Scissor Skills Busy Boxes!

Cutting, laminating, photo copying, lesson planning .... do you do your preparation in the school holidays?

Teachers and OTs (or an other therapists for that matter)... we have a problem!

We never quite "switch off"!

We are always looking or listening out for a great idea that we can implement with the kids we see.  Even on holidays...  I notice ramps and think about access,  I notice toys in shops and think how I could use that or I watch kids play and guess how old they are! Yep, I have a problem!

Last year we were quarantined at home during one school holidays due to illness (gastro from memory).  To make the most of this time, I made these scissor skills busy boxes! I knew that they would come in handy once the illness had passed and I was back at work!  These boxes are perfect for home, preschool or in an OT tool kit!

Yes they take  a little while to set up but they are worth it!

I sourced theseplastic boxes years ago from IKEA Australia and love that they have little compartments which can be adjusted in size.  They also have a lid making them ideal to move around from place to place!

I set up two types of boxes but you could use a combination of craft and cutting strips.  The cutting strips were made from scrapbooking paper.  This is a little thicker than normal writing paper and easier for little hands to hold and to cut (as it doesn't flop around as much and require too much stability with the non-dominant hand).

In the cutting strip box, I wanted to have a range of developmental stages including shorter strips, thicker lines, thinner lines, curves, straight lines, corners and more!  Read more about developmental stages over at MamaOT.   If you are making this box for home, you may want to consider where your child is at developmentally before starting! 

A craft box is a great way to encourage those who are just starting out with scissors! Present a range of things to cut such as straws, crepe paper, wrapping paper, tissue paper, wool, ribbon, twine, tinsel, etc! Encourage your child's creativity with some glue to stick down all the things they cut!

These scissor skills busy boxes will appeal to your child if they already interested in cutting or they love experimenting with craft supplies!

However, there are some children who are just...not..interested...in...cutting! These are the kids who are  referred to OTs because of poor fine motor skills, poor hand strength and poor postural control.  Sometimes these children have difficulty with cutting because they have not yet established a hand preference or have poor bilateral coordination (see here for more information).

Here are some tips for using the scissor skills busy boxes!

• Consider your child's stage of development. Provide cutting lines which are age-appropriate or just beyond what they can currently manage.
  
• Choose appropriate scissors for your child.  There are a wide range of scissors available! Consider your child's hand size and ability.  Some scissors provide additional help (such as the spring-loaded preschool scissors below).  There are also specific left-handed scissors available.
• Help your child to NOTICE the cutting line. Use wool, wikki stix, play dough or pipe cleaners to cover the cutting line.  Then take off the material and have your child trace the line with their finger. Help your child to be follow the visual motor cues of the line (even when it turns or curves). I love using glitter to go over the cutting line (and letting the glitter dry).  This provides a "bumpy path" for cutting and further sensory feedback for those who need it. (Read more about using glitter in therapy here).
• Emphasize "turning points".  Use stickers, stamps or even holes to help emphasize when scissors need to turn to stay "on the line".
• Stick it down!  Whether your child is cutting out lines or craft material, turn this into something tangible for your child.  Help them to make a crooked road, cages for zoo animals, design a city or some other fabulous work of art.  Giving your child's scissor skill practice a purpose will be more rewarding for your child than just cutting out various lines for the sake of up-skilling their scissor skills. This will also encourage imagination and play!
• Be on hand to help. You could use these "busy boxes" to keep your child entertain themselves happily snipping and cutting.  If your child is not so keen or is just starting out, be on hand to help.  Your child may need help to open and close the scissors.  They may need help to stabilise the item being cut.  They may need help to use both hand simultaneously. They may need help to turn the page.  They may need help to keep going and persevere with something they find difficult.

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who has trouble "switching off"! Perhaps this is a subconscious reason I started this blog, so that I could record ideas and observations!

Have you got a "busy box" for scissor skill practice? What have you included in your box?

For more great ideas, tips and neat tricks to help your child develop scissor skills... watch this space! The Functional Skills for Kids Team (that includes me) are working on our next e-book just on scissor skills! "The Scissor Skills book" will be launched very soon! I will be sure to tell you about our launch specials if you are subscribed to receive the YKOT e-newsletter (thank you to those who are already subscribed).