Care instructions before you begin...
- Wash hands before and after using TheraPutty to keep it clean and avoid cross contamination and/or infection.
- Place the TheraPutty on a clean smooth surface preferably a table.
- When the TheraPutty is excessively stretched it can break down into fine strands.
- Care should be taken with these as they ‘stick’ to carpets and clothing.
- If small particles of dust or hair sticks onto the TheraPutty, try using scotch tape to tape it off.
- For ingrained dirt/debris, it is recommended to scrape off the affected area.
- Rinsing it under water is not recommended as it may reduce the overall elasticity of the TheraPutty.
- Recommend to use with care, and place it back into the holder after each use.
- After extended usage or when it is overly used ot dirty, it is recommended to replace with new stocks of TheraPutty.
TheraPutty is available in a range of strengths or resistances. The different strengths are colour coded:
Yellow: Extra Soft / Red: Soft / Green: Firm / Blue: Extra Firm
Advice for use:
- Yellow with nursery and early years primary school children
- Red with mid to late primary school children
- Green with older children and youth
- Blue is recommended for children, youth or adults with strong grip strength
Recommended Exercises
*It is always recommended to warm up children’s fingers before starting the exercises.
Rolling a ball
Start to mould the putty between both hands into a ball shape. Place the putty on a table/ smooth surface and roll the putty into a large ball using both hands together.
Pancake
Complete activity 1. Flatten the ball to make a pancake (from a standing position) with one hand on top of the other and arms straight. Shoulders should be immediately above hands and the child should not be leaning too far forward i.e. arms should be at 90° to hands.
Sausage
Complete activities 1 and 2. Start to roll the edge of the pancake together into a sausage using both hands. Roll the putty forwards and backwards (arms and hands moving only, do not rock body back and forth while rolling). Start with fingers together when rolling then begin to spread these out as you continue to roll.
Volcano
Complete activities 1 and 2. Firmly secure the pancake to the table by pressing the edges down, then place fingers and thumb lightly around the edge of the pancake. Press fingers and thumb into putty and slowly pull fingers together towards the centre. Carry out exercise with both hands.
Cone
Form the TheraPutty into a thick pancake shape lying on a table. Place fingers and thumb over the top of the cone and lightly hold the putty. Pull up on the cone, bringing the thumb and fingers together.
Finger Spread
Form the TheraPutty into a thick pancake shape lying on a table. Bunch the fingertips together and place into the putty. Then, spread out all the fingers at once, enlarging the pancake as much as possible.
Full grip
Gather all the putty into the palm of your hand. Squeeze the putty with the fingers against the palm of the hand in a kneading motion, rolling it over and around in the hand while exerting as much pressure as possible against the resistance of the putty.
Finger Press
Place TheraPutty into the palm of the hand and press fingers through the putty until the fingertips reaches the palm, resulting in a fully clenched fist. Release fingers and roll putty in hands to reshape and repeat exercise.
Thumb/ Fingers Dig
Roll TheraPutty into a cylindrical shape and let it rest in the palm of the hand. Push thumb/ fingers through putty until it reaches the palm. Reshape putty and repeat.
Individual Finger Extension
Bend one finger or thumb so that the fingertip is close to the palm of the hand. With the other hand, wrap a strip of TheraPutty over the tip of the bent finger and grasp both ends. Straighten the finger. Repeat exercise on each finger.
Pinching
Roll out a sausage of TheraPutty. Using the tip of thumb and index fingers, start pinching with the fingers held vertically above the putty, and continue to pinch along the entire sausage. Roll out a new sausage and repeat instructions above with the tip of the thumb and the next finger (until all fingers (e.g. index, middle, ring and pinkie) have pinched the sausage of putty). You can also push the index finger into the putty repeatedly along the entire length of the sausage. Roll out a new sausage and repeat instructions until all fingers (e.g. index, middle, ring and pinkie) have been pushed into the sausage of putty. Carry this exercise out twice with both hands.
Doughnut Stretch
Roll out a sausage out of TheraPutty. Fasten ends together to form a doughnut. Place thumb and fingers in the hole and stretch fingers outwards against the putty. Carry out exercise with both hands.
Other TheraPutty activities to try:
Cookies: Use a rolling pin to flatten it out then use cookie cutters to make shapes.
Spaghetti: Take a large amount of theraputty and pull it apart using two hands to create long, stringy pieces of spaghetti. Lay the spaghetti out on a table / plate in a round shape. Then take smaller pieces of theraputty and roll into small balls (meatballs) and place on top of the spaghetti.
Mushrooms: Make small pieces of theraputty, roll into balls and use your thumb to flatten the balls into pancakes. Then use your thumb to push into the pancake to create the top of a mushroom. Take small pieces of theraputty and roll out into stalks for the mushroom. Place the stalks into the top of the mushrooms.
Hide and Seek: Flatten the theraPutty. Hide different small items (beads, marbles, small pegs, pennies) in the putty and then try pulling and pinching them out.
Theraputty Animals
Let’s make a caterpillar! Roll the ball to make the body, like a sausage, make some eyes and decorations using small pegs. Push them in with your fingers.
Let’s make a snail! Roll the theraputty into a sausage, take one end of the theraputty and roll it into a shell shape for the snail; leave enough for the head of the snail.
Let’s make a Spider! You could now make a spider and make eight legs by pinching bit of putty with your fingers, pull gently out and stick on the body to make the legs. Make some eyes for the spider by pushing the pegs in with your fingers. Using a plastic fork, make swirly designs on his back to make him look hairy!