--- title: Development of Cutting Skills description: Help your child develop essential cutting skills with fun activities and tips to improve fine motor coordination, bilateral coordination, and visual motor integration. image: https://www.starfishtherapies.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1749-3.jpg --- [Try Alphabet Yoga Cards for Free \>\>](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/download/free-yoga) - [650-638-9142](tel:650-638-9142) - [admin@starfishtherapies.com](mailto:{{item.email}}) - [Contact Us](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/contact-us) - Get Started - [Plan of Care Evaluation](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/consult/plan-of-care) - [Telehealth Consult](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/consult/telehealth) - [New Patient Forms](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/intake-form) [![StarfishLogo@2x](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20images/StarfishLogo@2x.png?width=544&height=112&name=StarfishLogo@2x.png "StarfishLogo@2x")](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/) - [Therapy Services](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services) Show submenu for Therapy Services - [Physical Therapy](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/physical-therapy) - [Occupational Therapy](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/occupational-therapy) - [Motor Smart Kids](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/motor-smart-kids) - [Gross Motor Program](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/gross-motor-program) - For Parents Show submenu for For Parents - [Free Resources](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/starfishresources) - [Blog & Articles](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/blog) - [Shop Games & Tools](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/shop) - [FAQs](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/faq) - [Free Yoga Cards](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/resource/alphabet-yoga-cards) - [About Us](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/about/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Our Team](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/our-team) - [Our Mission & Values](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/about/mission-values) - [Why Choose Us?](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/our-team#why) [Contact Click to Contact](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/contact-us) Close - [Therapy Services](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services) Show submenu for Therapy Services - [Physical Therapy](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/physical-therapy) - [Occupational Therapy](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/occupational-therapy) - [Motor Smart Kids](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/motor-smart-kids) - [Gross Motor Program](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/services/gross-motor-program) - For Parents Show submenu for For Parents - [Free Resources](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/starfishresources) - [Blog & Articles](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/blog) - [Shop Games & Tools](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/shop) - [FAQs](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/faq) - [Free Yoga Cards](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/resource/alphabet-yoga-cards) - [About Us](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/about/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Our Team](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/our-team) - [Our Mission & Values](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/about/mission-values) - [Why Choose Us?](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/our-team#why) - [Contact Us](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/contact-us) - Get Started - [Plan of Care Evaluation](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/consult/plan-of-care) - [Telehealth Consult](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/consult/telehealth) - [New Patient Forms](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/intake-form) - [650-638-9142](tel:650-638-9142) - [admin@starfishtherapies.com](mailto:{{item.email}}) [Contact](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. [\< See All Posts](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/blog) --- # Development of Cutting Skills ![blog-post-featured-image](https://www.starfishtherapies.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1749-3.jpg) Cutting is a skill that kids need for school and other activities. It is an important fine motor skill that kids can often be behind on because of lack of exposure. Cutting combines several skills including fine motor coordination, bilateral coordination, and visual motor integration. Cutting can be challenging for many of our kids and requires a certain amount of fine motor strength. To begin your child’s interest in cutting you can start with tearing. Tearing pieces of paper to make a collage or glued on to an animal picture is a fun way to introduce paper cutting. As your child begins to have interest in scissors you can introduce snipping with the [toddler scissors](https://amzn.to/4arawb5) to create fringe on paper. You can also let your child explore with [plastic scissors](https://amzn.to/3ISZDTY) on play doh to increase their hand strength and help them explore scissors use safely. As your child’s scissor skills develop, they will be able to cut straight lines while holding the paper with their opposite hand. If your child is having challenges with using standard scissors, [loop scissors](https://amzn.to/3TtnluN) may be a helpful option, they require less grip strength. As your child’s scissors and fine motor skills develop, they will be able to explore cutting various shapes starting with a circle and then progressing to squares, triangles, and other complex shapes. A child should begin snipping paper between 2 to 2.5 years, cut a 6-inch line at 3 to 3.5 years old, cut a 6” circle at 4 years old, and cut complex shapes between 5 and 6 years of age. Encourage your child to use their opposite hand to turn paper while they cut to improve accuracy with cutting. Cutting can be a challenging task for kids so making cutting activities fun can help improve their skills and interest. You can try patterned scissors and cutting different types of materials to make cutting more exciting.   Our [resource page](https://starfishtherapies.com/starfishresources/?ppwp=1) has some straight line cutting activities for free for your little one! 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