Scissor Skills & Cutting Practice Activities for Kids

Rosey | Posted on January 9, 2023 |

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These holiday themed cutting practice activities help kids develop scissor skills. They’re a fun addition to Preschool, PreK and Kindergarten fine motor centers.

Tips for Helping Kids Develop Scissor Skills

Teaching kids to use scissors can be a tricky task! Be patient, it takes can take some time for kids to build this skill and develop their confidence.

Selecting Scissors

First of all work out if they are left or right handed. An easy way to do this is to place the scissors in front of them and ask to pick them up. Usually kids will use their dominant hand to pick the item up. Once you’ve worked that out, the next step would be to grab them some left handed or right handed scissors.

Some children may also benefit from scissors designed by occupational therapists such as dual control, spring back or long loop scissors. These types of scissors are available at most education supply stores.

Holding the Scissors

Start by prompting the kids to put their thumb in the small hole of the scissors and turn their wrist so that their thumb is on top. Next, model how to move the scissors by opening and shutting them, then moving the scissors forward to start again. I love singing the song “Open Shut Them” to help cue kids while they’re cutting. Finally, teach the kids about scissor safety by showing them how to close the scissors after use and put them away.

Holiday Themed Cutting Practice Packs

The following scissor activities include a variety of cutting strips, pages and a printable headband hat. All of the activities include thick cutting lines to make cutting easier for beginners.