How to Encourage
Development of Scissor Skills
By: Ashley Akers M.S.
OTR/L
Cutting is a foundational activity for children that
incorporates so many great skills children need to learn! To name just a few,
cutting addresses fine motor strengthening skills, bilateral coordination,
sequencing, attention to task, and visual motor skills (eye-hand coordination).
Parents are often surprised when I tell them that cutting
skills begin EARLY! Kiddos should be working on snipping paper by age TWO! Yes,
2! So, how can you encourage the
development of scissor skills?
1.
Practice the sequence of opening/closing various
items such as tweezers/tongs, squirt bottles, and chip clips.
2.
Tear paper! This is an important prerequisite
skill to using scissors.
3.
Always encourage your kiddo to hold their
scissors in a “thumbs-up position” i.e your kiddos’ thumb should be in the top,
small hole when cutting. (You can make it easier for your kiddo to remember
this by placing a sticker on top of the thumb hole).
4.
Before snipping paper, start with snipping
Play-Doh!
5.
When kiddos are first learning, using
spring-loaded or loop scissors can help decrease their frustration as they
provide more assistance and require less strength.
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