Young children love to learn how to use scissors. Children love to watch their parents use scissors and want to learn how to do it.
It is an essential life skill to be able to cut.
Why is cutting important for preschoolers?
Learning to cut can help you become independent.
The act to open and close scissors aids in strengthening overall finemotor skills.
These skills are crucial when children learn to tie their shoes and carry objects, write with crayons and pencils, draw and dress with crayons, use forks and spoons effectively, and tie their shoes.
How do you introduce scissors to preschoolers?
What age should children start using scissors?
Children can be made available to scissors at the age of 2 or 3, if they are interested.
You can find safe scissors for cutting preschool activities.
Keep work short, enjoyable, and free from stress. If they get frustrated, stop and give up. Recognize small victories.
Safety scissors made from plastic with a round-tipped tip are best for cutting.
You can try other strength-building exercises first, if your child appears to have trouble grasping scissors.
Kids can cut paper into small strips.
How do you teach your preschooler how to cut? Begin by sitting beside your child and showing how to use scissors.
Then teach them how they should position their fingers to hold the scissors.
Keep their thumbs up. To remind them, use tape or a sticker to remind them.
Help your child to operate the scissors by using their hands. Let them practice.
If they are having trouble with the movement, you can stand beside them and hold your hand.
Once they are confident in that move, give them a piece of thick paper to use as a template.
After all is settled, demonstrate to your child how you hold the object in one handed and how to cut the other. You can let your child practice while they hold the materials and then continue with their scissor skills.
Some children find it difficult to cut paper while looking down from a high surface. Tape the paper to an object at eye level. Children can then cut upwards with their right hand.
How can you teach a left-handed child to use scissors?
To help children learn how to cut, it's best to buy left-handed scissors. These are specially made for left handed children.
These scissors enable children to see where the line is and allow them the ability to trim the blades accurately when they are squeezed.
How to practice cutting skills
Freeform cutting is a great option when you are trying to decide what activities your preschoolers would enjoy.
Avoid worksheets that have different lines. This is why you should not print them. Take a look around your house for materials that can be used as cutting practice.
Once your child is proficient in cutting, you can encourage them to cut around simple printed or drawn shapes.
Start with simple, large shapes. Challenge them to create and cut more complex shapes.
You can also print worksheets and cutting skill books for practice cutting.
Materials and cutting activities for preschoolers
Most likely, you have plenty of materials that you can use to make cuts in your home. These items can be used to recycle or dispose of old materials.
1. Papers & Cardboard
Paper, paper, everywhere! Retire newspapers, grocery bag, junk mail envelopes, paint sample card, catalogues, greeting cards.
For a colorful collage, children can use various papers to cut into strips, snips or pieces.
It is possible to glue red, orange, and yellow snips to a sun-shaped outline. Use white snips to make snowy pictures.
Cut up strips of colored paper to make confetti for a party.
You can show them how you cut the long edge from a sheet green construction paper so they can make "grass."
Then, with some help, you can cut a wide swathe out of the sheet. It will be glued to the bottom edge using a lighter construction paper.
Cereal boxes made from colourful, lightweight cardboard are great for snacking. Just take the inner bag out and trim the large back and front portions.
So, the kids will have two large, flat pieces of cardboard to practice their cutting skills. Lightweight cardboard packaging can also be used.
These cardboard toilet paper tubes can be used for cutting and are often thrown away.
- Make faces and trim the fringe at the top.
- To create spiders or other insects-like designs, snip the ends.
- You can also cut them in halves and attach them to form marble runs.
Paper plates are popular for quick snacks and meals. Find the lightest and cheapest paper plates for cutting.
To create rays, kids can colour a plate using a yellow crayon. Then they can "fringe" the edge with scissors to make the rays. Make a face with a crayon on a piece of paper and make a fringe.
2. Playdough, clay
It is possible to use homemade clay or playdough for cutting practice. After you're done, you can just knead the entire thing back together for your next attempt.
Playdough is more flexible than clay, so modeling clay works well as a step-second after mastering playdough.
There are special scissors that can be used to cut playdough. However, these scissors are not necessary. You can use regular, childproof scissors to cut playdough.
Playdough is a common ingredient in most children's kitchens. They have created many types of "snakes", including skinny snakes and fat snakes.
Your children will be able to trim the snakes into sections once they have rolled it to the right size.
Help your kids to hold the snake as they learn to cut. Later on, you will see them able cut with both their right and left hands.
You can also practice counting by adding up the number of sections you have once they are done.
Adults and children can make lines with playdough "tools", or plastic tools. The kids then take it out and use scissors to cut along the lines.
Pizza slices can be made from playdough that has been cut in circles. Your children will be able to cut small pieces from clay using the plastic figurines and other toys that are set out at the table.
3. Natural Products
You can use nature's many materials to practice cutting.
Children can cut herbs from their garden with adult supervision and give them to their parents for use in cooking. What about challenging your kids to use their scissors to trim the grass at the sidewalk and driveway edges while you're gardening?
4. Cassette
Day with Grey offers this cutting activity. Place a small toy into each cup. Then, use painters' tape to cover all the holes.
Toys can be cut "freely" with scissors. The scissors can be used as a tong to help children pick up the toys and place them to the side.
5. Food items
Children can practice cutting pasta on a low-priced tub or sand table.
Use scissors to cut bananas, spinach leaves and lettuce leaves. They can also be taught how to cut cookies into smaller sections for baking.
6. Assorted Materials
Looking for more inspiration?
- You can offer plain or coloured straws to cut.
- You might also consider curling ribbon or yarn. These materials can be difficult to hold in order for cutting. You can help your children by giving them tips or holding the materials.
- Another option is craft foam.
These items are great for creating fun collages by gluing them to large sheets, posters, or cardboard.
You will be surprised at how many items in your home no longer serve a purpose and could be used as cutting material for toddlers or preschoolers.
