Look each month for new ideas from Melissa Polensky COTA/L. She will be sharing great ideas for easy, fun and sensory rich activities that help to support occupational therapy and speech therapy goals.

How about making….Putty!

Ingredients:

1. 4 oz bottle of regular school glue- not the washable kind
2. 1 tsp Borax
3. 4 oz.water

Instructions:

1. Mix together a 1 to 1 mixture of glue and water.
2. Stir the glue and watery together until completely mixed.
3. Dissolve 1 tsp of borax into 1/2 (4 oz) cup of warm water. Pour borax water into the glue mixture and stir.
4. Keep stirring, after a few seconds the glue will begin to “gel” up.
5. Pick up the glue glob and squish it around for a few moments.
   1. If you find the “silly putty” is becoming less pliable, put it in the microwave and heat it up for 5 to 15 seconds (depending on the amount of silly putty.)  Store in a zip-loc baggie.

 

Benefits of putty:

1. Practices planning skills
2. Improves sensory processing skills
3. Encourages fine motor skills
4. Implement as a calming strategy

 

-Did you know putty can also be implemented as a calming strategy for your child?

Next time your child is feeling overly excited and/or frustrated, instruct your child to go into another room and have them play with the putty. Heavy work such as squeezing and pulling on the putty can help a child self-regulate.