How to Teach a Child to Use Scissors

Cutting with scissors is one of the best ways to build the small hand muscles children need for writing. It also teaches both hands to work together: one hand cuts, and the other hand holds and turns the paper. Because it involves a sharp tool, it helps to have a clear plan.

Is my child ready to cut?

Most children are ready for their first scissors around age 2 to 3, with an adult close by. Signs of readiness are that your child can hold a crayon, squeezes play dough, uses both hands in play and shows interest in your scissors. If your child is not interested yet, wait and play with tongs, clothespins and tearing paper first.

Choosing the first scissors

• Child size. Small scissors with blunt tips and a comfortable handle fit small hands. Loops that are too big make the cutting wobbly.
• They must cut. Scissors that are too dull to cut paper frustrate children. Test on a sheet of printer paper first.
• Spring-loaded scissors open by themselves after each squeeze. They are useful for children who have trouble opening the blades.
• Left-handed children do best with left-handed scissors, so that they can see the line they are cutting.

Teach the grip: “thumbs up”

A good grip is easier to build from the start than to correct later. Show your child how to:

1. Put the thumb in the small loop and the middle finger in the large loop. The index finger can rest on the outside of the loop to guide.
2. Keep the thumb pointing up, like a thumbs-up sign.
3. Curl the ring and little fingers into the palm.
4. Hold the paper with the other hand, also with the thumb up.

Tell your child that the thumb and the scissors are going to look at the ceiling. Often this one cue is enough to stop scissors turning sideways.

A step-by-step cutting plan

The ages are only a guide. Move on when the step feels easy, not when the calendar says so. Our printable scissor skills worksheets follow this plan, with dashed lines, zigzag and wavy lines, shapes such as stars and hearts, and spirals, with a start dot and an end marker on each line.

How to make cutting easier

• Thicker paper. Card from a cereal box or old greeting cards is firmer, so it is easier to control than thin paper.
• Narrow strips. A strip only a few fingers wide needs just one snip.
• Bold lines. Trace over the cutting line with a thick marker, or use a highlighter.
• A guide from the edge. Draw the line all the way to the edge of the paper so the first cut is simple.
• Let the helper hand rotate the paper. For curves, the paper should turn while the scissors keep cutting forward.

Fun cutting ideas that are not worksheets

• Cut a snake of play dough into small pieces
• Snip drinking straws into beads for threading
• Cut fringe along the edge of paper to make grass, hair or a lion’s mane
• Make paper confetti, paper chains or paper snowflakes
• Cut up old junk mail or magazines for a collage

Safety rules for little cutters

• Scissors are for paper only, not hair, clothes or cloth
• Always sit down to cut
• Carry scissors closed, with the points down, and walk
• Stay close to young children and put scissors away after use

Troubleshooting

• The scissors turn sideways. Practice the thumbs-up cue. Try spring-loaded scissors.
• The paper turns instead of the scissors. Remind your child that the helper hand is the one that turns the paper.
• Cutting goes off the line. Use a thicker line, shorter lines and slower cutting.
• The hand gets tired. Keep practice to 5 minutes and use thinner, softer paper.

Scissor skills and handwriting develop together. Our handwriting readiness checklist shows other signs to look for, and the pre-writing worksheets add lines and curves to trace with a pencil.

Sources

The typical ages and grip options follow Your Therapy Source, How to Teach a Child to Cut with Scissors.

Free printables to go with this guide

Put this guide into practice with our free generators: scissor skills worksheets, pre-writing worksheets, shape tracing worksheets.

Free workbooks to go with this guide

• Scissor Skills Cutting Practice Book – Cutting practice from first snips to zigzags, shapes and pictures to cut out and color.

Keep reading

• Handwriting Readiness Checklist: Is Your Child Ready to Write? – A simple handwriting readiness checklist for ages 3 to 6: ten signs your child is ready to start writing, and what to do if they are not there yet.
• Pre-Writing Activities for Preschoolers: 15 Fun Ideas – Fifteen fun pre-writing activities for preschoolers that build the strokes, strength and control children need before they start writing letters and names.
• Pre-Writing Shapes by Age: When Can Kids Draw Each Shape? – The pre-writing shapes in order, with the usual age children can copy each one: line, circle, cross, square, diagonals and triangle, and how to practice.