Preschoolers will enjoy twirling in hula skirts. Ask each child to bring in a brown paper grocery bag. Cut a slit down one side of the bag, then cut off the bottom of the bag so you can spread it out in one flat sheet. Draw lines up the bag. The lines should be an inch apart and stop about two inches from the top of the bag. Have children cut up the lines to create fringe. Wrap each child's skirt around his waist and staple the edges of the waistband together.
Cutting play dough is harder than cutting paper, so this activity helps children strengthen their hand muscles. Spread out dough on a table and pass out scissors. Let children experiment with cutting the dough into pieces, then ask children to cut specific shapes out of the dough. For instance, challenge preschoolers to cut out squares or circles. When you're done, wash and dry the scissors immediately to prevent the dough from hardening onto them. Store the play dough in a sealed plastic bag to save it for another day.
Draw a variety of shapes on a piece of paper and make copies for every child. Have children first identify all the shapes, then cut them out. Once they've cut out the pieces, ask preschoolers to experiment to see how many other shapes they can form with the pieces. For instance, they can put two squares together to make a rectangle. You can also challenge children to make objects such as cars or rocket ships out of their shapes.
Give preschoolers cutting practice and teach them about books by having them make their own. Divide a piece of paper into four sections by drawing a horizontal and vertical line through it and make a copy for each child. Have children cut down the lines to make four smaller pages, then staple them together into a book. Children can make books about the four seasons, their favorite foods or the lessons you've been discussing that week. Pass out magazines. Children can cut out pictures that relate to the subject of the book they're making, then glue the pictures into the book.