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Properly using scissors is a complex skill that utilizes hand strength, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination, sequencing, and focus. Achieving these skills takes practice and repetition and will help children during learning and play.
Properly using scissors is a complex skill that utilizes hand strength, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination, sequencing, and focus. Achieving these skills takes practice and repetition and will help children during learning and play.
AGE EXPECTATIONS
Pre-scissor skills: (readiness)
Ability to open and close the hand
Hand strength
Hand separation
Visual-motor coordination
Bilateral coordination
Use of scissors:
One snip at a time (2 years)
Snips moving forward (2-3 years)
Cuts on straight line (3-4 years)
Cuts on straight/curved lines, circles/square (4-5 years)
Cuts out complex shapes (5+ years)
HOW YOU CAN TELL A CHILD NEEDS HELP WITH SCISSORS
Do they consistently orient their scissors correctly in their hand?
Can they follow a thick line while cutting?
Can they turn the paper with their opposite hand while they cut?
Are they safe using scissors while seated?
How choppy are their cuts – do they end up with really jagged paper or is it fairly smooth?
Does the elbow of their cutting hand raise up into the air, and their shoulder shrug?
Does their mouth open and close with the scissors, or is their tongue sticking out?
Does their hand hurt after cutting for a short period of time?
ADAPTIVE TOOLS
Adapted scissors (loop, spring loaded, bladeless)
Visual cue for “thumbs up” position; sticker on scissors/nails
Highlight line/outline
Use thicker paper (stock paper, construction paper) help control movements
Loop Scissors
Spring Scissors
Bladeless scissors
ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE HANDWRITING
Open and close hand
Play with hand puppets (hand opening and closing puppets mouth)
Use tongs or tweezers to pick up small objects (e..g pom poms, cotton balls, beads, etc.)
Use clothespins
Squeeze spray bottles
Hand strength
Squeeze putty, playdough, slime, etc.
Use rubber bands (e.g. geoboards)
Pull apart toys (e.g. LEGOs)
Hand separation
Spinning tops, wind up toys
Peel and stick stickers
Paint with Q-tips
Use inset puzzles
Lace and threading activities
Tear/rip and crumple paper
Visual-motor coordination
I-Spy games
Drive toy cars on road map
Draw shapes/lines on paper and build over outline with playdough, Wiki Stix, etc.
Bilateral coordination
Fold paper
Tear paper
Open and close screw tops on containers
Use playdough (e..g rolling)
Catch and throw ball
Theraputty activity
Spray bottle painting
HELPFUL LINKS
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