Playfoam: "Like chewing gum for the hands"
Author: Els Rengenhart
Occupational therapist and SI specialist
Playfoam: Sticky granules
I received Playform from toys42hands to try out. They are a kind of clay granules. When opening the packaging it even seems that all those granules can just roll out. Nothing could be further from the truth. The granules stick together, as it were.
Press on fingers and palm
At first touch it also feels a bit sticky, which makes you want to knead it firmly with your hands. That is exactly the intention. A ball of Playform fits exactly in the palm of your hand. In this way it provokes you to apply firm pressure with your fingers on the Playfoam and thus indirectly on your palm. Because the Playfoam gives way, you continue to do this until the giving way stops, and you, as it were, automatically stop applying pressure to the Playfoam. By moving it from one hand to the other, you can then again apply pressure to the Playfoam and thus indirectly on your palm and the inside of your fingers.
Chewing gum for your hands
It is also a pleasant feeling to hold the ball of Playfoam between both your palms and apply pressure to it that way. Almost automatically you use the Playfoam to move it between your hands with pressure. It is then like a kind of chewing gum for your hands.
Shifting pressure: processing touch stimuli - focusing attention
Transferring pressure is an important - if not the most important - activity to enable the processing of sensory stimuli in general and tactile stimuli in particular. It has a direct relationship with taking support and body feeling, and therefore with the use of your hands. By fiddling with Playfoam or rather applying pressure it is easier to focus your attention. The pressure gives you a feeling of support which keeps your attention more with yourself and less with everything and anything in your environment. See also Something to feel.
Preparing to use your hands with playfoam - activating hands
After playing with the Playfoam in my hands for a while as a kind of chewing gum, a tingling sensation developed in my hands. That feeling lasted for a few hours. I was more aware of the use of my hands and also more purposeful and dexterous. Possibly recommended as preparation for writing exercises, playing a musical instrument and everything else you can do with your hands.
Playing with playfoam
In addition, you can of course - just like with other types of clay - make all kinds of letters and other fun figures with Playfoam.
