Yesterday’s class we did a not-so-original, but successful Eric Carle cutting project, great for 3-5’s, even older 2’s. What I like most about using this author/illustrator is the multiple-step learning that offers longer-term planning and construction, outside of learning to hold scissors properly. 2-3 year olds (if you’ve noticed) will turn their wrists to cut, with the thumb down. This is because they have not built the very same muscles we all use to text and compute! (Mine hurt.)
Try “Thumbs up” and “The alligator eats AWAY from you!” when they turn their hands downward. To keep the scissors going away from the body, use songs like, “Open, Shut them” to help the very little ones. For older, say, “Shake my hand” and place the scissors in theirs, with the thumb hole on the top. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition!
