Kids love cutting things. I know all my kids do! I can just hand an old coloring book to my preschooler and a pair of scissors, and he’ll go to town cutting up a storm! Why not make this cutting sesh an educational one? When it comes to kids cutting activities, there are a few things that children learn, like how to use scissors. This may seem like a no-brainer, but for kids who have never used scissors before, it can be a challenge. Read on for more reasons why you should give your kids scissors more often!
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Reasons Why You Want Your Kids To Learn Scissor Cutting Skills
Many kids enjoy cutting paper, and it can actually be a great learning activity for them. When kids use scissors, they are working on their fine motor skills. This is the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers to perform tasks like writing, cutting, and buttoning up a shirt. By working on these activities, kids are improving their ability to do things with their hands, since it builds up hand strength with their little hands.
Another thing that kids learn when cutting is how to follow a line. This sounds easy enough, but it can be tricky for kids, especially when they are first starting out. By following a line, kids are practicing their visual tracking skills, along with hand-eye coordination. This means that they are able to focus on an object and keep their eyes on it as it moves This is an important skill for kids to have, as it will help them with such things as reading and writing.
And did you know that kids learn how to use both sides of their brain when cutting? When kids cut, they use the dominant side of their brain to control the hand that is holding the paper. At the same time, they use the non-dominant side of their brain to control the hand that is holding the scissors. This helps kids to develop bilateral coordination, which is the ability to use both sides of the body together. Pretty cool, right?
Kids can also learn about shapes and patterns when they are cutting. For example, they may notice that a square can be cut into four equal pieces or that a triangle has three sides. As kids experiment with cutting, they will learn more about the properties of different shapes and how to create interesting patterns.
So, as you can see, there are many reasons why preschool cutting activities are important! If you are looking for some great ideas for kids cutting activities, then grab a pair of blunt-scissors or plastic scissors that are kid-friendly and check out the list below. These activities are perfect for kids of all ages and will help them to practice their cutting skills.
However, if cutting skills aren’t at the top of your list so much, you can also play with play dough because that’s an easy way to build fine motor strength in the hand muscles of a child’s hands.
Free Cutting Activities For Preschool
You don’t have to look online to purchase printables just for your kids to cut them up! Instead, make some DIY preschool cutting activities or simply download my free pack to cut up! You can use regular white paper or also construction paper for these activities, along with paper plates, cutting tray, coloring page, and any other kind of paper thing!
Here are a few child cutting activities for preschool you can do at home (but I find it also just as fun for bigger kids!):
Cutting strips of paper
This is a great activity to practice scissors skills for little learners who are just starting to use scissors. Draw a straight cutting line for them on a piece of paper, parallel these thick straight lines side by side on the paper. Have your child cut strips of paper into different lengths. You can also have them practice cutting straight lines, curved lines, and zig-zag lines. The important thing to remember is to just have fun and let them do the best they can.
Preschool Cutting Activities With shapes
Many kindergarten students along with preschoolers can benefit from cutting out shapes and lines. Give your child a piece of paper with some simple shapes drawn on it. Then, let them practice cutting out the shapes. You can also have them cut out shapes from magazines or newspapers. Or you can also download printable activities with the basic shapes on them with dotted lines. Or just download what I have for you for free at the bottom of the post!
Making a collage
Have your kids cut out pictures from magazines or newspapers and glue them onto a piece of paper to create a collage!
Another collage idea: You can also get a poster and do it that way. Perhaps draw a cross and make each square area a different theme! Have your kids find the related theme and put it in the square.
Cutting yarn
Give your child a piece of yarn and have them practice cutting it into different lengths. You can also have them practice cutting curved lines and zig-zag lines by gluing it to some paper. Just a little dot spaced apart will do!
Confetti
This is a great activity for kids of all ages. Have your child color the paper first so that most of the paper has some sort of colot on it. You can also decorate it at this point if you like. Then cut up pieces of paper into small pieces into the confetti. You can also use the confetti to decorate cards or gifts! Confetti will look better with colored construction paper or just color paper!
Preschool Cutting Practice Using Snowflakes
This is a classic kids cutting activity that kids of all ages will enjoy. Simply have your kiddo fold up the piece of paper. Then cut up a random piece of it into whatever design they want. Then, unfold and hang the snowflakes up around the house!
You can also find free snowflake templates online! Just cut along the dotted lines!
Paper Pompoms
You can make paper pompoms that are big and fluffy! Here’s how:
- Cut several strips of paper, about 2 inches wide and 8-10 inches long.
- Accordion fold each strip of paper, accordion pleating as you go. You should have a long, thin accordion folded strip.
- Take the end of one folded strip and tie it around the middle of another strip, forming a big loop.
- Once all the strips are tied together in the middle, fluff out the pompom to create a big, fluffy paper pompom ball.
- Trim the ends of the paper strips if necessary.
Streamers
This is a great activity for kids of all ages. Have your child cut strips of paper into different lengths. Then, let them glue or tape the strips of paper onto a piece of string or yarn. Finally, hang the streamers up around the house.
You can get your scissors and – not cut – but with the edge of the scissors, scrape it kinda roughly against the paper strips and the paper strips should curl up nicely all on their own!
Paper dolls
This is a great activity for kids who are more confident with their cutting skills. Have your child cut out a paper doll from a piece of paper. Then, let them cut out clothes for the paper doll. They can also glue or tape the clothes onto the paper doll.
You can download the FREE set of paper dolls here! 👇
Paper airplanes
Paper airplanes are a classic! Here are the steps to make one, but it has NO cutting practice! I just thought it’d be nice to add in here since we’re talking about paper activity ideas!
How to make an elaborate paper airplane for your child and then they can color and decorate it:
- Start with a sheet of paper that is 8-1/2 inches wide by 11 inches long.
- Fold the paper in half lengthwise so that it is now 4-1/4 inches wide by 5-1/2 inches long.
- Fold the top corners down so that they meet in the center of the paper.
- Fold the paper in half so that it is now 2-1/8 inches wide by 5-1/2 inches long.
- Unfold the paper and then fold each side up so that they meet in the center of the paper.
- Fold the paper in half so that it is now 2-1/8 inches wide by 2-3/4 inches long.
- Fold the top of the paper down so that it meets the bottom of the paper.
- Turn the paper over and fold each side in so that they meet in the center of the paper.
- Fold the top of the paper down so that it meets the bottom of the paper.
- Turn the paper over and fold each side in so that they meet in the center of the paper.
- Fold the top of the paper down so that it meets the bottom of the paper.
- Your paper airplane is now ready to fly!
Paper boats
These are fun preschool cutting activities because everyone loves boats! Especially floating them! Have your child fold a piece of paper into a boat shape. Fold the rim up at the bottom. Then push your boat inward (like you’re doing it inside out) so that it becomes the bottom of the boat. Then, let them decorate the boat with markers or crayons. Finally, let them float the boat in the bathtub or pool! Surprisingly enough, it does float!
Paper Masks
This is a great activity for young kids, especially but still serves a fun way to incorporate lots of practice with scissor skills. All you need to do is find a mask to cut out. After your kiddo cuts it it, punch holes on each side. Then find some yarn or stretchy kind of rope/string and tie it in each hold. That’s it! Your kiddo can put on the mask and it will stay in place!
Paper puppets
You can make fun puppets with just paper! Maybe add some googly eyes, buttons, stickers, whatever, and you got a puppet.
You can also use a paper bag! Cut a paper bag so that it is open on both ends. Decorate the front of the paper bag with markers or crayons. Cut out two eyes, a nose, and a mouth from another piece of paper and glue them onto the front of the paper bag. Put your hand inside the paper bag and move it around to make the puppet talk.
Paper hats
For paper hats, you will cut and fold. This activity will need to be helped by you, most likely. After you follow the steps below, let them decorate the hat with markers or crayons. Let them wear the hat around the house! They can be Peter Pan, Link from Zelda, a pirate, or anything else their imagination takes them!
- Cut a piece of paper into a triangular shape.
- Fold the paper in half so that the two longest edges are touching.
- Cut along the fold to create two tabs.
- Turn the paper so that the long edge is facing downwards and the triangle is pointing upwards.
- Fold the two tabs inwards so that they touch in the middle.
- Put the paper on your head and adjust the tabs to fit snugly around your head.
- Decorate the hat with markers or crayons.
Check out this super fun Dr. Seuss Activity Pack!
Just click on the image above to learn more!
Paper chains
This is a great activity for kids of all ages. Have your child cut strips of paper into different lengths. Glue or tape the strips of paper together to form a chain. Hang the paper chain up in their bedroom or playroom.
Paper flowers
This is a super fun activity for kids of all ages. Have your child cut out paper flowers that you make on Powerpoint or that you find online that are black and white. Then let them color the flowers with markers or crayons. Glue or tape the flowers onto a piece of string or yarn. Hang the flower garland up in their bedroom or playroom.
Go a step further and LAMINATE the paper flowers (before your kids cut them). Then have your kiddos cut them, decorate them, string them, and hang them outside for all the world to see! You can make this a weekly activity and build a whole garden! (This would make for a fun unit study activity on flowers or gardens, too!)-
Paper images or pictures
Find images or pictures that are black and white and just print them out. Let your kids cutting activities serve as the collage! Then, have the kids decorate the image with markers or crayons. Add more decor to it with stickers or glitter.
You can also create several images your kids can cut out, and then make some sort of scenery when you put them all together. Lapbook anyone?
Homemade Greeting Cards
This is a simple activity, but it’s still great! And touches the heart to whomever they make it for and send it to. Just have your child cut out a piece of paper to the size of a card. Then, fold it in half. Let them decorate the front of the card with markers or crayons. Finally, write a message on the inside of the card and give it to someone special.
You could cut out shapes and images, then glue it on the front-side of the card, too, for a special 3D-looking effect. This is a perfect shape activities plus writing activities, and it will serve an equally important purpose when your kiddos gives their homemade card to someone!
Solar System
This is a great activity for kids who are more confident with their preschool cutting practice. Have your child cut out planets from a piece of paper. Then, let them decorate the planets with markers or crayons. Finally, glue or tape the planets onto a piece of string or yarn and hang it up in their bedroom or playroom.
You can even make it a 3D effect with balloons as the planets and sun, and just cut out paper stars to glue around the balloons!
Pinwheels
This is a great activity for kids who are more confident with their cutting skills. Have your child cut out a paper pinwheel from a piece of paper. Then, let them decorate the pinwheel with markers or crayons. Finally, glue or tape the pinwheel onto a popsicle stick and let it spin in the wind.
Making a paper pinwheel is a fun and easy activity for kids of all ages. All you need is a piece of paper, some scissors, and a popsicle stick. Here are the steps to make your very own paper pinwheel:
- Cut a square piece of paper.
- Fold the square in half so that the two corners meet in the middle.
- Cut a slit from the corner of the fold to the center point.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Unfold the paper and you should see eight triangles.
- Take two adjacent triangles and make a small cut at the base of each triangle.
- Fold.
Hopefully, this list of preschool cutting activities has given you some great ideas for things to do with your kids at home. Cutting activities are fun fine motor activities, and they can be a lot of fun too. So, get out the scissors and let your young children have some fun cutting paper.
What Do Children Learn When Cutting? + Free Kids Cutting Activities
Cutting activities are a great way for kids to practice their fine motor skills, visual tracking skills, and bilateral coordination. They are also a lot of fun! So, next time your kids are looking for something to do, consider doing one of these activities with them.
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