Growing Newspaper Tree

Play time:
15 to 20 minutes
Setup:
None
Where:
Floor
Growing Newspaper Tree

Why it helps

This activity is a great way for your child to practice using scissors and coordinating their hands. Making the tree requires them to roll paper and then carefully snip it. This builds hand strength and helps them learn how to plan a project from start to finish. Watching the tree grow as they pull the paper out is a magical reward for their hard work!

Steps

  • Take two large sheets of newspaper and lay them flat on the floor.
  • Overlap the edges slightly and use a piece of masking tape to hold them together.
  • Start at one end and roll the newspaper up into a very long, tight tube.
  • Wrap another piece of tape around the bottom of the tube to keep it from unrolling.
  • Hold the tube steady with one hand and use your scissors to cut four long slits from the top down to the middle.
  • Reach into the center of the tube and gently pull the paper upward.
  • Watch as your tree grows taller and taller as you pull the strips out!
  • Use your hands to fluff out the paper branches to finish your tree.

Safety tip: Always supervise your child while they are using scissors to keep them safe.

Make it easier

  • Roll the tube a little looser, about as wide as a paper towel roll, so the middle pulls up more easily.
  • Cut the first inch of each slit yourself so your child only has to keep the cut going.
  • Use one sheet of newspaper for a shorter tree with fewer layers to cut.

Make it harder

  • Cut six or eight slits instead of four for a bushier tree.
  • Roll three sheets together for a taller tree, which takes more hand strength to cut.
  • Measure how tall the tree grows, then try to grow a taller one.

What to watch for

  • Notice how the helper hand holds the tube. Turning it so each new slit faces the scissors makes cutting easier.
  • Watch whether your child opens the scissors wide for long cuts or takes tiny snips. Long, steady cuts work better through thick paper.
  • If newspaper ink on the hands bothers your child, offer thin gloves or keep a wipe nearby.

Where this helps in daily life

Rolling paper tightly and cutting through thick layers use the same hand strength and two-handed control kids need to roll up a poster, cut thick paper for school projects, and twist open a tight lid.

These activities are for home practice and don't replace the guidance of a licensed therapist.

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