SNIP SNIP! {Early Learning Opportunities with Scissors}

This week it's been all about SCISSOR skills and activities over at Early Learning 101 on Instagram. If you don't follow them already you really should! Each week there is a different early learning theme to inspire your week of activities, and the hashtag #earlylearning101 has heaps of great inspo! Lucky me this week I was asked by the hosts Nichole (You Clever Monkey) and Amy (Playful Learning Co) to be their guest judge - so of course this got me thinking as to how I could put some more scissor skill practise into my week with Miss M (and I looked back through some old blog posts and photos as well to find some more ideas to share!).

Play dough is a great way to start with a toddler developing their scissor skills. Easy to use plastic scissors cut through the squishy play dough with ease. Roll out skinny worms to cut, or play hair dresser like Miss M is here!

These scoopy scissors are a great addition to sensory play experiences - rainbow rice, pom poms or even water beads can be scooped up and transferred from tub to container and back again! You can get them from Brianna at The Creative Toy Shop :)

Miss M and I worked together this a cut and paste collage picture. Admittedly it ended up being more her directing and me cutting (and her pasting) - but it was lots of fun. We used shiny paper, curly scissors and cut up squares of her old toddler paintings.

Peekaboo! Isn't this just the most fun way to use scissors? And so exciting when they open it up to reveal the patterns that the scissors created.

A spin on the usual 'invitation to play' is an 'invitation to cut'! I presented Miss M with a variety of materials such a wool, paper and straws as well as scissors and glue to experiment, practise and create. I also found that corrugated cardboard is a great way to practise cutting using the lines as a guide.

I'm a big fan of paint chips - we use them for lots of different things (you may have seen our Christmas trees over on Instagram). This gave me the idea that they'd be great for cutting practise as well as children can cut along the lines.

There are some fantastic printables to assist with cutting practise as well! Spirals are a great way to go or cut long the different patterned lines as a guide.

Now I'd love to share the four winner of this week's Early Learning 101 scissor challenge!

• @funwithmama set up a fun cutting station
• @baby_grays_adventures used scissors to snip santa's beard
• @teachingjandg visited the Christmas tree farm and practised cutting down their own trees
• @lnnally created these beautiful flowers with scissor snipped petals

Last up I've got a teacher "hack" to share! You know when you have a worksheet which involves some sort of cutting and pasting? I use the guillotine to trim off the section that requires the cutting - and neaten it up around the edges which makes cutting a lot easier and leaves no mess behind!

Looking forward to finding out what the next Early Learning 101 theme will be and being inspired again for another week by our beautiful Instagram community.

Lauren xx