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The Best Safety Scissors

Last updated on October 11, 2023

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While cutting items is an essential skill to teach your child, letting them use a regular pair of scissors presents dangers that are best avoided. Featuring blunt-tipped blades and sharp tips, safety scissors make it possible to cut lightweight materials such as paper without worries about your child getting accidentally cut in the process. Plus, these scissors come in kid-friendly sizes that are easier and more comfortable for children to use.

Safety scissors come in styles with either plastic or regular metal blades. Intended only for cutting paper, the plastic scissors are ideal for toddlers since they’re the least likely to cut skin. Children who are of at least preschool or kindergarten age get more versatility from safety scissors with metal blades. Designed to cut more materials such as foam and yarn, these scissors sometimes have some plastic over the outside of the blades so that they’re less exposed.

Ergonomics is important when you choose safety scissors for your child. Most pairs measure around 5 inches long to be comfortable for most children, but you can find shorter pairs that are more suitable for toddlers. The finger holes can vary in size — but most pairs have one hole smaller than the other and work fine for both right- and left-handed kids. However, other scissors may just have two small finger holes and aren’t as useful for older children.

Most safety scissors look like smaller versions of traditional scissors and can cut straight lines. These offer the most versatility for your child at home and school. However, there are also specialized options that cut decorative patterns such as zig zags. Those come in handy for creative craft projects such as scrapbooking.

While less important than functionality, the color of the safety scissors is worth considering since getting the right one can make the scissors more fun for your child to use. These scissors tend to come in bright colors or have multi-toned styles. You can also find safety scissors with animal designs or plastic decorations like butterflies on them.

Our Picks For The Top Safety Scissors

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Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

Westcott Kids Stainless Steel Blunt Safety Scissors, 2 Pack

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Westcott

Kids Stainless Steel Blunt Safety Scissors, 2 Pack

These scissors work great on many materials and come in a set with two pairs. They feature long-lasting stainless-steel blades. You get two random colors.

Overall Take

Made to LastYou get the convenience of two versatile pairs with durable blades in this multipack.

 Runner Up

Fiskars Stainless Steel Blunt Tip Safety Scissors

Fiskars

Stainless Steel Blunt Tip Safety Scissors

This pair of scissors features a special blade design for safer handling. The finger holes are kid-friendly and can accommodate either hand for versatility. They come in random colors.

Overall Take

User-Friendly DesignWhether they use their left or right hand, your kid will find these scissors intuitive and comfortable.

 We Also Like

Crayola Toddler My First Safety Scissors, 3 Pack

Crayola

Toddler My First Safety Scissors, 3 Pack

Coming in a set of three, these scissors have plastic blades that are safer for younger kids to use. Each pair cuts either a straight, wavy or zig-zagged line. They work on paper.

Overall Take

Various Cutting PatternsIf you're interested in both safety and a variety of cutting patterns, consider this set.

 Strong Contender

amassan Kids Plastic Training Safety Scissors, 3 Pack

amassan

Kids Plastic Training Safety Scissors, 3 Pack

Including three pairs, this set is made for very young children. The scissors are entirely plastic and work on paper. The set also includes 60 themed sheets that your child can practice cutting on.

Overall Take

Includes Handy ExtrasThis option comes in handy if you want safer scissors and practice sheets for your child to cut.

What to Look For

  • Hand strength and dexterity can be issues for young children, so you might want to look into buying spring-loaded scissors. The automatic spring makes it easier for your child to open and close the scissors. Plus, some models even let you disable the spring once your child is ready to make cuts without it.
  • Some safety scissors with a metal blade come with a protective cap. Using this cap provides additional safety in case your child accidentally grabs the scissors by the blade, and it also protects the blades from damage.
  • If you want a pair of safety scissors that offers good durability and precise cuts, look for ones with stainless-steel blades. This material also resists rust.
  • If you have a left-handed child, it’s best to buy a pair of safety scissors designed for them. You can either shop around for lefty versions or choose a version suitable for use with either hand. 
  • Keep in mind that any pair of safety scissors limits what your child can cut. The blades are designed to be duller, while the tip isn’t sharp enough for creating details. If your child needs to cut thick materials, a small pair of regular scissors is often a better choice, especially if they’re old enough to use such scissors carefully. 
  • It’s always a good idea to teach your child how to use their safety scissors and only let them do so under your supervision at first. This is especially true for scissors with metal blades since your child could use them inappropriately to cut their hair or something else they’re not supposed to.
  • Make sure your child knows to only use their scissors when they’re seated and not to hold or carry them by the blades.
  • Consider buying a pack that includes a few pairs of safety scissors so that your kid will have pairs for multiple locations. This also provides the opportunity to get multiple colors.
  • Safety scissors can especially get dirty during craft projects, so be sure to clean them off with soap and water when needed.

More to Explore

Safety scissors offer many advantages to young children. First, they allow kids to exercise their creativity safely and make many projects. At the same time, using scissors can help kids build hand strength, improve hand-eye coordination and learn how to control their individual fingers.

Learning to use scissors, however, can be challenging. To keep your kid from getting too frustrated, consider having them first experiment with cutting a thin material such as wrapping paper or foil. Also be sure to teach them how to comfortably hold the scissors. Once they are confident holding the scissors and cutting thin paper, they can move on to thicker papers like cardstock as well as other items like ribbons and paper plates.

More to explore