life skills emotions · Ages 3-5

I Could Not Make the Scissors Go

A child struggles with safe cutting, practices opening and closing slowly, and celebrates one small snip.

The whole story

1. On Saturday morning, Maya held the scissors above the orange paper.

2. Maya squeezed and squeezed, but the blades stayed closed.

3. Maya put the scissors down and rested her hands in her lap.

4. Maya picked them up and opened the handles slowly.

5. Then Maya closed them slowly, keeping her fingers safe.

6. Open, close, open, close—Maya practiced slowly.

7. Maya tried again and placed the paper between the blades.

8. The blades closed, and one small snip appeared.

9. Maya held up the tiny cut and smiled. She had made one snip.

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