip of the thumb and index finger start pinching the putty at the top and make a 

dinosaur or crocodile tail.

B) Poking: push the index finger into the top of the

putty from the head of the snake to the tail.

Repeat with all fingers and complete for both hands. 

Theraputty Animals

Make a caterpillar

Make a snail

Make a spider

Make a crocodile

Or invent your own. 

You may like to try using other things with the putty; 

• Rolling pin 
• Scissors 
• Paddle pop sticks 
• Beads 
• Cookie cutters 

If the child is sensitive to the texture of the putty then it can be put in a plastic zip lock bag or covered with plastic or glad wrap.