Happy Friday! Today’s fine motor activity works on tripod grasp, finger/hand strengthening, mid-line crossing and motor planning/coordination. The more challenging task of this activity also works on bilateral hand skills (use of both hands together) and in-hand manipulation skills (finger to palm translation –> palm to finger translation). All these skills are important for the development and manipulation of handwriting tools. 👐🏼

Theraputty is a tried and true OT tool that is used during therapy sessions. It has resistance, which is good for strengthening. If you don’t have access to theraputty, playdoh works well too!

Video demonstration provided below. Be sure to send me a picture or video of your child participating in the activity! — khanafs@dearbornschools.org or to 734-655-0527.

The supplies needed include:

  • Medium: theraputty or playdoh
  • Manipulatives: dull toothpicks or coins
  • empty spice jar with “larger” holes or a coin slot
  • easter eggs (optional for more of a challenge)
Picture of supplies for activity: therapy putty, easter eggs, dull toothpicks, and empty spice jar with holes on lid.

Option 1:

  • Place a pile of 15-20 manipulatives on your child’s dominant side.
  • Place the putty/playdoh in front of your child.
  • Place the spice jar/coin slot in front of, but on the opposite side of your child (to work on mid-line crossing).
  • Have your child pick one toothpick/coin at a time and push into putty/playdoh using a tripod grasp (image can be found here).
  • Once all manipulatives are pushed into the medium, have your child pinch the manipulatives out one at a time and into the holes of the spice jar or coin slot, while encouraging the use of tripod grasp.

Option 2:

  • Place 5 toothpicks or coins into 5 easter eggs (total of 25 manipulatives).
  • One egg at a time, have your child use both hands to “crack open” the egg and pour manipulatives into the palm of their dominant hand.
  • Using their in-hand manipulation skills, have them move one manipulative at a time from their palm to their finger (palm –> finger translation) to push into the putty/playdoh using tripod grasp.
  • Once all 5 manipulatives are in the medium, have your child pinch one manipulative at a time from finger to palm (finger –> palm translation).
  • Once all manipulatives are in their palm, one at a time, have them move them from palm to finger and into the slot.
  • Repeat these steps for the remaining eggs.