Cutting - Page 16 of 17

Finger Twister

Use scissors, markers and paper to create a miniature “twister” board (3-4 rows of 3 colored dots).

Instruct the child on which finger to put on which colors (ex: pointer finger on blue dot, pinkie finger on green dot).

Having child make their own board to take home can address cutting, coloring and visual motor skills.

You can modify the activity for grading to incorporate many other skills you are working on (ex: have child draw different shapes instead of just colored circles, or use letters instead of circles)

Big Tac Toe

Help the child cut 4 equal pieces of masking tape. Each piece should be about 3 feet long.

Use the masking tape pieces to make a large tic tac toe board on the floor.

Use the construction paper to cut shapes (each player should have his own shape). You will need 5 pieces of each shape. Let the child help you with a cutting of the shapes.

If working on writing skills, each player can write his name on his shapes.

Instruct the child to lay prone next to the tic tac toe board.

Using the pieces you cut, play the tic tac toe game by placing the pieces while keeping your body prone and reaching with your arms out to place the pieces on the board (i.e. crossing midline).

For grading: instead of writing your name on each shape, you can write your initials or any other word as appropriate.

Sunflower Handprint

Let the child cut the following pieces:
– 4-inch circle out of brown or black construction paper
– Stem (12-inch by 3-inch rectangle) and leaves out of green construction paper.

Use a large construction paper as the background and glue the stem from the bottom up. Glue the leaves to the stem.

Paint the child’s palms with yellow paint and instruct him to print his palms on the top part of the paper to form the flower petals.

Glue the 4-inch brown/black circle in the middle of the palm prints.

Busy Bee

Use an A4 (standard size) yellow construction paper and ask the child to fold the paper in the middle lengthwise.

Using child scissors, ask the child to cut the folded construction paper along the fold middle line creating 2 long yellow rectangles.

Demonstrate to the child using one yellow rectangle how to roll it into a cylinder shape. Staple the edges.

Ask the child to do the same using the other yellow rectangle he cut.

If needed, assist the child using the stapler to staple the edges.

Staple both yellow cylinders together.

Use black construction paper and ask the child to cut five 1/2 inch by 4-inch stripes. Glue three stripes to the bee’s body and use the other two stripes for the antennas.

Using white tissue paper or a paper towel, make a bow shape out of 3 inches by 6-inch rectangle. Glue or staple the blow to form the wings.

Use the markers or pom poms for the bee’s eyes and mouth.

Paper Fish

Prepare Ahead:
– Trace a triangle shape from the edge of the paper plate towards the middle part of the plate.
– On the construction paper, draw 2 ovals and one triangle.

If the child you work with has higher skills and can trace the shapes, let him complete this step independently.

Ask the child to first cut out all the shapes from the construction paper and the triangle on the paper plate. the triangle on the paper plate will be the mouth.

Once the shapes are cut out, ask the child to use the triangle as the tail and glue it on the back of the paper plate, on the opposite side of the mouth. Then, use the ovals as the fins and glue one oval at the top and one at the bottom.

Instruct the child to glue the pom-pom as the eye (wiggle eyes or buttons can also be used).

Use the crayons/markers/stickers to decorate the fish.

You can also provide the child with some blue and green construction paper to create an ocean scene