Learning to cut paper

One of the big skills needed when entering kindergarten is to be able to cut accurately with scissors. 

This requires many of the skills practiced in preschool: using two hands for 2 different tasks, crossing the midline, spatial awareness, planning, and fine motor strength. 

We begin by ripping paper. Ripping paper requires many of the same muscles as cutting with scissors and it has an immediate result, which naturally reinforces the behavior. 
T, age 18 months

Once they are able to rip paper, cutting with scissors is introduced. When using scissors, it is important to introduce it as a tool. Tools have a specific purpose and method of use. 
Z, age 36 months

It is typical to see children first make snips around the edge of the paper. Once they master that skill, then they start cutting long strips. 
L, age 46 months

This is typically when you can introduce the idea of cutting out shapes and cutting along lines. 

Take a look at their collages and see if you can guess the skill the child who created it was working on.

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