A lot of the stuff we throw away during the holidays are things kids can cut to develop their fine motor skills. I mean does anyone actually use ALL of the wrapping paper that comes on the roll? (If you do, please don’t tell me. That’ll make me feel bad.) Save the paper plates and napkins you didn’t end up using. Gather up some leaves and pine needles. Yarn, feathers, straws, cards, ribbons, tinsel, bows, tissue paper … it all works! Even the tiniest scraps of wrapping paper will do!
And if you have old, worn out holiday clothing (like gloves with holes in the fingers), add them to the scissor bin too. Different materials will help children adjust their strength and coordination while cutting.
👉 TIP: Don’t spend money building your bins. Ask your students’ parents to save their unused holiday items as well. They can donate their leftovers to your classroom and you’ll have tons of stuff for scissor bins in no time!
Happy teaching!
