Most classrooms have an abundance of student artwork that needs to be recycled throughout the year. Instead of filling up the waste basket or recycling bin with it, consider placing it in a “cutting try” for scissor skills practice!

Supplies for an Artwork Cutting Tray:

• Artwork to recycle
• Tray to contain everything
• Different types of preschool scissors

There are lots of scissors to choose from. Here is my guide on introducing the best scissors to preschoolers.

I would recommend having several different types of preschool scissors available with this cutting tray. This will give kids a chance to experiment and find a pair that feels comfortable in their hands while they are practicing cutting.

• Always make sure to supervise students while they are using scissors. This is not an activity you want to let them work on independently. 

Practicing Scissor Skills with Recycled Art

The artwork in our tray contained several different types of art. There was process art with randomly placed brush strokes across the paper, coloring book pages, and leftover art from our Green Eggs and Ham painting.

When I offer this type of cutting exercise to my kids, I don’t give much direction. I let them choose their scissors and whichever artwork they’d like to practice with. They can choose to follow the lines of the art, cut through the paintings, snip around pictures of coloring pages, etc. There are really so many ways kids can practice cutting using recycled artwork!

I love how easy it is to update this cutting tray as often as needed. It allows teachers to keep the activity fresh and inviting every time students go to it!

Need some more fine motor practice? Here is a fine motor activity that supports children who aren’t quite ready for scissors as well as children who are proficient with scissors.

Looking for a scissor skills activity with a little more structure? Try these Butterfly Printables (these are not only great for scissor skills, but for several other preschool activities as well!)

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Clarissa Hooper

Writer at Munchkins and Moms

Clarissa is a former elementary teacher turned homeschool mom and blogger at Munchkins and Moms. She loves to share creative preschool activities that are both playful and educational. Don’t forget to follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for more inspiration!

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