Have you ever stopped to think about just how important scissor skills are for our early elementary students? While it may seem like such a tiny part of their education, the ability to cut with scissors is actually a critical life skill that can have a significant impact on their overall development!
What skills do scissors develop?
Not only does it help our little ones develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, but it can also:
- Boost their creativity
- Increase bilateral coordination
- Boost self-esteem
- Increase academic performance
If you’re wondering how exactly to teach this crucial fine motor skill to your elementary students, I have you covered. Get ready to snip, snip, snip your way to success!
- Choose the right scissors: It’s important to choose the right type of scissors for your students based on their age and skill level. With our younger elementary-level students, it’s best to aim for scissors with blunt tips and smaller handles.
- Demonstrate proper technique: Before your students start cutting, make sure to demonstrate the proper technique by holding the scissors correctly, showing them where to put their thumb and finger, and using a smooth, controlled motion. Spend some time on this topic and encourage students to ask questions if they’re unsure about what to do. Don’t forget to clearly demonstrate how to hold scissors while walking! This is an important safety step you don’t want to forget. Also, make sure to explain that we don’t cut anything that isn’t paper.
- Practice, practice, practice: Like any skill, learning to use scissors takes practice. Provide plenty of opportunities for your students to practice cutting different shapes and lines, and be sure to offer positive feedback and encouragement along the way!
- Start with simple shapes: To help build confidence and avoid frustration, start with simple shapes like straight lines or basic curves. As your students become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the difficulty level by introducing more complex shapes and designs.
- Incorporate scissors skills into other activities: You can help your students build their cutting skills by incorporating them into other activities like crafts, art projects, and even math activities.
- Move into more advanced cutting strategies. You can allow them to cut out more complex shapes or teach them new techniques for cutting like folding a paper in half to cut a hole in the center.
If you’re looking for a simple and fun scissors activity for kids that will help your students practice and perfect this important fine motor skill, I have you covered!
This Fine Motor Cutting Practice with Scissors resource is just what you need!
This download starts out with simple straight lines and moves into more advanced cutting skills. It is a perfect way to get students to increase their hand and eye coordination using scissors.
What’s in this download?
22 pages of cutting skills that include straight lines, zigzags, shapes, spirals, and interior cutting. Each page gradually gets more difficult.
Some can be colored and added to construction paper as artwork, but the main purpose of these printables is to practice cutting skills!
Have any tips for teaching about using scissors? Let me know in the comments!
For more fun classroom ideas, check out this post to learn how you can create a positive affirmation station!