Bottom wiping activities

Balloon wipe

This activity helps practising reaching, postural positioning and help to develop movement patterns.

Attach 2 inflated balloons together, tying them together. Tape or tie onto back of a chair.

Stick post it notes or stickers under and between the balloons allowing the child to stretch behind and reach for them without looking.

Clothes peg catch

Place clothes pegs on your child’s clothing, on sleeves, back of the T-shirts, jumpers, shorts, skirts and trousers.

Encourage your child to then remove the pegs. This will help to practice movement skills, balance and coordination skills. It may be worth encouraging different rules such as standing, kneeling, sitting and only using one hand and so on.

Turning it into a game, everyone starts with 3 pegs each on their back, the child musty remove the pegs (one at a time) sticking them onto someone else’s back. The person with no pegs on their back wins.

Blu tack hide and seek

Place a piece of blu tack on your child’s chair, they will find it by feeling around under the chair. Encourage your child to keep their eyes looking forward. Try to make the places difficult to reach such as behind the backrest or under the seat and so on.

Handbag hunt

Fill a small handbag or purse with different however familiar items like keys, coins, pegs, marbles and so on.

Attach the bag onto the back of a stool so it hangs in the same place where the child’s bottom will sit. You can also sit the child sideways on the chair, attaching the bag on the opposite side so the backrest is not in their way.

The child is then encouraged to find the specific items using their dominant hand (usually this will be their wiping hand). Place and unfamiliar item in the bag and encourage the child to guess the item for a more challenging game.

Wiping and folding

Practice wiping, thorough cleaning, folding tissue and discarding tissues or wipes waste when dirty. Your child could be try to use a weighted sock as the pretend toilet paper, this may help develop motor memory.

Plate wiping

Smear a paste such as peanut butter, toothpaste or chocolate spread. This is good for their consistencies. Use the laminated target practice game or a laminated picture with favourite characters underneath to reveal when practising wiping.

Hand-over-hand

Encourage your child to put their hand over the adults hand when they are wiping so that they are following the same actions.

Using a mirror

Encourage your child to use a mirror to see where they need to wipe. A mirror can also be used to do final check over.

Equipment

Consider the use of toilet flushable wipes or disposable gloves as children may be more inclined to try if their hands are protected from pee and poo.