Tag Archives: product guides

Therapy Putty Comparison: Choosing the Right Putty

October 12, 2012Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, Sensory, Therapist Resourcesproduct guidesTherapro

Therapy putty is great for many reasons: developing a pincer grasp, picking things up, strengthening muscles, and hand therapy, among others.is a versatile and effective tool for hand strengthening, fine motor development, and sensory input. At Therapro, we offer a full range of resistance levels to meet the needs of clients of all ages and abilities. Whether you’re working on pincer grasp, improving range of motion, or building strength, there’s a putty that’s right for you.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is:

Which color therapy putty is best for my child or client?

Putty colors correspond to resistance levels, making it easy to select and progress over time. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose:

🟡 Yellow (X-Soft)

Best for: Very weak grip strength, early rehabilitation, or young children. This softest resistance is ideal for those just beginning hand therapy. It’s easy to manipulate and perfect for hiding small objects to encourage grasp and exploration.

🔴 Red (Soft)

Best for: Mild weakness or progressing from X-soft. Red offers a gentle challenge that helps strengthen without overloading. Great for continued development of hand strength and coordination.

🟢 Green (Medium)

Best for: Moderate strength needs, including general strengthening and functional use. This level is often used in clinics and schools. It provides enough resistance for effective hand workouts while remaining easy to manipulate.

🔵 Blue (Firm)

Best for: Older children, teens, or adults needing a higher challenge. Firm putty increases the strengthening effect, making it ideal for progressing clients or those with behavioral or sensory regulation needs

⚫ Black (X-Firm)

Best for: Maximum resistance, proprioceptive input, or sensory-seeking individuals. This ultra-firm option is extremely dense and provides intense feedback. It’s often used with adolescents or clients needing heavy work for calming and focus.

💡 Tip: Firm putties like Blue and Black can be difficult to cut and package – that’s how strong they are!

How Much Putty Should I Use?

We recommend buying enough putty to fully engage the hand — especially for activities like hiding small items inside. This encourages grasping, pinching, and active finger isolation. For clients with limited hand range, more volume makes manipulation easier.

Putty Use Tips and FAQs

“My child doesn’t like this color—can I choose another?”
Yes! While color indicates resistance, you can choose based on preference as long as the strength level is appropriate. Many families refer to it by color (e.g., “the yellow one”) for ease.

“How do I remove therapy putty from fabric or hair?”
Therapy putty is silicone-based, so it usually comes off hard surfaces easily. But accidents happen! If it ends up on fabric, in hair, or on carpet, check out our putty removal guide for practical tips.

⚠️ Caution: Lighter resistance putties (especially Yellow and Red) can stretch into stringy threads and may stain porous surfaces. Always use putty on non-porous, easy-to-clean surfaces like kitchen counters or therapy trays.

It’s Everywhere!! The Therapro Guide to Getting Putty Out

October 4, 2012Therapist Resourcesparent resources, product guides, therapist resourcesTherapro

Do you LOVE our therapy putty, but HATE when it gets stuck to something it’s not supposed to? We do, too – so we’ve compiled a list of activities for removing putty from clothing and hair. These ideas were submitted from occupational therapists on the Yahoo Groups’ OT-peds listserv and the American Occupational Therapy Association’s school listserv. Thank you for these useful ideas.

Compiled by Deanna Iris Sava, MS, OTR/L of OT Exchange

WD-40 works well to get putty out of cloth fibers. Test a small area of your carpet first.
Believe it or not, I have found the peanut butter has worked to remove putty from some fabrics. (I’ve used it on small spots on my car seats). Just take a small amount and rub it into the putty that is embedded into the fabric and it loosens up. Then wash the bag to remove the peanut butter. Just one word of caution – don’t automatically dry the shirt in the dryer until you’re sure the putty is out. Air-dry it first. Then if you need to, you can repeat the procedure. Using an automatic dryer before the stain is completely out almost always permanently sets the stain.
Using peanut butter works especially well with hair. I discovered it once when a friend of my son’s got a wad of it stuck in the back of her head. A tablespoon of peanut butter massaged into her hair got it out right away.
If the putty stain is small and you catch it right away (before it goes through the wash), use a small scrub brush and dish detergent. Make sure you scrub WITH the grain of the fabric.
Have you tried freezing the shirt to see if the putty becomes brittle and easier to manage? Putty is known for oozing through woven material.
Use ice to harden the putty and scrape it away, and then spray on upholstery cleaner with a brush. Use Woolite for the remaining stain.
This is how I get small spots of therapy putty out of clothing. Take the whole wad of putty and press it hard on the putty on the shirt. Keep doing this over and over and over. The putty should stick to itself and come off a little at a time.
I have used the putty pressed into the spot over and over and then spot cleaned with rubbing alcohol for the last stain.
Use Goo-Gone and elbow grease for cleaning up putty!
Get putty out of hair by using vegetable oil or peanut butter, then a couple of good shampoos.
Try Goof Off (you can find it at Home Depot) – it’s made to get rid of paint spots. Rub it into the putty stain and wash in hot water. The stain should come out.

Solving Visual Tracking Problems

September 27, 2012Assistive Technology, Handwriting, Visual Perceptionclassroom strategies, occupational therapy (OT) tools, parent resources, product guides, product spotlight, therapist resourcesTherapro

Did you know that up to 50% of children in classrooms experience visual challenges—most commonly with eye tracking? These difficulties can significantly impact reading and writing, especially as children begin to learn handwriting.

To address this issue, therapists began highlighting the bottom line of traditional lined paper to show children where their letters should go. Recognizing the need for a more effective and consistent solution, Therapro created Highlighter Paper—a simple yet powerful tool designed to support children with visual tracking and handwriting challenges.

What Makes Highlighter Paper Unique?

Highlighter paper- a resource for solving visual tracking problems

Highlighter Paper features a visually distinct bottom line to help guide letter placement. To support correct letter formation and left-to-right orientation, the paper is indented at the starting point and includes a star icon to clearly indicate where to begin writing.

The paper comes in various formats and line widths to support children at different stages of handwriting development. Some styles also include space to draw a picture, with lines below for writing a description—ideal for creative storytelling or early literacy activities.

Choosing the Right Paper

Highlighter Paper is available in yellow or blue backgrounds and comes in four formats, each designed to support a specific stage of handwriting development:

Kindergarten Story Paper: Landscape format with a blank space for drawing and two lines for writing
Kindergarten Writing Paper: Landscape format with five writing lines
WideLine Writing Paper: Landscape format with seven writing lines
NarrowLines Writing Paper: Portrait format with 13 lines for more advanced writers

Not sure which to choose?

For early writers, especially in the first half of first grade, we recommend starting with wider lines. As handwriting skills progress—typically by the second half of first grade—children gain more motor control and can transition to narrower lined paper.

Additional Support: Reading Guide Strips

Therapro also offers Reading Guide Strips—simple tools with a transparent, tinted window to help children visually track lines of text while reading. These can be a helpful addition for children with visual tracking difficulties, especially during early literacy instruction.