Cutting Paper

Cutting Paper
Practical Life - Fine Motor Skills
Level	Primary
Age	2.5
Prerequisites	Handling Sharp Objects
Materials	scissors paper tray

The purpose of this activity is to teach the child how to cut paper. This activity also helps to prepare the child for other activities using scissors.

Presentations

Cutting without Lines

1. Select a piece of unlined paper to cut and place it on the tray.
2. Take the material to a mat or table.

   

3. To hold the scissors, place the thumb in the smaller of the holes in the handle, the fingers go in the larger hole.

   

4. Hold the end of the paper in the other hand. Be sure to hold the paper over the tray.

   

5. Cut a small piece off the end of the strip. Allow the piece to fall onto the tray.

   

6. Continue cutting until all of the paper strip has been cut into small pieces.

   

7. Clean up: Leave the scissors at the mat or table while you dispose of the paper. The paper pieces may either be thrown in the recycling, put in an envelope for the child to take home, or put in a bin to be used for making collages.
   Go back to get the scissors, then return the tray with the scissors to the shelf.

Cutting on Lines

Cutting on lines is more difficult that cutting paper without lines. It should be introduced only after the child is comfortable cutting paper without lines.

1. Select a piece of lined paper to cut and place it on the tray.
2. Take the material to a mat or table.

   

3. Hold the scissors in one hand and hold the end of the paper in the other. Be sure to hold the paper over the tray.

   

4. Cut on the line line farthest away from the hand holding the paper. Allow the piece to fall onto the tray.

   

5. Continue cutting on each line until all of the paper strip has been cut into small pieces.

   

6. Clean up: Leave the scissors at the mat or table while you dispose of the paper. The paper pieces may either be thrown in the recycling, put in an envelope for the child to take home, or put in a bin to be used for making collages.
   Go back to get the scissors, then return the tray with the scissors to the shelf.

Variations and Extensions

• child could cut a whole sheet of paper into long strips
• other patterns of lines could be cut

Materials

Make Your Own

• Junk mail could be pre-cut into strips for Cutting without Lines
• Notebook paper could be cut into strips for Cutting on Lines
• Printables:

Cutting Paper 1

Further Reading

• Teaching Montessori in the Home: The Pre-School Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock, page 42
• Teach Me to Do It Myself by Maja Pitamic, pages 44-45