Scissor Skills Worksheets: Free Cutting Practice Pages

Using scissors takes a lot of skills at once: opening and closing the hand, holding the paper with the other hand, and moving both together. Scissor skills worksheets give children a clear line to follow so they can practice one small step at a time.

These three free cutting practice pages move from simple lines to all five line types on one page.

What your child practices

Opening and closing scissors smoothly.
Using a helper hand to hold and turn the paper.
Following a line: straight, zigzag, wave, arches and steps.

The three cutting pages

Cutting Practice 1: a straight line, steps and arches (ages 3–4).
Cutting Practice 2: zigzags, waves, arches and steps (ages 4–5).
Cutting Practice 3: all five line types (ages 5–6).

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How to teach scissor skills

Thumb up. Show the "thumbs up" hold: thumb in the small hole, pointing up.
Snip first. Before lines, let your child just snip the edge of paper strips.
Turn the paper, not the scissors. The helper hand moves the page around curves.
Short sessions. Little hands get tired quickly. Stop after one page.

Scissor safety

Use child-safe scissors and always sit with your child while they cut. Teach them to walk with scissors closed and pointing down, and to keep fingers of the helper hand away from the blades.

For more hand-strengthening ideas, see our fine motor skills checklist.