Tot Can't Cut It?

Is your child having a hard time handling scissors? Is your child holding the scissors incorrectly, with the thumb pointing downwards? Is he or she cutting for all its worth, but still unable to make any kind of cut on the paper? Join the club! After trying out some cutting exercises with my 3-year-old daughter - who was near tears when she realized she just couldn't cut the paper on her own - I turned to Google for help. Thankfully, the ever-faithful search engine did not disappoint. Here's how my child learned to cut on her own within 1 week:

(1) Have your child hold the scissors the proper way. The thumb should go in one of the holes. The other hole should have the middle and ring fingers. The pointer or index finger should be outside, helping the middle and ring fingers push the lower part of the handle. The thumb should always be on the top side. Sometimes it helps to put a sticker on the lower part of your child's thumb as a guide - he/she would know she's holding it right side up if he/she could see the sticker.

(2) Use thin cardboard paper first. Calling card paper sold in National Bookstore or any Office Supplies store would do. Because the paper is firm, it will be easier for the child to cut through (i.e., most of the time ordinary paper would crumple easily or follow the scissors if the child does not yet have the proper grip or control). Because it's thicker than ordinary paper, it's also good for strengthening your child's grip and control of the scissors.

(3) Draw lines on the board paper for your child to follow. Start with simple straight lines, then slanted, then curved. Practice everyday, but stop when your child says he or she is tired.

After a week of practicing on at least one board paper a day, my daughter gained confidence. Her face simply lit up when she cut her first board paper! On the fifth day, I gave her the paper exercises again and this time, she finally had the proper hand grip and was able to cut through the lines without any problems.

Another good tip I found was in teaching the proper way to hold the scissors. Teach your child to grasp the blades (when closed) within their fist. Do a simple march after the cutting exercises to help them remember the proper way of holding scissors while walking.

Lastly, make sure you are using scissors appropriate for your child's size and age!