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!

Have you noticed that branded toys always come at a premium, for example a non-branded colouring book is just that little bit cheaper than one with all your little one's favorite TV characters? Well, todays tip is all about creating that branded craft for less...almost for free in fact!

When you're next out shopping, look for the free brochures and catalogues that stores put out.  Go into travel shops and pick up brochures for Disney vacations and any other themed holidays they might have.  You now have a terrific source of images to work with, many of which will include pictures of merchandise with your baby's favourite TV characters on!

Cut out a selection of pictures, and now you're ready to create!  Here are just a few ideas for what you can make:-

• Create a collage with all your favorite characters going about their business
• Mount characters onto cardboard, cut around them and stick them onto straws, you now have fun puppets to put on a show with!
• Make a birthday card for the next member of the family or a friend with a birthday coming up
• Have older children copy pictures of their favourite characters and create their own original artwork
• Take a shoe box or similar, stick characters all over and when they are dry, apply a layer of varnish - this makes a perfect stationary box for all their pens
• Make a paper chain with looks of plain paper, then stick a character to each link to create a themed room decoration
• Punch a hole at the top of several cardboard mounted characters and thread them onto string - this could make a room decoration, or for older children, create a pendant

You'll think of so many ways to bring your characters alive whilst avoiding the premium price associated with most branded goods!