Using scissors looks easy when you watch an older child do it, but for a young child it is actually a pretty demanding skill. They have to open and close the scissors with one hand, keep the other hand working with the paper, and use their eyes to follow the line they are trying to cut.
Typical Progression
● 2–3 years: snipping, opening and closing scissors with support
● 3–4 years: cutting across a straight line
● 4–5 years: cutting along curved lines and simple shapes
● 5+ years: cutting out complex shapes accurately
Scissor skills develop after, not before, general hand strength and bilateral coordination. If your child struggles with scissors, it's often worth building those foundational skills first.
What Helps
● Start with child-safe, spring-loaded scissors, which are easier for little hands to operate
● Let your child practice on thick paper or playdough strips before moving on to ordinary paper
● Start with simple snipping games, such as making little cuts along the edge of paper, before expecting your child to follow a full line
● Add hand-strengthening games to the practice, such as squeezing sponges or using tweezers
When It's Worth an Evaluation
If your child is still having a lot of difficulty with scissors after age 5, their hand gets tired very quickly, or they avoid cutting activities altogether, it may be worth finding out what is making the skill difficult.
An occupational therapist can break cutting down into smaller steps and check whether hand strength, coordination, or another underlying skill is getting in the way.