Cutting made easier (Special Education Handi-squeeze Scissors)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Special Education Handi-squeeze Scissors
Date:	19/08/08 (206 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good for those with poor hand control

Disadvantages: none

While strictly not a toy I put these here because I use them at school and I could not think what other category to put them in.

Learning how to use scissors for any child is difficult.
Its even harder lf you have some kind of special needs an inability to grasp or use your fingers. You need good arm and wrist control also good finer motor skills, an ability to grasp and release the scissors to coordinate hand and eye. Several of my students have problems which make them unable to use standard scissors and people with arthritis or thumb injuries have problems using scissors too.

At work we have several pairs of easy to use scissors, hand squeeze ones like the ones in the picture.
Basically hand squeeze scissors are scissor blades with a soft loop handle

How to use squeeze scissors.
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First sit on a chair in a good position and have the item to cut on a table in front of you. Place the loop handle in the palm of one hand blades pointing outwards by thumb and first finger. Make hand into a fist put the item to be cut in position and then squeeze the scissors making sure blades meet. This will cut the paper /fabric. Release the squeeze and that was 1 cut. To cut along a line on paper hold squeeze and lightly release the pressure and move along the item to be cut.

These scissors certainly are easier for our students to use and I would recommend having some at home if your child has problems using standard scissors. They are also ideal for anyone with problems using scissors, great gran /dad would probable like a pair.

Where to buy these scissors
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I think we get our work ones through a schools supplier, but I just looked on line and you can buy hand squeeze scissors for children and some other child training scissors at
http://www.ukshopability.co.uk/peta. Hand squeeze scissors cost £2.60 for small ones and £5. 65 for larger ones. I think the larger hand squeeze scissors would be fine for an adult to use too
http://www.kinderkeyinternational.co.uk has some hand squeeze scissors available too price is £8.60.
Some of these scissors are available either with round or pointed ends.

Pre scissor use skills
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Children (and adults too) benefit from learning some skills before using scissors. Give your child the opportunity to use wind up toys and finger puppets. Play finger games like incy wincy spider, use tweezers to pick up items. Use clothes pegs squeezing them and pegging them onto clothes tins or boxes. Use play dough to roll or make modells. Thread some beads to make a necklace, all these activities use skills that are used in cutting with scissors.

I certainly would recommend these types of scissors for anyone with problems cutting with scissors. Thanks for reading Mary.

Summary: Scissors that are easy to useby squeezing