Teach thumbs up, and “helper hand” Have them give a thumbs up before grabbing the scissors. Teach them that their non-dominant hands is the “helper hand” and has a job of its own.
Use thick paper Thicker paper is easier to cut than thinner paper. This is because it stays stiff and doesn’t flop over when they are cutting. Try using card stock (construction paper isn’t thick enough).
Use 1/4 sheets paper Normal sheets of paper (8.5x11) are hard to cut because they flop over when the child is cutting and are harder to manipulate. If you cut the paper into quarters, it is easier for the child to cut.
Cut PlayDoh to build strength Have your child roll the dough in to worms and cut them with PlayDoh scissors. This can build strength in the muscles required for cutting. PlayDoh is fun and a great way to develop fine motor skills. Playing with tongs and tweezers can also develop strength.
Cut between two lines Have your child cut between two straight lines that are about 1cm apart (or one thick solid line). Gradually decrease the distance between the lines and add curves and simple shapes
Cut out motivating shapes Our son loves street signs. His scissors skills really improved once he started drawing and cutting out street signs. These signs were posted all over the house. We also took pictures of highways exits and cut them out and made a map. This was another motivating activity that got a lot of scissor practice. Pick your child’s favourite foods, TV characters, toys etc. to help get them excited about doing the activity.
For more information and resources check out Canchild.ca (Scroll down to resources for JK/SK)
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