If you’ve ever given preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten students scissors at the start of the school year, you know it doesn’t always go smoothly. Some students grip scissors upside down, some snip in the middle of the page, and others struggle to cut more than a few inches before giving up.
Because cutting is such an important fine motor skill, I like to use activities that give students plenty of practice and result in something they’re proud of. That’s why I love using fall-themed cutting pages and crafts during the first months of school.
Tips for Teaching Scissor Skills
When introducing scissors, I like to focus on these ideas:
- Use Tongs at the Start – If you have very young students or students who are struggling with squeezing the scissors, have them use tongs first. Having them pick things up using the tongs helps them practice the hand movements required for cutting.
- Thumbs Up – Remind students to keep their thumb in the small hole of the scissors, pointing up toward the ceiling. “Thumbs up when we cut!” is a helpful phrase to use.
- Helper Hand (Use Two Hands) – Remind students to always use two hands when cutting. The non-cutting hand should hold and turn the paper while they are cutting. It should also be “thumbs up”.
- Short snips first. Start with short cuts on larger, sturdier pieces before moving on to smaller, trickier shapes. Have them cut small scraps of construction paper, paper plates, or play dough. Then, they can move on to more complex shapes.
- Cut slowly. Encourage students to take their time, especially with wavy or curved lines.
- Celebrate progress. Every attempt is practice, and every neat cut is worth recognizing. Celebrate small wins!
Cutting Practice
I’ve found that students are so much more motivated when their practice leads to a finished project, instead of just cutting random dotted lines on a page.
I like to use fall cutting practice pages that give students both skill practice and a craft to take home. It makes the effort feel worthwhile and gives me an easy way to integrate fine motor work into my fall themes.
We start with straight and slightly curved lines. Students can color the page and then cut on the dotted lines to create a fun fall picture.
Next, we move on to wavy and zig-zag lines. A student favorite is cutting “hair” for a Frankenstein or a Halloween Troll. Later in the season, they love cutting different line styles to make colorful Thanksgiving turkey feathers.
Once students are more confident with cutting, we transition into cut-and-glue projects. This not only strengthens scissor control but also teaches them how to use glue effectively.
Teaching Gluing Skills
When introducing glue, I’ve found modeling is the most important step! Here are a few tips that help young students be successful:
- “Dot, dot, not a lot.” I like to teach this saying to reinforce that small amounts go a long way.
- Start with manageable tools – begin with glue sponges, brushes, or glue sticks
- Glue the main surface – Show students how to put glue on the larger surface, not the small object being glued.
- Press and hold. Count to five together so pieces stay put.
- Clean habits. Remind students to close the glue stick or bottle when they’re finished.
By the end of fall, my students are usually ready to put it all together with simple seasonal crafts — cutting out easy shapes and gluing them into completed projects. These crafts give them purposeful practice and a finished product they can be proud of.
If you’d like ready-made fall cutting activities, I’ve put together a set of print-and-go pages where students practice cutting dotted lines that lead to real fall projects and crafts. It’s an easy way to combine skill practice with seasonal fun.
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