Developing Scissor Skills  

Learning to use scissors is a tricky skill. It needs good hand strength, hand-eye coordination and the ability to use both hands together.  Children also need good strength in their hand, arms, and shoulders. 

What can be difficult? 

• Figuring out where their fingers go in the scissor handles 

• Having enough strength to open and close the blades  

• Using both hands at the same time - one hand cuts, the other holds and turns the paper  

• Cutting in a straight line or following curved lines 

Top tips for scissor skills 

• Think about their position. Have your child sit in a small chair at a table with their feet on the floor.  

• Check the scissor size. Smaller scissors are easier for children to use.  

• Use left-handed scissors if needed. 

• Put a sticker on or near the hole for the thumb. Remind them ‘thumbs on top’.   

• Begin with snipping small pieces of paper or straws. 

• Teach your child that one hand cuts and the other holds the paper. Use stickers or draw a mark to remind your child where to hold the paper.  

• Start with straight lines before moving onto curved lines.  

• Keep it fun and practise often.  

Ideas for activities which help develop scissor skills 

• Start with snipping small pieces of thin card 

• Snip paper straws 

• Roll out thin playdoh sausages for snipping/cutting 

• Snip paper to make fringes for crafts or paper lanterns 

• Grow grass heads and trim its hair as it grows 

• Cut strips of paper to make paper chains 

• Cut along thick straight lines before moving on to thinner lines 

• Snip blades of grass if you have a garden 

• Cut out pictures to make a collage