Looking for new scissor skill-building activities for your little one? Cutting activities for preschoolers just got more fun with these simple and creative ideas! Teaching kids how to use scissors properly is an essential fine motor skill for childhood development. Check out this list of 20 cutting activities for preschoolers that will help make learning how to use scissors simple and fun!
RELATED: Boost your child’s fine motor development with this list of my favorite fine motor toys!
What does cutting with scissors teach?
Cutting with scissors is an essential skill that all children get better at with practice. If you help your child cut and play at home, they enter school with the confidence to take on higher-level tasks. Learning how to cut with scissors is a tricky skill for little hands. But with lots of practice, your little ones will be using scissors safely and with care.
Scissor skills are important for:
- Building fine motor strength
- Confidence
- Hand-eye coordination
- Hands-on learning
- Independence
- Patience
- Strengthens hand muscles
RELATED: Scissor skills are an important skill to help build fine motor strength and improve pencil grip.
Activities on Demand
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20 cutting activities for preschoolers
I know the thought of your preschooler holding a pair of scissors is both terrifying and possibly overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. These cutting activities for preschoolers are not only totally doable, but are the best type of fine motor activities!
Valentine’s Sensory Cutting Bin
Get into the spirit of love with this sweet Valentine ‘s-themed sensory bin-cutting activity.
3-D Foam Strip Sculpture Activity for Kids (Buggy and Buddy)
This is such a cool way to combine teaching cutting skills with inspirational building.
Cutting Lines; Preschool Scissor Practice
This is a fun activity to teach all the basic cutting skills. Draw a variety of lines: straight, curvy, and zigzag lines for your preschoolers to practice cutting.
Jellyfish Cutting Activity (Crafts by Ria)
Use this adorable printable to give your kids fun and different shapes to cut out.
Cut the Play dough
Is there anything more fun to squish than play dough? I think not! Your little learners will love practicing their scissor skills with play dough.
Flower Scissor Skills Activity (Crafts on Sea)
Cupcake liners are perfect for teaching line cutting! Help your preschooler follow the pleated lines on cupcake lines to make sweet flowers.
Cutting Practice for Kids
Combine two of my favorite supplies: painter’s tape and counting bears for the ultimate cutting activity that will keep your preschooler busy while you prep dinner!
DIY Easter Egg Puzzles (Finding Myself Young)
Snag this free Easter egg printable template to practice scissor-cutting skills just in time for next Easter.
Spaghetti Cutting Activity
Use leftover spaghetti to practice fine motor scissor-cutting skills in the most sensory-friendly fun way!
Compliment Suns Friendship Craft (Coffee and Carpool)
Practice cutting paper strips to build a sun filled with compliments.
Valentine’s Sensory Cutting Bin (Little Ladoo)
If your child loves pretend play, this cutting activity is for them! Set up a make believe hair salon for your child to practice their scissor skills with mini dolls.
Snipping Flowers and Leaves (Picklebums)
Your preschooler will love cutting and snipping things found in nature.
Cutting Busy Box (Kiddy Charts)
A cutting busy box is the perfect place to store and organize all of your preschooler’s cutting materials and supplies all in one place.
Cutting Practice Spider (Lalymom)
This cutting activity is such a cute and silly game! Practice scissor skills as your preschooler waits for the spider to plop to the ground with each snip!
Cutting & Threading Practice with Straws (Powerful Mothering)
Improve all sorts of fine motor skills with this cutting and threading activity using shoelaces and straws.
Scissor Skills Cutting Tray (Mama Papa Bubba)
Using a simple cutting skills tray to designate a specific space for cutting materials and activities is such an easy way to keep your child more organized and less overwhelmed.
Scissor Skills with Jelly (Nurture Store)
Get ready for some ooey gooey messy sensory fun while improving scissor cutting skills.
Baby Doll Haircuts Activity (Happy Toddler Playtime)
Make a simple “wig” for your preschooler’s dolls out of a piece of paper for them to cut and style!
Grass Hair Salon (Toddler Approved)
Create the cutest garden out of grass for your preschooler to cut and care for!
Superhero Grass Pots (Non-Toy Gifts)
Get creative with making superhero pots to grow grass that your preschooler can cut using their scissor skills.
Supplies
Scissors
These are the BEST plastic scissors for learning with littles. They are safe, simple to use, and the perfect size for little hands.
How do you teach your preschooler scissor skills?
Teaching your preschooler how to use scissors is simpler than you may think. Yes, it requires bilateral coordination and fine motor strength, but it requires a whole LOT of patience (from you and your child).
Experts suggest that parents should think outside the box and get creative with hand and finger-strengthening activities to support your child’s fine motor abilities. Use these helpful tips to support your child as they learn how to use scissors:
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- Get blunt-edged scissors: Find blunt-edged kid scissors for your child to practice with. I use these scissors.
- Show and tell: Show your child the scissors and explain what the scissors are used for. “These are scissors. We use scissors to cut paper like this. Would you like to try?”
- Invite them: Hand the scissors to your child. If willing, help position the hands. If not willing, try to continue keeping kid scissors available for plenty of practice. You will see improvements in grip over time.
- Walking with scissors: Show your child how to walk with scissors and where to put the scissors away after cutting. I like to keep ours in the art cart.
- Create a curiosity-friendly space: Allow scissors to be accessible. You can set limits or boundaries when using the scissors, but I have found making child-friendly scissors part of the everyday routine helps with cutting curiosity.
- Smiley face thumbnail trick: If your child needs help holding the scissors, place a smiley face on the thumbnail (pictured below) to encourage the thumb to stay up when cutting.
PRO TIP: Notice the smiley face on the thumb? This smiling face is a great way to provide a visual for young children to place the correct finger in the thumb hole while cutting. You can also mark the thumb with a sticker or nail polish.
As a parent, the idea of your preschooler holding a pair of scissors for the first time is likely frightening. But learning how to cut with scissors is such an important fine motor skill for young kids to develop. Dive into learning how to teach scissor skills with these fun cutting activities for preschoolers.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can teach your kids cutting skills using simple activities, free printables, and fun hands-on materials. I love using non-traditional sensory materials found around the house for my kids to practice with. Some of our favorites include cutting spaghetti noodles, play dough, and things found in nature (grass, leaves, and flowers).
Preschoolers must practice cutting in a supervised setting using regular safety scissors. Offer your child all sorts of cutting materials such as construction paper or straws when learning. I love using different materials, various textures, and different types of lines (straight, curvy, and zigzag) to encourage new directions, boost practice, and increase awareness.
Children who are 3 years old begin to develop a preference for which hand they may be dominant with for cutting. This is an important stage in developmental learning as your preschooler begins to navigate the world around themself.
