Opportunities for cutting can be provided at home and young children need to be closely supervised when using scissors.  

In your learning pack we have provided a range of cutting activities for you to use at home with your child.  But you could also use old birthday cards, magazines and papers. These are great activities to encourage children to snip and cut using scissors.   

Young children can find it difficult to open and close scissors and it will take practise using scissors with them.  They should be praised for their efforts and the importance of holding scissors correctly and safely should be stressed at all times.

Using scissors is actually a complex skill requiring and individual to do the following: open and close the hand, use both hands together and coordinate arm, hand and eye movements.   

Snipping at a paper plate will give your child opportunities to learn how to open and close scissors. Or if they find it difficult to use both hands then tape a piece of card or paper to the edge of the table and allow the child to try cutting independently without an adult holding the page.

A typical scissor grasp is with the middle finger and thumb in the scissor loops, with the index finger to the front of the lower loop, stabilising and steering the scissors as they move.  The thumb should be positioned on top- thumbs up towards the ceiling. 

 See video below: