Having trouble cutting?

How can I strengthen my child's hands and teach two handed coordination?

• warm-up prior to cutting with playdough or an exercise ball
• work on targeting pincer strength and the open-shut motion needed for cutting by using tongs or children's chopsticks, he can sort pieces of cereal into bowls while you're cooking dinner
• play with things that require both hands, like nuts and bolts, stretching rubber bands around an upside-down cup, wind-up toys, kaleidoscopes, stringing beads, lacing cards (make your own by punching holes in index cards and using a shoelace)

How should I approach cutting?

• try cutting snips off a thin strip of paper first, then cutting across wider strips
• then try cutting lines, curves, and shapes, reminding them to turn the paper with the opposite hand
• provide a verbal cue of "op-en, shut, them" to pace your child
• make a special box of random items like tin foil, wax paper, string, anything that's fun to cut
• draw thick marker lines around pictures in those toy catalogs that will be coming out soon

My child is really having trouble, what kinds of adaptive scissors are out there?

Pocketful of Therapy carries a wide range of products and many types of adaptive scissors.  There are loop scissors for a child with a gross grasp, but little dexterity, self-opening scissors, tiny scissors, and even ones with extra holes for adult fingers to slide in behind the child's to help them learn to cut.  Adaptive Products carries adaptive scissors, including table top mounted ones and ones that are battery operated.  They also carry a range of workbooks with specific cutting activities.  Happy cutting!

Pocketful of Therapy - Scissors for Children
Achievement Products - Adaptive Scissors