Making and creating, cutting and gluing are all great fun and part of every child's creative journey - it is important to encourage them to have the confident to use the tools we have available rather than teaching them to be afraid of the tools.  Scissors are an important tool to master, but should be used with caution. So, by teaching them how to use the scissors from early on, they will be able to cut and create safely without being fearful of accidents due to misuse.

Here are a few tips!

• Explain that scissors are useful but need to be used carefully.  If not, they will be taken away.
• Scissors are sharp and are used for paper only (and not their hair or skirts or reading books!)
• No one must ever run with scissors or even walk about when using them.  Cut when sitting at a table.
• Always use children's scissors with them.
• Store scissors downwards in a safe place out of reach.
• Remind children of the rules each time you get the scissors out.  See if they can prompt you!
• Don't ever play with scissors - they are a craft tool and not for playing.
• Discourage children from walking with scissors in their hands, but when they must, make sure they hold them correctly: grasp them by the closed blades with the blades towards the floor.
• Always supervise.
• Always cut at a table so you can see that they are doing and they are encouraged to sit down.

Have fun - and be safe!

Learning to use scissors is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Just like learning to use cutlery or learning how to walk, the children need to be given guidelines to help them, rules to make sure they are safe and plenty of practice to get it right!

Here are some scissor activities to get them trying it out!

1. Holding the scissors - Show them where to put their fingers and how to operate them so they snip. Practice with of strips of paper or old wrapping paper: something easy to cut. Use all the snippings to make a picture!
2. Cutting in straight lines - Take some strips of paper about 8cm wide and see if your child can snip down the middle to make two smaller strips! Then snip the strips horizontally so you end up with lots of little square shapes. Then, snip the strips diagonally so you get a feathery effect.
3. Draw some curved shapes on some small pieces of paper and see if your child can follow the lies to make curve shapes. Glue them together, add some googley eyes and features to make a funny-shaped monster!
4. Shapes - Draw a Square, Circle, Triangle and Diamond on some paper and see if they can cut the shapes out! Colour the shapes and make a shape picture!

Although scissors are a very grown-up tool, there's no reason why you shouldn't introduce your children to using them; safe use of scissors teaches many beneficial lessons to your growing child. Show your child how to hold scissors properly, and practice cutting different materials such as card, drinking straws and other craft materials. The use of scissors helps to develop the muscles that your children use to grasp a pencil. Teach your children how to walk (never run!) safely with scissors - the best technique is to hold them by the closed blades in their fist, pointing downwards. That way they won't poke anyone or anything they pass! Take a look at our featured products showing child safety scissors that are available from Amazon - safety scissors are plastic pairs that won't cut your children's hands! They sometimes don't cut paper either, but they are great on stiffer paper, thin card and playdough or plasticine and offer a great way for children to learn the responsibility of using scissors in a safe manner.