What is the best way to do cutting practice for kids? Try some simple scissor skills activities like this Fall cutting tray!
Cutting trays are so much fun! Scissor skills practice doesn't have to be complicated. You can make it more fun with a theme!
For this Fall themed cutting tray we used paper leaves, apples, and some Fall themed stickers (acorns, pumpkins, etc).
RELATED: Before you hand scissors to kids, you want to make sure they try lots of fine motor activities first. Here are some of easy fine motor activities for kids.
What you need for this Fall themed cutting practice for kids activity?
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- Colored cardstock paper
- Scissors for kids (rounded) or you can try pointy ones
- Optional: Craft tray
- Sharpies
- Markers
- Stickers
How to set up some Fall themed cutting practice for kids:
You can set this up so quickly!
- Grab a tray or container to put paper in. (I love these colorful craft trays!)
- Cut several pieces of colored cardstock into leaves, apples, or rectangles.
- Draw lines, designs, zig zags, slits, etc. on each leaf or apple with a marker.
- Stick some stickers on the white rectangles and draw lines from one end of the paper to the stickers.
- Introduce it to your preschooler!
Check out this cutting practice activity in action through the pictures below!
RELATED: Did you know I share fine motor activities all year long in my Year of Play ebook? You can see more details about the ebook here.
How can you adapt this cutting practice for kids at various stages?
Kids develop at different rates. You can change the difficulty level in the lines that you draw to make this activity easier or harder.
- To start, keep it easy and don't put any lines on the leaves. Just let kids snip the paper leaves however they want.
- Next, start simple with short lines so kids can just make short snips on the leaves.
- Then, add some straight or zip zig lines.
- Finally, add some curvy lines.
Once you've shown the activity to your preschooler, you can let them explore and cut as much as they would like. Make sure to include some plain paper as well in case they want to cut their own designs.
Add some zip zags, curves or other more complicated lines for more experienced cutters!
Scissor Skills PRO TIP:
Make sure to draw a smiley face on your child's thumb (on their dominant hand) or use a sticker. Remind them to keep the smiley face up towards the sky while they cut!
This pro tip will help them have a more successful time cutting with scissors!
Make it fun by telling a story as you cut!
In the apple picking cutting practice, the cutter needed to race to the apple orchard and not smush any of the apples on the ground. Having a challenge made the cutter for focused.
Here's how to extend this awesome cutting activity and build more fine motor skills!
- Give your kids some markers to decorate the leaves.
- Give your kids some googly eyes, glue, and the leaf scraps and encourage them to make their own Leaf Man.
You can use the finished leaves to decorate festively for Fall!
Do you have any other Scissor Skills Practice ideas that your kids love?
Check out this tape cutting activity from Days with Grey.
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