Learning to use scissors is an important skill for your little ones as they prepare to go to school. You can help by providing some activities that let’s them practice their cuts and proper use, safety and following lines.
Find scissor tips via Parents magazine.
Activities below from our Skill Builder’s program.
Early childhood skills learned:
- Proper scissors grip
- Correct cutting motion
- Hand-eye coordination & motor skills
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Fine motor skills (essential later for developing typing/writing skills)
Getting started
You’ll need a good pair of blunt-tip scissors for your newbies that are made for your child’s hand/size. If he or she is left-handed, make sure the scissors are for left-handers.
Activities to nurture your child’s scissor skills:
- Demonstrate and monitor proper scissors grip. Thumbs up to cut!
- Encourage your child to freely cut paper (or items you determine are OK). The mess is part of the fun! But so are boundaries – that way you don’t have a home disaster – like cut up curtains.
- Talk with your child about safety, especially as they graduate to pointy scissors.
- Use the cut pieces for confetti or glue to make a collage. Or talk about the importance of recycling.
Advanced skill builders:
- Challenge your child to cut specific shapes.
- Draw lines for your child to follow.
- Allow your child to help with everyday cutting tasks at home, using safe scissors.