How To Use Scissors

• Mastering the grasp-release motion (without scissors)
  
  
• Learning to snip (grasp-release motion with scissors)
  
  
• How to use scissors effectively - helpful tips
  
  
• Mastering scissor cutting
  
  
• What if my child still struggles?
  
  

Mastering The Grasp-Release Motion

The first stage of learning how to use scissors is to master the grasp-release motion to open and close the scissors.

The fun activities below will help your child get the hang of this motion without using scissors!

1) Using Spray Bottles

2) Clothes Pin Activities

Opening and closing a clothes pin (clothes peg in some parts of the world!) can help a child feel the squeeze and release motion that is needed for scissors.

Elsewhere on my site, I use clothes pins to work on isolating the tripod fingers, but if your child is still too young to use just three fingers, let them use these activities with the tips of all their fingers for the grasp-release sensation.

• Use a clothes pin to pick up bits of crumpled paper or other objects and transfer them to a container.
• Let your child hang small items of clothing on a line strung at his or her level.
• Have your child place pegs around an empty egg carton to make a cage for some toy animals.

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Learning To Snip

Once your child has got the hang of the grasp-release motion, you will be ready to teach your child how to use scissors!

Keep these points in mind!

• Use age appropriate and blunt-nosed scissors, for your child's safety.
• Make sure your left handed child uses left handed scissors - this is very important!
  

Read more about the importance of left scissors and a correct scissor grasp over here.

1) Snipping Playdough

2) Snipping Paper

Prepare narrow strips (1.5cm) of paper so your child can snip across the width.

This is easy to do, as the scissors only need to open and close once to be successful.

Use the snipped paper in a collage.

Once your child has mastered the single snip across a narrow strip, prepare slightly wider strips (3-4cm across) that require two snips to cut across.

Use the snipped paper in a picture or collage like the one below, that combines single snips with double snips.

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How To Use Scissors Effectively

Now that your child has mastered the grasp-release motion, there are a few tips that can help your child learn to use scissors effectively and efficiently!

Read all the tips BEFORE you help your child learn to cut out on lines!

Here Are Some Important DO's And DON'Ts

• Do encourage your child to hold the paper off the table with the assistant hand. Thumb on top and fingers underneath is the best position for the assistant hand.
  
• Discourage your child from holding the paper down on the table.
  Kids with poor bilateral coordination often prefer to hold the paper this way, so the assistant hand does not need to coordinate movement with the cutting hand!

• Do encourage your child to start cutting lines on the line furthest from the holding hand.
  This will encourage more efficient cutting as your child will not need to keep picking up the cut-off piece in order to keep cutting!
  

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Mastering Scissor Cutting

Children master scissor cutting by starting on straight lines before progressing to simple shapes.

My Cutting Activities page will give you a free printable download template for some actual activity ideas; I am just covering the principles here!

1) Cut Lots Of Straight Lines

2) Cut Lots of Circles and Spirals

3) Progress To Simple Shapes

Once your child has got the hang of turning the paper while cutting, then progress to simple shapes.

Your child needs to learn to gauge when to "turn" the corners with the scissors, and how to keep the scissors in the corner while turning. 

Again, cut lots and lots of shapes, be creative with them and use them with lines and circles to make fun crafts.

Don't forget to download your free template!

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What If My Child Still Struggles?

These are only suggestions to help you guide your child. If you are at all concerned about your child's progress, please get an occupational therapy evaluation.

• If your child tires easily, work on strengthening the hand muscles with these simple activities.
  
  
• If your child struggles to coordinate holding the paper and cutting at the same time, then try some bilateral coordination activities.
  
  
• You can also try some hand-eye coordination activities to help the eyes focus on the blade and the line and guide the hands in keeping the blade on the line.
  
  
• Visual motor integration activities and visual motor worksheets may help your child learn to focus the eyes to guide the hand.
  
  
• If your child's eyes are watering during scissor cutting activities, or if your child keeps looking sideways at the paper or closing one eye, PLEASE ask a pediatric or behavioral optometrist to check your child's eyes. This is very important!

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To help you, I have linked to a few useful products from various suppliers that reflect the activities suggested on this page.
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