Montessori Activity: Cutting with Scissors with Kumon My First Book of Cutting - Part 1

Age: 2.5 years old

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Materials:

1. 1 pair of kid's scissors
2. A page from Kumon My First Book of Cutting Lesson 1

Directions:

1. Tell your child that the mommy and child in the page is going to the store.

2. Demonstrate by using the scissors to cut along the path line leading to the store.

3. Invite your child to try.

Additional Information:

J has not shown much interest in cutting activities, after the initial novelty with french beans, spring onions, etc. However, today, he (2Y5M27D) picked the Montessori tray with cutting activity. Perhaps it is the timing - he is now developmentally ready, he really took off with cutting using "Kumon My First Book of Cutting".

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He likes the idea of the picture of the boy and dad and the girl and mom going to the store. The cutting line leads to the store, and the scissors "brings" them there. He was very focused and tried his best with cutting. He wanted to continue practising and when it is time to stop, he asked to practise it again tomorrow!! This has never happened to his past cutting activities.

J could not cut in straight line right now, but he could cut in a straight direction following the path leading to the "store" on the picture. I am amazed at the progress he made with cutting. There seemed to be a growth spurt today.

The Kumon method was developed by a Japanese parent and teacher named Toru Kumon some 50 years ago to help his son do better in school. He created a series of short fun, simple and attractive activity lessons that his son could complete successfully in approx. 20 minutes a day. Because each lesson was just a bit more challenging than the last, Takeshi was able to master the skills and gain confidence to keep advancing. Apparently his method was so successful that his son was able to do calculus by the time he was in 6th grade.