The Best Adaptive Scissors for Support and Comfort
Most of us take for granted the ability to pick up a pair of scissors and cut. But the fine-motor skills needed to use scissors are learned through practice, and often children need extra support while mastering this important skill. Adaptive scissors are designed with that in mind, requiring less strength to work and featuring important safety features. They help ensure that young children gain skill, strength, and confidence while they learn to cut. While many are made for small hands, you can also find scissors for adults who experience weakness in their hands or want to reduce hand fatigue. Adaptive scissors are also an ideal option for special needs users or those with physical impairments. To choose the best pair of adaptive scissors, peruse our roundup of favorites, below.
ARTnews RECOMMENDS
School Smart Loop Scissors
These high-quality and long-lasting scissors are designed for use by both adults and children at least of kindergarten age. Measuring 8 inches long, they cut with just a gentle squeeze, then spring back open for the next snip. This reduces tension in hands and fingers while helping users cut with accuracy and confidence. The three-inch blades remain sharp and withstand heavy use while blunt tips provide safety—an especially important feature since these scissors stay open when not in use. Since it has a symmetrical design, this ergonomic tool rests comfortably in right and left hands.
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Buy: School Smart Loop Scissors $10.09
WE ALSO LIKE
Singer ProSeries Spring Assist Scissors
Singer’s ProSeries is designed, well, for professionals, and each product in this line tends to be larger than the average tool—and therefore can deliver longer snips at a go, all the way to the tip. This pair measures 9 1/2 inches long, with sharp tempered stainless steel blades. The design borrows some structure from a pair of traditional scissors, featuring one looped handle designed for both right-handed and left-handed users. This provides a bit of the comfort of a classic tool while allowing for grip flexibility. The spring-loaded handles are also a bonus, as they help open the blades without any effort on your end.
Buy: Singer ProSeries Spring Assist Scissors $17.53
ANOTHER GOOD OPTION
Peta Easy-Grip Push Down Table Top Scissor
This tool relies on a simple push-down action to snip. It features T-shaped handles with flat, pedal-like builds; rest one on your work surface, and press down on the other to cut. A spring between them will open the blades once you release, and you can continue snipping either by moving the scissors along your cutting line or moving your material toward the blades. These are sharp and made of stainless steel to ensure neat cuts every time. Consider purchasing an anti-slip mat to increase cutting stability.
Buy: Peta Easy-Grip Push Down Table Top Scissor $23.95
EDUCATORS’ CHOICE
Essential Scissors Kit
This set of seven adaptive scissors is a smart purchase for educators who want to ensure they’re always prepared for students who need some cutting assistance. You get three kinds of scissors, plus one mini looped pair that’s perfect for smaller hands. The three larger types come in pairs for right- and left-handed users. One is a self-opening loop pair, one is a dual-control tool featuring four holes to provide greater guidance, and one resembles a standard pair of scissors but is spring-loaded to automatically open. The set even includes educational cards that provide tips to hone cutting skills.
Essential Scissors Kit
ALSO CONSIDER
American Educational Products Mini Easi Grip Scissor
This 5.25-inch loop scissors, smartly designed from end to end, are a great pick for preschoolers. The blades cut with a light squeeze and spring open smoothly when released. They also feature rounded tips and a sturdy blade guard to keep little fingers safe. The easy-to-spot red handle has a textured grip to prevent the tool from slipping, helping to ensure precise cuts. Finally, these scissors work in either left or right hands. They are quite expensive compared to the competition but are a durable, solidly constructed option.
Buy: American Educational Products Mini Easi Grip Scissor $9.95
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1. School Smart Loop Scissors
These high-quality and long-lasting scissors are designed for use by both adults and children at least of kindergarten age. Measuring eight inches long, they cut with just a gentle squeeze then spring back open for the next snip. This reduces tension in hands and fingers while helping users cut with accuracy and confidence. The three-inch blades remain sharp and withstand heavy use; blunt tips provide safety—an especially important feature since these scissors stay open when not in use. Since it has a symmetrical design, this ergonomic tool rests comfortably in right and left hands.
School Smart Loop Scissors
2. Maped Koopy Educational Scissors
These spring-assisted scissors are five inches long—the perfect size for preschool children. Featuring kid-friendly colors and patterns, they make learning to cut both safe and fun. They have been designed by ergonomic experts to sit snugly in small hands and are sturdy enough so young artists can cut through most everyday materials such as paper, fabric, and cardstock with ease. We especially like that these scissors grow with the child: Flipping a switch disables the spring so the scissors work like traditional ones when the user is ready. Constructed from brushed stainless steel, the blades are rounded with blunt tips for safety.
Maped Koopy Educational Scissors
3. Fiskars Preschool Training Scissors
Similar in design to Maped’s scissors, this option from popular scissor brand Fiskars is intended for preschoolers and looks like traditional scissors with the addition of key safety details. The blades have blunt tips and can cut paper only, but they slice through sheets without fail. Instead of a spring, they feature a training lever near the hinge that opens the blades after each cut; you can flip the lever to traditional mode as children gain confidence in cutting. Sold in an economical pack of six, this is a particularly smart choice for classrooms.
Fiskars Preschool Training Scissors
4. Fun and Function Mounted Table Top Scissor
This tool features a plastic base that mounts to a tabletop and a pushdown mechanism to slice the attached scissor tool through paper. Ideal for people of all ages with limited strength or users who are one-handed, it provides a stable cutting line since the blades are attached to the base. All you have to do is align your material and press the handle to trigger a hidden spring, which makes a clean cut. This spring will reopen automatically for the next snip. The stainless steel blades are sharp all the way to the tip, and the base features non-slip strips to keep the tool steady as you work.
Fun and Function Mounted Table Top Scissor
5. American Educational Products Mini Easi Grip Scissor
Yet another great pick for preschoolers, these 5.25-inch loop scissors are smartly designed from end to end. The blades cut with a light squeeze and spring open smoothly when released. They also feature rounded tips and a sturdy blade guard to keep little fingers safe. The easy-to-spot red handle has a textured grip to prevent the tool from slipping, helping to ensure precise cuts. Finally, these scissors work in either left or right hands. They are quite expensive compared to the competition but are a durable, solidly constructed option.
American Educational Products Mini Easi Grip Scissor
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