How to Teach Important Scissor Development Skills
As adults, using scissors is something we take for granted. Whether it’s clipping coupons or slicing through wrapping paper, using scissors is often a part of our day-to-day activities. However, we forget that we had to actually learn how to use scissors at some point—and there is a surprising number of young students these days who can’t properly use scissors! And if they don’t know how to use scissors, there are many other things in the classroom they’ll be unable to do. That’s it’s so essential to spend some time to present a specific Montessori scissor cutting lesson to your students.
Learning to use scissors at a young age provides so many benefits! When students are able to develop their scissor-using skills, they’re able to do so many artful and creative things, such as cutting paper, following patterns, cutting strings and yarn, and cutting fabric.
Benefits of Scissor Cutting for Young Students
The constant dynamic motion that comes from using scissors helps young students develop spatial intelligence and fine-motor movements that relate to other important tasks inside the Montessori classroom. Introducing scissor skills to children—even as young as two or three years—can help them move through critical milestones directly related to other areas of childhood development. Cutting activities build muscle control, develop eye and hand coordination, and deepen their tactile spatial awareness.
A few years ago, I started to notice more and more teachers were sharing their frustrations about how the majority of young students coming through their classrooms were lacking in fine motor skills; they were too weak to apply pressure while writing or coloring and lacked the coordination to write their ABCs, tie their own shoes, or zip up their own jackets. Now, I’ve worked with thousands of students over the years, and I’ve also observed that students are lacking the developmental skills that would allow them to craft and create art.
Both of my own two children had the freedom to use safety scissors at very young ages. And, as a result, they both learned how to tie their shoes, feed themselves, write, and even craft, at a very early age. Truth is, kids love using scissors!
There’s a ton of research linking handwriting success to muscle coordination developed by scissor movements, and practical life skills like eating, dressing, and holding and carrying small objects. But most importantly, teachers agree when children have had the chance to develop these muscles and skills, teaching them writing becomes easier. A child that has scissor practice will be able to excel in complex steps to create and work independently.
In one of my early years, I was working with a five-year-old boy in an art therapy session. I recall him eagerly asking to use scissors while we crafted. He was very awkward at first, but with some coaching he quickly got the hang of it. He spent an hour cutting soft yarn into tiny pieces over and over, until it became easy to grab the scissors, get them into position, and make the opening and closing motion of cutting. Within that hour, he strengthened the mobility with his thumb, hand, and wrist.
The minute his mom returned to my art studio to pick him up, she ran toward him screaming, “You’re going to hurt yourself! Give me those!” It clicked. I realized that he was a late bloomer when it came to using scissors—a simple, practical life task—because his mom had it in her mind that he would end up running with scissors and hurting himself. She was shocked when she saw him using them safely to cut yarn. And not only that, but he was having a pretty good time doing it! She promised to buy scissors for home.
Where to Start: Tips for Presenting a Montessori Scissor Cutting Lesson
In my experience, giving a child a Montessori scissor cutting lesson at age five is a little too late.
If a child can sit and focus for 15 minutes at a time (between the ages of 3 and 5), they can start practicing their scissor cutting. When I meet young students who cannot sit through my scissor demonstration or follow my basic movements, then I know they are too young and need more time before they’re able to safely and properly use scissors on their own. But if students can focus on the actions of a presentation and watch the outcome, then they can start practicing—with supervision, of course!
Don’t hand your students scissors and walk away expecting them to create, give them time to practice cutting motions. You can introduce students to using scissors through either copy-mode or process-based activities. Here are a few tips for bringing scissors safely into your classroom.
- Don’t jump into challenging cutting projects until students have had practice with scissors first. So many teachers make the mistake of trying to present a multi-step lesson that includes using scissors, even though their students aren’t able to use them yet. It just leads to frustration! So, practice a simple, process-based Montessori scissor cutting lesson first, before you approach any copy-mode craft or activity.
- Begin by showing students the simple motion of using scissors. Have them start by holding the scissors, and opening and closing the arms using just their one hand (keeping their other hand safely away from the blades). Then you can progress to showing them how the blade can be angled to create a sharper cut.
- Think about the process rather than focusing on a project. Give them papers to cut, simply to practice the action of cutting. Don’t worry about how their project turns out; it’s all about the process and practice.
- Be patient. You have to understand, your students’ little brains and hands are wiring together and getting things to work together smoothly will take some time. Keep allowing them time to practice until you see they are able to cut without struggling.
- Plan activities based on your students’ capabilities. For example, early childhood students (aged 3 to 6) can do simpler cutting activities, like following simple lines and shapes. Lower elementary students should be able to begin collaging and upper elementary students will be able to cut out more intricate designs.
One Step Further: Sign Up for My FREE Digital Mini-Course
Knowing that your students are capable of safely using scissors opens up so many doors for all the amazing art projects and activities you’ll be able to do in your classroom! In order to keep them interested in the lessons you’re presenting—and able to handle and understand whatever it is you’re teaching—you have to first be able to know exactly how they learn art. I’ve developed a FREE online mini-course to help you do just that!
Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.
The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.
Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.