Sarrah Morose

LEI 4724
Activity File 20
Activity Title: Sweet Violet Hand Cream
Citation: Fowler, S., & Fowler, S. (2007). Sensory stimulation: Sensory-focused
activities for people with physical and multiple disabilities. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Robertson, T., & Long, T. (2008). Foundations of therapeutic recreation. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Equipment: 1 tsp beeswax, 3tsp almond oil, Heatproof bowl, Small saucepan,
Newspaper, tsp cornflour, 2tsp boiling water, Electric hand mixer, 6 drops violet
essential oil, cotton wool balls, presentation jar, labels.
Activity Description: The Sweet Violet Hand Cream is described as a personal and
household care activity that provides olfactory, tactile, auditory and visual experience. By
doing this activity, participants can benefit from opportunity to express likes and dislikes,
opportunity to make choices, as well as learning about cause and effect. (Fowler 2007).
To make the sweet violet hand cream, participants will follow these steps:
1. Sit in groups of four to encourage interacting with one another and practice on
social skills.
2. Have participants put the beeswax and almond oil together and wait for assistance
from activity leader to melt in a bowl inside a saucepan with hot water.
3. After melted, place over some folded newspaper
4. Activity leader will pass around solid beeswax, almond oil and corn flour for
participants to feel and smell.
5. Add corn flour to the melted beeswax and almond oil, wait for assistance from
activity leader to stir well and then, add water gradually, using an electric hand
mixer to mix everything together until it becomes creamy.
6. Add the violet essential oil to the mixture and continue to mix until cream
becomes cool
7. Pour the rest of the mixture into the presentation jar and leave it to set
8. Label with a list of ingredients activity leader will assist with writing as needed.
9. Clean up and wash hands.
Leadership Considerations: In order to enjoy this activity safely, activity leader will
take cautions to pass around the ingredients one at a time and also help with the electric
hand mixer one at a time as well. Activity leader will be careful with the hot water and
offer to help individually with step 2 of activity, to prevent any accident with the hot
water. Activity leader will pay attention to participants to make sure they are following
directions accordingly and not using the ingredients for any other purpose such as tasting
or swallowing. Activity leader will help with writing and make sure participants are
being careful with pencil or pen. Activity leader will put one drop of violet essential oil
and pass it around for participants to smell to provide the olfactory experience. Activity

leader will pass around some of the cream for participants to feel and smell to provide
olfactory and tactile experiences.
Adaptations
Participants with Spina Bifida: Participants with Spina Bifida need to focus on muscle
strength, flexibility, increase of self and empowerment. The condition spina bifida results
in the spinal column not closing during gestation. There are many forms of spina bifida
which occurs because of an opening either in the vertebrae or spinal cord. This condition
causes muscle weakness or paralysis below the area of the spine, loss of bowel movement
control or bladder control. The condition also has a tendency to cause cognitive
impairment (Robertson & Long, 2008). When working with individuals with spina bifida,
activity leader should be aware that participants may be more comfortable standing than
sitting down. Activity leader should take caution to explain the steps of the activity and
provide demonstration. Leader may allow participants to mix their own mixture while
holding participants hand to encourage practice on muscle strengths. Leader will take
charge to help with step 2 of activity. The benefit of this activity for participants with
spina bifida are, increase in self esteem, opportunity to build muscle strength by using
electric hand mixer, opportunity to work on fine and gross motor control by holding
different items, opportunity to work on cognitive skills by listening to activity leader
provide instruction and demonstration of the activity and overall, learn how to make
something new.
Participants with Fragile X Syndrome: When working with participants with Fragile X
Syndrome, activity leader will make sure environment is suited to participants, making
sure other participants are not too noisy. The individuals with this condition have it
inherited form of intellectual impairment. The trait is carried on the X gene, which causes
it to be more common among males. These individuals have weak connective tissue and
hand tremors. They are sensitive to loud noise or smell (Robertson & Long, 2008) .
Activity Leader may use lavender essential oil if available. Leader will help client
participate as much as possible and do for client the tasks he or she may not be able to
complete, but encourage client to take charge over his or her own project. This activity
benefits participant by providing sensory stimulation, improve social skills, help become
familiar with different smells and texture and most likely interact with others to learn
appropriate social behavior over time when sitting around table with other participants.