Embedded Files
Cutting with scissors requires many systems to work together; specifically bilateral coordination (using both side of the body at the same time), good visual attention (you can't cut on a line if you are not looking at the line) and fine motor control. In addition, students need adequate body strength and stability to hold their bodies still while using their hands to manipulate the scissors and paper. There are many reasons a student may be having difficulty using scissors. If you suspect your student also needs to work on bilateral coordination, fine motor development, or strength and endurance, please visit those pages.
Developing Scissor Skills
Print: Developing Scissor Use
For children just learning to use scissors, start at the beginning:
Demonstrate how to hold the scissors and how to open and close the scissors. Practice opening and closing the scissors without actually cutting anything. Teach correct grasp with scissors. Both hands should be "thumbs up" as they hold the paper and scissors. Once the child can open / close, work on snipping. Use stiff paper strips, straws, paint swatches, playdough etc. It can be great fun to just make confetti!
When the student is ready to cut on lines:
To get the hang of lining scissors up with a line, begin with short straight lines along the edge of a paper.
Progress to longer and longer lines. Show students how re-position their hand holding the paper to keep both hands close together for good paper control as the scissors advance along the paper.
Once they master cutting on a line, introduce gentle curves and angles. Here is where good visual attention really matters. To follow an angle, demonstrate cutting all the way to the corner before turning the paper. It may be helpful to make a dot or punch holes at the corners to give a visual cue to aim at when practicing. Some students enjoy learning to "steer" their scissors by cutting through a path of stickers or cutting around a sticker rather than trying to follow a line. To cut a smooth curve, hands must work together to turn the paper at the same time as closing the blades.
At every skill level make sure the student has good scissors:
1. Be sure the scissors cut - plastic safety scissors seldom work properly.
2. Be sure the scissors fit the child’s hand - a variety of children’s scissors are available.
3. Even though scissors are packaged as "works with both right and left hand", try to locate left handed scissors for left handed students. Left handed scissors are constructed differently than right handed scissors and can make a big difference.
4. If child is not being successful with traditional scissors - try spring-opening scissors or loop scissors.
(insert picture of variety of scissors)
To practice cutting:
Use anything to keep the student's attention: grass, straw, yarn, all types of paper, old greeting cards, paper inserts from magazines, Styrofoam meat trays, playdough and paper bags. Encourage practice by having your student use scissors to complete daily tasks such as: cut open a cereal bag, snack bar, or bag of chips; snip tags off of clothing or new toys; cut their pizza into bite sized pieces with clean scissors.
Here are a couple of web sites for cutting activities, you can find many, many more with a internet search:
Page updated
Report abuse