Cutting Activities for Preschoolers with Autism

Cutting activities for preschoolers If you are looking to build pincer grasp, these pincer grasp activities will help. If you are searching for autism activities, including cutting activities and activities that build fine motor skills, you will love the Autism Activities Workbook Bundle!

Cutting activities for preschoolers – when should children with autism learn cutting skills?

In order to be able to teach cutting skills, it is essential to make sure that your little one has the hand strength necessary to hold and control scissors.

It is also important to make sure that your child doesn’t have violent or out of control behavior that can make using scissors dangerous for them or for others at home or in the classroom before working on scissor skills development.

Finally, it is essential that your little learner show some interest in cutting so that cutting activities are positive and rewarding activities you can do together.

How to get autistic kids excited about cutting?

We always want to make sure we are following out child’s or students’ interests when teaching.

The best way to do this with children on the autism spectrum is by following their specific interests to get them excited about cutting.

Does your little student love trains? Have them cut out images of trains or maps or something related to their area of interest.

Cutting activities for preschoolers with autism

Free Printables on SLH

Love Bug Printable Scissor Practice activity
Hearts Cutting Worksheet
Spring Cutting Practice
Winter Cutting Practice

Cutting paper

Strips of paper – cut paper into strips and have your little one cut the strips in two.
Paper from the recycling bin – collect paper from the recycling bin to cut up.
Newspapers – old newspapers are fun to cut to bits.
Magazines – have your little one cut up magazines randomly or cut out specific images, such as all the people, all the boats, all the trees, etc.
Cupcake liners – have your little ones cut along the lines of cupcake liners.
Coffee filters – these have a fun and interesting texture that makes cutting more fun.
Toilet paper – toilet paper is quite thin so better for a more advance cutter. Bonus points for cutting up the toilet paper roll as well!
Cardboard – cardboard is stiff, perfect for beginning learners.
Wax paper – a simple sensory material to learn cutting skills.
Napkins – make this even more fun by cutting out the designs on the napkins.
Paper towel – paper towel often has fun designs to cut out too!
Cereal boxes – keep cereal boxes for scissor practice.

Cutting sensory materials

Pipe cleaners – fuzzy and fun, perfect for working on scissor skills.
Play dough – play dough is easy to cut making it a great item to use a beginner.
Slime – everyone loves slime!
Feathers – feathers can be fun to cut too.

Cutting food

Make sure scissors are clean if you are planning to eat the food your little one cuts up. This can be part of a fun cooking activity too!

Celery
Herbs
Strawberries
Twizzlers
Cheese
Bread
Fruit roll-ups

Cutting items found in nature

Grass
Flowers
Leaves
Small branches

More cutting activities for preschoolers

Bubble wrap – cut through the bubbles or cut around the bubbles.

Seasonal activities

Fall Cutting Activities (6+ of our favorite Fall cutting activities)
Summer Themed Cutting Activities

More Autism Resources

The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
Fall Autism Activities Bundle – a collection of Fall themed printable autism activities to help you build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors.
Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!