Comments on: 5 Scissor Skills Activities for Preschoolers

By: Jackie Currie

Jackie Currie — Thu, 30 May 2019 04:27:41 +0000

In reply to lauren T. Glad you liked these ideas, Lauren. The paint chips are a huge hit here!

By: lauren T

lauren T — Wed, 29 May 2019 18:41:12 +0000

love the idea of the paint chips! my 3 year old is just getting into cutting ,or just being allowed to cut 😉
i’m definitely going to parlay it with the paint chip mosaics!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 19:24:29 +0000

In reply to SmileyPR. Thanks for that heads up! I guess the website or the post that I linked to no longer exists because I can't pull it up either using the direct URL I had for it. I've removed the link from site. Thanks again.

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 19:24:29 +0000

By: SmileyPR

SmileyPR — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 18:02:16 +0000

Hi ! Thanks for the article. I tried to open the link to “how to hold and use a pair of scissors”, but it takes me to the Yahoo main page and then the article does not stand there. Do you have a direct link to it? Thanks in advance! 🙂

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 00:12:02 +0000

In reply to Linda. Good point. What I find is that children tend to turn their hand upside down when learning to cut. Putting anything, even a sticker or a dot on the thumbnail reminds the child to keep their hand in the thumb-up position.

By: Linda

Linda — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 19:45:00 +0000

It’s just that when the child is cutting they should see the smiley face looking at them when their thumb is UP correctly when cutting.

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 03:26:38 +0000

In reply to linda. Thank you for sharing your observation, Linda. Please do go ahead and draw yours the other way around if you think it might have an influence on how this technique might work for your child.

By: linda

linda — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 20:18:05 +0000

The face on the thumb when using scissors is upside down

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 11:33:35 +0000

In reply to Debbie. Love your song, Debbie!

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 10:16:46 +0000

Some lovely tips, thanks. Particularly like the idea of the face on the thumb. I will use this along with a rhyme I often sing to the tune of Frere Jacque ‘Keep my thumb up, keep my thumb up, when I cut, when I cut, I can cut with scissors, I can cut with scissors, open, shut, open, shut’.

By: Susen Malkowski Kuchta

Susen Malkowski Kuchta — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 11:32:01 +0000

I always forget to put the scissors out with playdough, I have to remember to do this next time!!

By: fairouz

fairouz — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 21:29:12 +0000

thanx alot u have helped us with this great ideas i have already started with strews but the foam and plough are brilliant

By: JDaniel4's Mom

JDaniel4's Mom — Tue, 06 May 2014 14:49:29 +0000

I love the idea of marking the thumb! Brilliant!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Fri, 02 May 2014 17:25:31 +0000

In reply to Joan. Brilliant idea, Joan!

By: Joan

Joan — Fri, 02 May 2014 13:39:15 +0000

To contain the mess of toddlers snipping paper, I’ve seen teachers use a rigid wading pool as a “cutting center” in their classrooms……the toddlers climb right in and snip, snip, snip away!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:46:18 +0000

In reply to pinkoddy. Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed this one!

By: pinkoddy

pinkoddy — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:52:06 +0000

Can’t beat letting kids use scissors. We have some with the fancy edges too – they are great. I am featuring this post on The Sensory Seeker as part of this weeks Kids Co-op.

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 01:42:04 +0000

In reply to lindart1. Yes! We love cutting up small strings of craft beads! We'll have to move on to our dollar store necklaces one of these days!

By: lindart1

lindart1 — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 22:44:01 +0000

The children in my class also used to cut up Mardi Gras Beads!

By: Renae

Renae — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 21:28:27 +0000

These are good ideas. My daughter loves to cut. We’ll have to try these out!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 01:19:50 +0000

In reply to Shannon. Good point, Shannon. That can be so frustrating.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 15:31:47 +0000

I think it’s important to note that the scissors should be good enough quality that they actually cut. I have seen many people buy plastic scissors that look safer but take advanced skill to actually cut anything. It causes frustration, and improper use of them and that can be more dangerous that buying a quality pair of child size scissors to begin with.

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 04:54:04 +0000

In reply to Amanda Hrachovy. I run them through my dishwasher, Amanda. I mention that in all of my other styrofoam posts, but I over-looked putting that tip in this post. Thanks for asking! I've just edited the post, and added that recommendation. The toddlers will love cutting play dough. That's the easiest to get them started with. :)

By: Amanda Hrachovy

Amanda Hrachovy — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 03:12:41 +0000

How do you clean/sanitize the foam meat trays? What do you recommend? I teach infant and toddlers and right now we are only using construction paper. Thanks for any helpful tips.

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 02:20:57 +0000

In reply to Lynne. Good points, Lynne! Oh, ha! No pun intended!

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 21:45:05 +0000

My two year old is just getting into cutting. Perfect timing! Loving spaghetti and straw ideas. We snipped and made paper snowflakes today

By: Lynne

Lynne — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 12:18:58 +0000

I always taught children how to carry or pass scissors correctly too. That can get scary with young children!!! Oh and to put them down when they are not actually cutting!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 04:49:37 +0000

In reply to Ofelia Vasquez. You don't mention the age of the child, Ofelia.

By: Ofelia Vasquez

Ofelia Vasquez — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 03:48:22 +0000

In my case it’s difficult because I visit the child at there house, I leave home work For the child, when I return the following week the mother says that she had no time to practice with him/her, so this leaves me to work with the child during our home visit, which is difficult, because my lesson plan is Held back a week, what can I do?

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 13:56:55 +0000

In reply to Rachel. Great idea, Rachel. Any activity that involves re-using and up-cycling is a hit in my books!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 10:45:33 +0000

In reply to kelly thompson. At my centre we have children that cut want to cut all the time. We have a box of scrap paper and get them to cut into a tub and eventually we make recycled paper with it. Saves on mess and waste.

By: Debs

Debs — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 09:19:31 +0000

Thanks for linking this fun post to Tuesday Tots. I’m featuring it this week on Learn with Play at home. 🙂

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 02:54:18 +0000

In reply to rebecca at thisfineday. Perfect timing, Rebecca!

By: rebecca at thisfineday

rebecca at thisfineday — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 20:26:05 +0000

Awesome! I’ll add these to my list- great timing too. My last post was about using up Junk Mail to hone scissor skills!

http://thisfineday.com/blog/2013/8/6/use-up-junk-mail-give-your-three-year-old-a-pair-of-kiddie-scissors-no-running

By: Helen Neale (@KiddyCharts)

Helen Neale (@KiddyCharts) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 12:30:14 +0000

These are really great ideas – thanks so much for linking up to the Parenting Pin it Party 😀

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:24:09 +0000

In reply to Marie. Glad you found some ideas that will work for your little one, Marie!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:23:16 +0000

In reply to Susie. Pasta is a great idea! Cooked, it would be so easy to cut through for little ones!!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:22:32 +0000

In reply to Susie. We do that here too, Susie! Don't they love it?!

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:14:29 +0000

Good tips! Styrofoam does seem like a safe option, too, doesn’t it?

By: Susie

Susie — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 15:40:39 +0000

In reply to Susie. We're always using scissors to cut plants and he hedge outside to make nature collages, rose petal perfume, add to our small world lands etc ....

By: Susie

Susie — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 15:38:31 +0000

We often cook up some spaghetti (add food colour and glitter for interest) and put on a tray for cutting and snipping. Adding raw spaghetti offers a contrast too.

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 13:23:32 +0000

I never would have thought of cutting play dough. Such a good idea! Especially as my little one just turned 2 and he’s obsessed with scissors. I just wasn’t sure how to introduce them for him to use them properly and avoid too much frustration.
Thank you!

By: OneMommy

OneMommy — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:20:41 +0000

Mine love cutting straws!
I need to remember to leave the pieces for making necklaces!

Pinning it!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:28:27 +0000

In reply to Travis Sherman. You're so welcome, Travis. Nice to think you're all for getting them started early too!

By: happyhooligans

happyhooligans — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:27:25 +0000

In reply to JDaniel4's Mom. You're welcome, Deirdre! Perfect timing!!

By: Travis Sherman

Travis Sherman — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:36:29 +0000

Scissor skills are so important, and in my art class for three year olds, I find parents so reluctant to get kids started on this! Thanks for these bright ideas.

By: JDaniel4's Mom

JDaniel4's Mom — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:17:40 +0000

JDaniel’s preschool teacher just told me he need to work on cutting. Thank you for these great ideas.

By: Janice

Janice — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:57:49 +0000

Thank you for this. I need to get my nephew to do these. He has totally hand dexterity.

By: Eugenia

Eugenia — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:54:30 +0000

Thanks a lot!
My two year old hooligan wii love the ideas )

By: Erin- The Usual Mayhem

Erin- The Usual Mayhem — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:10:00 +0000

I’ve never tried it with meat trays! I will have to add that to my collection of ideas. Thansk Jackie!

By: kelly thompson

kelly thompson — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:52:59 +0000

this is right on time because I just bought them scissors yesterday and they have had a ball cutting paper- oh the mess though!