This is an unusual spring for everyone, so I designed these cutting strips a bit differently than normal. They’ll be appropriate any year, but they’re also special “social distancing” cutting strips where the photographs show children doing activities alone outdoors in the spring except for two brothers who are together outdoors in the spring. As usual, the free spring cutting strips are an instant download … super simple to download and prepare.
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Montessori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now
My daughter, Christina (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. (Note: Christina has some sweet, themed kids’ fitness printables that are great for homes or classrooms!)
The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them). The cutting strips use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. These cutting strips have photographs of children outdoors in spring. I give more details on the credits page of the printable.
Preschoolers love to learn proper terminology, so I tell you the name of the objects or animals featured whenever I can.
Free Spring Cutting Strips
To download, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
Montessori-Inspired Activity Using the Spring Cutting Strips
Spring Cutting Strips with Basket
Cutting skills are so important for preschoolers. Two year olds can begin working on them, too. When children are first working on cutting skills, they’ll have an easier time cutting cardstock than paper. So, in the beginning, I recommend printing the strips on cardstock. Printer paper is fine for children with more advanced cutting skills.
I’m not sure where I got the basket, although the small Multicraft tray would work, too. I’ve always liked Fiskar scissors for kids, which are sharp enough to cut paper easily.
For home use with the cutting work, I like to have a small container to catch the paper scraps. I used a small wooden box we had, although you could use any small container. For younger children, I recommend keeping the basket or tray up out of reach when it’s not being used.
For classroom use, you might want to use Ziplock bags to catch the scraps. Children have fun taking their scraps home in a bag … or saving them to paste onto a collage.
More Spring Resources
Amazon Affiliate:
- Free Spring Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spring Activities
- Free Spring Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
- Free Spring Songs and Educational Videos
- Thank You for Planet Earth (or Thank You, Planet Earth) Mindfulness Cards and Booklet
- Free Umbrella Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Activity of the Week – Montessori-Inspired Spring Activities
- Free Spring Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spring Math Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Spring Playdough Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Life Cycle Activities
- Free Kite Printables and Montessori-Inspired Kite Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat
- Montessori-Inspired Snacktime Subtraction Activity
- Spring Book Lists for Preschool and Elementary Kids: Garden Adventures Around the World
- Montessori-Inspired Spring Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printablesl}
- Montessori-Inspired Spring Phonics Activities with Small Objects {Free Printables}
- Montessori Nature Tray with Vocabulary – Parts of the Plant
- Free Lamb Printables and Montessori-Inspired Lamb Activities
- Free Lamb Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Lamb Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori-Inspired Spring Themes and Activities {Hundreds of Resources}
- Free Spring Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Spring {Free Printables}
- How to Prepare a Simple Spring Playdough Tray
- 50+ Creative Ways to Use Materials Found on Your Nature Walks
- Spring-Themed, Editable Name and Word-Tracing Pack
- How to Prepare Montessori Shelves for a Mini Spring Unit
- Montessori Spring Printables for Classroom or Home
- Free Oviparous Animal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Oviparous Animal Activities
- Free Egg Do-a-Dot Phonics Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Oviparous Animal Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Kids’ Spring Activities Pinterest Board
Don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
The Best Way to Begin Working on Scissor Cutting Skills
Even before using cutting strips, I recommend using an easier object to cut, such as strings of beads. You’ll find lots of tips and ideas for teaching scissor skills in my post on developing scissor cutting skills with Montessori-inspired activities.
More Montessori-Inspired Paper Cutting Activities
You’ll find ideas for home and classroom setups in my post on Montessori-inspired paper cutting activities.
All Our Free Themed Cutting Strips
I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order. Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!
You can see all our free cutting strips with the latest at the top here.
I hope your child (or students) enjoys using the cutting strips. 🙂
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
The Montessori at Home! eBook and Montessori at Home! eBook and Materials Bundle are AMAZING resources! You can learn more about them here. Buy them in the Living Montessori Now shop.
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