Draw lines on a piece of paper for the child to cut out. Some lines should be straight, others curved and still others can be zigzag. Learning to cut along different paths is an important part of learning how to cut properly and easily. Use different colored paper so the child doesn't get too bored with the same activity. When the child is finished with his pages, praise the cutting work and handling of the scissors. Offer stickers to emphasize the praise.
Papier mache involves long strips of newsprint. Although you can simply tear the paper, use it as an opportunity to practice scissor skills. Give the child a stack of newspaper and show him how to cut the paper. Give him plenty of time to cut out the paper. Help cut some, if you need large amounts. Once the cutting is complete, make the papier mache paste and create something with it.
A collage is a collection of different things put together to form something new. Paper collages are simple for children to make. Construction paper, scrapbook paper, tissue paper and newspaper are perfect mediums for young artists. For young children, draw an outline of a person, animal or thing from nature. Instruct the children to cut the paper into small pieces. Once a good amount has been cut, show the children how to glue the small pieces to the outline, filling it in completely.
On a piece of paper, draw several different shapes. You can stick with circles, squares and triangles, or make simple shapes like people or fish. Have the children color them, then cut out the shapes. This not only helps them practice scissor skills, but holding a crayon and coloring as well. Once the shapes are cut out, have the children glue them to another piece of paper. You can draw a fish tank around all of the fish or put a house behind the people outlines. If you draw the shapes large enough, the children can use scraps of paper to decorate them like a collage.