Scissor Skills By Age 2-3 Years

If you are wondering what is the best time to start practising the use of scissors, the time is now. When your toddler can hold and manipulate toys, they are ready to start holding and using scissors. It will strengthen the muscles needed for holding the pencil or for playing an instrument.

When using scissors we don’t put much thought into each step. But for toddlers, it’s a totally different story. They have to think about how to hold, open or close scissors and finally how to cut with them. It helps their development on so many levels. 

If you wish to learn more about the importance of developing fine motor skills, read all about it here.

Toddler Scissor Skills Development

24 – 27 Months

Your toddler learns how scissors work and what are they used for. The usage of both hands by opening and closing the scissors at that age is perfectly fine. After all, starting something new is always difficult. 

28 – 30 Months

Your toddler will start using scissors with one hand, but still won’t be able to cut paper. Maybe playdough or a lump of clay would be better of a choice for cutting at that age.

31 – 33 Months

At this age, your toddler will be able to snip paper with scissors. The coordinate usage of both hands won’t be as developed yet and you will probably need to hold the paper for your toddler while they make their first cuts on paper.

34 – 36 Months

The bilateral coordination is better developed and your toddler can use one hand to insert the paper in scissors and cut the paper with the other hand. 

If you wish to know more about bilateral coordination read it in one of our previous blog posts.

Practice fine motor skills with your child every day to help them achieve better scissor skills…it’s preparation for future challenges. 

Next time we will be talking about scissor skills at the age of 3-4 years.

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