Scissors - Page 25 of 43

Card Flipper Launch

Steps:

Hold the index card firmly with your helper hand. Cut 3 short, narrow slits across the center of the card using scissors. Keep the slits straight and tight.
Take a craft stick (the lever). Carefully push the stick through all three narrow slits. The stick should bend the card into a slight spring shape.
Set the lever structure down flat on the table. Place a bead onto the end of the craft stick using your thumb and pointer finger (pincer control).
Hold the index card base steady with your helper hand. Use one finger from your dominant hand to press the craft stick down slightly. Quickly release it to launch the bead toward the container target.

Safety Tip:
Beads are very small and pose a significant choking hazard. Close adult supervision is required throughout the entire activity. Ensure all small materials are collected and stored safely after play.

Foam Sheet Architect

Steps:

Use the markers to draw several simple shapes (squares or triangles) onto the Foam Sheets.
Use child-safe scissors to cut out the foam shapes. Hold the foam steady with your helper hand while cutting along the lines.
Choose two cut foam shapes. Hold them together firmly at the edge where you want to connect them.
Pick up one Golf Ball Tee. Push the pointy end through the edges of both foam shapes to connect them firmly. The tee acts as a sturdy connector.
Continue connecting shapes with tees until you have built a free-standing structure, like a tower or cube. Try to make your structure as tall as possible!

Safety Tip:
Golf tees have sharp points. Always supervise the child closely. Ensure all tees are collected immediately after play.

Slot Stuff Hedgehog

Steps:

Adult Prep: Use scissors to cut 8 to 10 short, narrow slits across the surface of the paper roll. These are the spine holes.
Decorate the roll using markers to give your hedgehog a cute face and body.
Tear the construction paper into many long, thin strips. Tearing wakes up finger and hand muscles.
Pick up the paper roll with your helper hand to keep it steady on the table.
Stuff one end of a paper strip into a spine hole using your dominant hand fingers.
Use a craft stick to gently push the paper strip completely inside the narrow slot. This requires precise force.
Continue stuffing paper spines into all the slots until your hedgehog is fully covered in soft spikes!

Safety Tip:
Adults must perform the scissor cutting for the narrow slots. Supervise closely to ensure small pieces of torn paper are not put in the mouth.

Fence Post Push

Steps:

Adult Prep: Use the scissors to cut several narrow, short slots (about 1-inch long) across the surface of the cardboard. Keep the slots tight to add resistance.
Set up the area by standing the cardboard vertically on a table. Place the craft sticks in the container next to the cardboard barrier.
Show your child how to use their ‘helper hand’ to hold and stabilize the cardboard fence, keeping it perfectly steady.
Using the working hand, pick up one craft stick at a time. Aim the stick at a slot and use a strong, controlled push to insert it through the cardboard.
Encourage your child to continue inserting sticks until the entire cardboard is full of colorful fence posts. Try pushing sticks into slots placed at different heights.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required during the preparation phase when using scissors. Ensure the child sits stably at the table while performing the pushing action.

Cardboard Link Structures

Steps:

Use markers to draw several long strips (about 1 inch wide) onto a piece of firm cardboard. Draw a few simple shapes like squares or circles, too.
Encourage your child to use child-safe scissors to carefully cut along the marker lines. Cutting the thick cardboard requires a strong grasp and finger effort!
Adult Step: Take the cardboard strips and shapes. Cut 2-3 short, narrow slits (about 1/2 inch deep) into the edges of each piece. Ensure the slits are slightly wider than the cardboard thickness.
Challenge your child to connect the cardboard pieces by sliding the slits into each other. The goal is to build a tall, unique, free-standing structure by linking all the pieces.
Encourage your child to use one hand to hold the structure steady while the other hand works to push and maneuver the joining pieces into place.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required during all cutting phases. For children under 5, ensure all small cardboard scraps are immediately collected and discarded, as they may pose a choking hazard.