[pinit]
One skill Liam doesn’t seem to mind working on lately is cutting (as long as it isn’t too challenging). This is one activity he is willing to do independently, but of course it really requires supervision with the scissors! Haha!
Cutting Tray Set Up
I really love this inexpensive serving tray from the party store! It creates a nice presentation for him and also some order to what is available to cut in each compartment. He can see what he has already done and what he has left to cut! Organizing each activity so that it fits neatly into a compartment of the tray helps him to see a clear start and finish to the activity.
Cutting Skills Tray Materials
Ribbon, curly and flat
Thick drinking straws
Old birthday cards
Play dough
Strips of construction paper
Pool noodle slices
Each cutting material provided a different type of resistance and feel for him to become accustomed too, but it certainly wasn’t boring with bits of straw flying around the room. He sat with a good deal of concentration for each item with frequent reminders of thumbs up to cut. We are still unsure of whether or not he is left or right-handed but I think he is leaning to the left which is why the scissors might be confusing. I am left-handed but cut fine using right-handed scissors. The scissors we have clearly cut better with the right hand, but in general he rather color with his left.
He did in fact ask for a restock on several of the items on his tray that were the most gratifying but definitely not the paper. I bet he thought it was pretty unexpected to be given so many interesting things to cut and paper is the expected cutting material! I was even able to add in some work with play dough, rolling out the “snakes” for cutting! Great practice!
I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for more interesting things to practice cutting skills with as well as some more paper with specific lines drawn on them. Hopefully the boring mixed into the exciting will do the trick!
How do you like to work on these types of skills with your child?
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The way you set this up makes working on cutting skills so inviting!
I am an AMI and AMS trained Montessori teacher and have been teaching for 33 years. This is a great idea! It’s so important to share practical life and as I am NOT in a Montessori school but run a true Montessori class, I have no peers to share with so I really appreciate these ideas! Well done!
Love your post!
Here’s a link to my free download for a printable for cutting practice. http://jmjpublishing.com/JMJpdfs4all/11PaperCutting.pdf
And here’s what it looks like in a tackle box 🙂
https://www.etsy.com/listing/159214796/montessori-practical-life-cutting-paper
Awesome thank you! I love the tackle box too! I will print that out for the next tray definitely and share you!
I love this idea! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to use it!
These are great ideas! Pinned it! Thanks for sharing At TGIF!
What did you use to cut your pool noodle so thin and even?
Haha. My husband cut them with an exacto knife. He did a pretty good job didn’t he!!
Oh, what fun activities to learn cutting skills. We may have to try some. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!
In words – how do you explain to 2-4 year olds how to use scissors?? 🙂 TIA – Bren
Hmm good question. My cues are thumbs up and open and close like teeth and feeding the paper. We did a lot of hand over hand too in the beginning. If you are following me on facebook I am going to ask the question there and we can see what other responses we get. Cutting with simple materials, one “bite” cuts and even using play dough. We are still working on longer pieces. We did not do much with scissors until 3.
“Thumb up, open and shut” chanted over and over while cutting helps my 3 yr old
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