Cutting Practice – Vertical Scissor Skills

Teach your child fine motor skills while strengthening shoulder and arm muscles with this vertical cutting practice activity. This is super easy to set up, but if you are short on time, I’ve got you covered with a free printable!

A Fun Cutting Practice Activity That Gets Kids on Their Feet!

This is a fun way to exercise those small muscles in the hands and fingers, while staying active and on your feet! By cutting on a vertical surface, arms and shoulders will be sure to get a good workout too!

I’ll show you how easy it is to create your own vertical scissor cutting practice activity with just construction paper and markers. And don’t forget I also have a free printable you can use too!

All activities should be supervised by an adult. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links.

Skills: Fine Motor Skills

Ages: 2 Years +

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Watch the Video to See How to Make the Cutting Practice Activity!

This cutting activity is so easy to make, the most important thing is to make the lines match your child’s skill level. For example, young kids who are just learning how to use scissors should start with straight lines. The more advanced they are, the more complicated the patterns can be! For example, older kids can do loops and swirls!

For the written step-by-step instructions, read on below for more information!

Watch the Video to See How to Make the Cutting Practice Activity!

This cutting activity is so easy to make, the most important thing is to make the lines match your child’s skill level. For example, young kids who are just learning how to use scissors should start with straight lines. The more advanced they are, the more complicated the patterns can be! For example, older kids can do loops and swirls!

For the written step-by-step instructions, read on below for more information!

FREE Printable Version of This Cutting Activity

Grown ups are busy, I get it! That’s why I created a FREE printable version of this cutting activity. Kids can sit at a table and cut along the patterns, or each pattern can be cut out and then taped to the wall for a vertical set up!

If your kids love cutting practice, you have to try our Spoon Salon activity! If your little one is still learning how to hold the scissors in the right way, try our Cutting with Cars activity which encourages thumbs up!

For more printable activities, visit our Printable Shop. It is filled with easy to set-up activities that help strengthen early childhood education skills!

Materials

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Cut out a 3-inch wide piece of construction paper, one in each color if you like!

Step 2

Using a marker, draw your preferred patterns on each piece of paper.

Step 3

Use painter’s tape to attach each strip of paper to the wall, leaving the bottom unattached so your child can grab the paper with their hands.

Step 4

Ask your child to follow the dotted lines with their scissors as they cut.

Step 1

Cut out a 3-inch wide piece of construction paper, one in each color if you like!

Step 2

Using a marker, draw your preferred patterns on each piece of paper.

Step 3

Use painter’s tape to attach each strip of paper to the wall, leaving the bottom unattached so your child can grab the paper with their hands.

Step 4

Ask your child to follow the dotted lines with their scissors as they cut.

Educational Benefits of Developing Scissor Skills

There are lots of things that cutting practice will teach your kids. It’s not just so they can make crafts in school (although that is a benefit for sure!).

Strengthens Hand Muscles: Moving the scissors forces your child to move fingers independently, which strengthens their hand muscles.

Visual Perceptive Skills: This one cutting activity also teaches them directionality. Basically, this means how to follow directions with their hands.

Tripod Grasp: The way they hold the scissors will influence how they hold a pen and pencil, so this is a fantastic precursor for writing skills.

Focus And Attention: As they follow the dotted lines, it will require them to pay close attention to what they are doing. In fact, cutting activities are known to calm children who are feeling hyperactive and need help focusing.

You can continue to do this activity as they become more adept at their scissor skills. Make the patterns more difficult. Create a maze that they have to follow with their scissors.

Older children can also help out by making cutting mazes for their younger friends and siblings.