Small Muscle Movement and Dexterity

Snipping With Scissors! Ways to Support Your Child's Scissor-Using Skills

The ability to use scissors shows a degree of a child's fine motor development. The use of scissors involves a skill called hand separation, which is the ability to use different fingers in the hand separately. In the case of scissors, this comes into play in the opening and shutting motion needed to cut properly. The motion also exercises your child's grip and is a great way to practice hand-eye coordination, as your child uses the scissors to cut out a shape or cut along a line. Initially, he may only be able to snip at the ends of paper. As his skills grow, however, he will be able to cut through the entire piece of paper, cut out shapes, or cut along a line.

Has your child achieved the following Small Muscle Movement and Dexterity developmental milestones yet? If yes, check off all of the skill(s) he has already mastered to date.