How to Teach a Child to Use Scissors

Most children around age 2 or 3 are ready to begin using scissors. It's important for children to know how to be safe with scissors. Once they're ready, using scissors can be an excellent way for the child to build fine motor skills and patience.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing to Teach

1
Try fine motor skill activities to prepare the child for using scissors. Children need to build fine motor skills before they're ready to use scissors. Here are some activities that can help build the child's skills, and help you know if the child is ready:^{[1]XResearch source}
- Precision: Squeezing watercolor paint from an eyedropper onto paper, playing with finger puppets
- Bilateral coordination: Tearing up paper from the recycling bin
- Finger and hand strength: Spinning a top, punching holes with a hole punch, playing with squirt guns, using clothes pins
The child should be able to follow instructions like "stop" or "put it down, please." If a child isn't able to follow safety rules, then they shouldn't be given anything dangerous.
Safety scissors are ideal for young children. Choose right-handed or left-handed scissors based on your child's dominant hand.^{[2]XResearch source}
4
Know that most kids are ready to use scissors around the age of 2 or 3. Many young children are able to use scissors.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Talk to an occupational therapist if you think your child is struggling or has a disability that might delay their learning to use scissors. There are adaptive scissors for kids with disabilities, and special techniques to help kids who struggle with scissors. A delay isn't the end of the world. It just means things will happen a little differently.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Teaching How to Use Scissors

Show them how you do it, and let them watch. If they're curious, then you'll know they're most likely ready to learn.
2
Start with the grip. Show the child in your hand how to hold the scissors, and then have them try to copy it. If they aren't able to alone, help move their fingers and thumb into the right position.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Teach them that the thumb always goes in the hole. Draw an eyeball on the small thumb hole and explain that the eyeball will always be on top.
- Teach them that two fingers in the larger hole. Help them put their index finger and their middle finger in the hole.
This practice will help the child build up the strength to control the scissors.^{[5]XResearch source}
Try drawing lines or shapes for the child to cut. After they do it, praise them. (Keep in mind that they may not be very precise yet; they're still young.)^{[6]XResearch source}
Let the child be creative. Try letting them cut colored paper, yarn, and other materials. Using scissors can be another way the child works on expressing themselves (all while building essential motor skills).
This will prevent the child from turning the scissors up side down. Show the how to move the paper along with shuffling motions so that they maintain control of both the paper and the scissors.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Teaching Scissor Safety

It helps if kids don't just know what the rules are, but if they know why the rules are important. Explain that using scissors the wrong way can result in somebody getting hurt, and that's why the rules matter. Tell them that as long as they are following the rules, they don't have to worry.
2
Explain that scissors are only for cutting paper. Fingers, hair, clothing, crayons, and other things are off-limits. If you decide to have the child practice with cutting Play Doh first, you can say that scissors are only for paper and Play Doh.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If the child asks about why scissors are used for haircuts, explain "Only adults can use scissors to cut hair, because they have more practice to make sure they don't mess up. Some adults go to a hair cutting school to learn how to do it right, and once they go there, they're allowed to cut hair."
3
Explain that you need to walk carefully with scissors, if at all. Scissors can hurt people, so it's important to be careful. Some adults forbid walking with scissors at all, while others allow children to do it if the kids are careful.
- The best way to walk with scissors is to hold the closed blades in the fist. Walking this way reduces the risk of the child playing with the blades while walking, or falling and hurting themselves on the blades.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Explain that running with scissors is extremely dangerous. If the child is going too fast, say "Walking feet" to remind them to slow down. Take away the scissors if they continue behaving dangerously.
Give a reminder, and see if the child listens. If not, then you may decide to take away scissor privileges until the child is ready for another chance.^{[9]XResearch source} Safety comes first.
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Question
What verbal support can I give a 5-year-old to encourage him to continue practicing his cutting skills?
Community Answer
Tell him he is doing a good job. Say you are proud of him for completing this task.
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Don't expect huge leaps in cutting ability right away; building up fine motor control takes practice and time, so children won't be able to cut intricate shapes right away.
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If the child has motor difficulties or can't safely control the regular scissors, you can buy adaptive scissors that are easier to grip, and/or provide extra "bounce" for the scissors to open up again after each squeeze.
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