Tag Archives: scissors

Scissors skills development is a key part of building fine motor coordination and hand strength in children. This tag offers tips, techniques, and product recommendations for therapists, educators, and parents teaching safe and effective scissor use.

Dual Control Teaching Scissors

Build Early Scissor Skills for School Success

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Build Strong Foundations with Early Scissor Practice

Early scissor skills development plays an important role in preparing children for success in preschool and kindergarten. Before students can confidently complete classroom projects, crafts, or written assignments, they need the fine motor strength, bilateral coordination, and visual-motor integration required to safely and effectively use scissors. With consistent practice and the right tools, children can build these essential skills while gaining confidence and independence.

For some learners, however, mastering the opening and closing motion of scissors can be a challenge. Children with developmental delays, motor planning difficulties, tremors, or perceptual-motor challenges often need additional support before they are ready to use conventional scissors independently.

Why Scissor Skills Matter

Learning to cut is much more than an arts and crafts activity. Cutting activities help develop:

  • Hand strength and endurance
  • Bilateral coordination between both hands
  • Visual-motor integration
  • Hand-eye coordination
  • Motor planning
  • Precision and control for handwriting readiness

Practicing these foundational skills can make classroom tasks less frustrating while promoting greater participation and independence.

A Teaching Tool Designed for Success

Dual Control Teaching Scissors

The Peta Dual Control Teaching Scissors are uniquely designed to allow an occupational therapist, teacher, or parent to guide the cutting motion while the child actively participates. Although the double loops may appear unusual at first glance, they serve an important purpose.

The double-loop design allows both the adult and the child to hold the scissors simultaneously, completing the cutting activity together. Appropriate force, hand placement, and movement can be modeled while the child experiences the correct motor pattern firsthand. Over time, repeated practice helps build muscle memory, so assistance can gradually be reduced as confidence and control improve.

These scissors are especially beneficial for children who can grasp traditional scissors but struggle with the opening and closing motion required for successful cutting.

Additional Benefits for Diverse Learners

The Peta Dual Control Teaching Scissors can also support children who have difficulty aligning the blades on a cutting line due to tremors or perceptual-motor challenges. Their thoughtful design includes:

  • A wide finger contact area for improved comfort and control
  • Loop positioning that allows therapists and teachers to assist without overstretching their hands
  • Right-handed (blue handle) and left-handed (green handle) versions to meet individual needs

Developed in close consultation with occupational therapists and tested across a variety of learning environments and age groups, these scissors have proven effective in promoting motor skills while reinforcing correct movement patterns.

Helping Children Build Independence

As children become more proficient, adult guidance can be slowly faded until they are confidently cutting on their own. This gradual release supports successful early scissor skills development while reducing frustration and encouraging positive learning experiences.

Whether you’re an occupational therapist working on fine motor goals or a parent preparing your child for school, the Dual Control Teaching Scissors provide an effective bridge between assisted learning and independent cutting.

Explore all Teaching Scissors available at Therapro and help children strengthen fine motor skills and gain confidence with every snip. For additional cutting tools and resources, visit Therapro’s Scissors category to find solutions for a variety of developmental needs.

Adapted Scissors Guide: Finding the Right Fit for Every Learner

Assistive Technology, Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, School-Based Practice, Therapist Resources, ,

When it comes to developing essential cutting skills, adapted scissors for kids can make all the difference in supporting learners with physical, cognitive, or sensory-motor challenges. Therapists, educators, and parents know that one size rarely fits all—especially when it comes to fine motor tools. At Therapro, our wide selection of adaptive scissors offers tailored options to meet diverse needs, from improving grip and control to promoting bilateral coordination. This guide compares popular adapted scissors and offers practical tips for selecting the right tool based on each child’s abilities and goals.

1. Easi-Grip Loop Scissors:

Easi-Grip Loop Scissors

Ideal for children with weak grip strength or limited dexterity, Easi-Grip Loop Scissors feature a self-opening mechanism and a continuous loop handle that automatically reopens after each cut. These are particularly effective for learners who have difficulty with standard scissor action due to conditions such as cerebral palsy or low muscle tone. Tip: Position the paper vertically to allow more shoulder stability while cutting.

2. Mounted Table Top Scissors:

For learners with severely limited hand function or the inability to grasp, Mounted Table Top Scissors can be operated with the palm, elbow, or even a fist. They stay secured to a surface and allow for one-handed use, making them an excellent choice for children recovering from surgery or those with hemiplegia. Tip: Use with a non-slip mat to ensure stability and safety during use.

Mounted Table Top Scissors

3. Dual-Controlled Training Scissors:

Dual Control Teaching Scissors

Perfect for developing scissor skills with adult support, Dual-Controlled Training Scissors allow a therapist, teacher, or parent to guide the cutting motion alongside the child. This model is ideal for beginners who need extra hand-over-hand support while learning proper finger placement and control. Tip: Use these scissors for modeling open-close sequences before transitioning to independent use.

Therapist Tips for Success:

  • Start with snipping activities using short strips of paper to build confidence.
  • Reinforce midline orientation by centering the cutting activity.
  • Combine cutting with visual-motor integration tasks to strengthen tracking and planning skills.

Selecting the right pair of adapted scissors for kids can significantly enhance a learner’s sense of independence and participation in school and home activities. Visit the Adaptive Scissors Category Page for our full selection.

By choosing the right adapted scissors and using strategic therapist-informed techniques, you empower every child to achieve cutting success—one snip at a time.

Tools for Developing Scissor Skills

Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, , ,

On September 19, 2023, Kelly Wilk-Downs, OTR/L presented Therapro’s first FREE Webinar of this school year, Cutting Made Simple. She offered a comprehensive look at the:

  • Development of scissor use
  • Selecting appropriate scissors for students
  • Prerequisite skills needed for learning to cut with scissors

This blog post comes on the heels of Kelly’s webinar; in this post we are reviewing some tools available at Therapro that are perfect for encouraging the development of scissor skills in beginner scissor users and beyond!

Cover of the book Hats Off and On to Scissors Skills a book for Developing Scissor Skills

Hats Off and On to Scissor Skills: Exclusive to Therapro is a creative publication called Hats Off and On to Scissor Skills, by
Peggy Huntley Spitz, OTR. This book consists of 25 themed hat designs that can be made for 4
progressive levels of cutting skills:

  • Straight line cutting and/or random snipping
  • Curved line cutting
  • Simple shape cutting
  • Complex shape cutting

This is a fun and unique activity book that will help you create an enjoyable project for the
developmental progression of scissor skills!

Comprehensive Scissor Assessment Kit used for Developing Scissor Skills

Comprehensive Scissor Assessment Kit: Therapro offers a variety adaptive scissors that will ensure active participation from all students
learning cutting skills, including those with limited hand function due to weakness, incoordination, and other functional limitations. Check out Therapro’s Comprehensive Scissor Assessment Kit, which includes 15 scissors of 10 different styles, plus a carry case and Manual.

Therapro carries a variety of scissors to meet the different needs of scissor users as they are progressing developmentally. Here is a sample of some of our favorite scissors.

Easi-Grip Loop Scissors for early scissor skills

Easi-Grip Loop Scissors : Easi Grip Loop Scissors are available in two sizes; the Mini Easi-Grip Loop Scissors are great for pre-school children while the standard Easi Grip Loop Scissors are made for the adult sized hand. These scissors are self opening for either right or left hand. They are operated by using pressure between the thumb and fingers or palm and fingers.

Self Opening Scissors

Self Opening Scissors : The Self Opening Scissors are available for left and right handed users. These scissors reopen automatically after hand pressure has been released.

Long Loop Scissors

Long Loop Scissors : The Long Loop Scissors are also available for left and right handed users. These scissors allow the user to use whole hand strength to operate. They also provide greater finger contact, which offers better control.

Mounted Table Top Scissors

Mounted Table Top Scissors : The Mounted Table Top Scissors offer stability with scissors attached to a base. To operate users simply depressing the large handle.

Be sure to check out all of the scissors and scissor activities available at Therapro!

Guest Blogger: Filomena Connor, MSOTR, Retired