In the realm of child therapy, play has long been recognized as a powerful medium for emotional expression, cognitive growth, and healing. Play therapy is a therapeutic approach that leverages children’s natural play behavior. It is particularly effective for children on the neurodivergent spectrum, who may struggle to express complex thoughts and emotions verbally.
One versatile tool used in play therapy is playdough. With its malleable and sensory-rich properties, playdough offers a unique blend of creative potential and therapeutic benefits that engage children on multiple levels. In case you don’t have access to playdough, you can very easily make it with ingredients from your kitchen. You can find the recipe here!
In the video below, pediatric occupational therapist, Dana in her YouTube channel, The OT Guide, shows various engaging activities that can help children build essential fine motor skills while having fun.
The activities in the video includes making basic shapes (pancakes, worms, balls), cutting with scissors, and using cookie cutters. Other exercises include hiding small objects in the playdough to encourage squeezing and pulling, drawing shapes or letters on flattened dough, tearing it into small pieces using the precision (radial) fingers, and manipulating pieces with spoons or tongs to strengthen grip. Lastly, children can build shapes, characters, or letters. These activities provide a fun and sensory-rich experience for kids while enhancing essential motor skills.
