best cutting curriculum on the market – Let’s Cut PaperNote: This review is about Let’s Cut Paper. I compare this book to the others in the series at the bottom of this review.If you are homeschooling a 2-year-old AND do not have time to create a cutting curriculum, then BUY this book. In fact, buy all the Kumon cutting books for 2-year-olds. Sort all of the projects by ability level (which is not too hard since all the books seem to present the projects from simplest to hardest). Then walla – you have enough projects to engage your tiny tot in cutting for months to come. (Personally, I feel the scalloped edges in the Amazing Animals book is one of the hardest skills to do so put that last.) Yes, repeating similar projects helps tiny tots build confidence and master skills…. that is why you really should get multiple books in this series.Now I have to admit that I was not so thrilled with the curriculum at first. I looked at these books on numerous occasions and decided against buying them. Why? The books seemed too simplistic and too repetitive and surely I could come up with better cutting projects on my own…. Well I have completely changed my mind because I realized three things: 1. as a homeschooling parent, I do not have the time to re-invent the wheel to teach EVERY single skill nor for EVERY single subject area to my child – I need to select some educational projects that are ready to go as is for ALL of our sanity, 2. tiny tots are learning a lot BUT they do so slowly, with a lot of practice, and by baby steps – a book is simple is probably on the right track especially for kids that are learning scissors for the first time. and 3. it is best not to mix too many skills sets into the same project so having these cut-only projects is actually a very good thing, especially because the end projects look really nice which will boost the child’s confidence more than any project I could design on my own. All the projects I came up with had painting, cutting, gluing, etc. all in one project which is a bit much for the littlest of tots – if they can master each of those skills separately then put it all together in a single project, that is a much better way to teach. SO I now feel this is the best cutting curriculum on the market for tiny tots.Another great plus is that once the projects are completed, many can use them for other things. Some would make great puppets – just add a popsickle stick on the back. Others could be used in games/ teaching boards/ sorting activities/ projects etc. – just add a magnet or velcro to the back or even laminate. Some pieces could even by used in pretend play (like adding the sheep to the play farm). So these items are not necessarily make and toss… well unless your creative child decides to cut up something beyond re-usability….How cutting is scaffold-ed in this book:0. I would start with the child cutting regular paper to get used to the action of cutting straight lines. This is not specified in the book, but I feel its essential.1. Snip short straight lines to make whiskers (i suggest you snip on both sides of the whisker to make it pop forward for a 3D effect). I would have the parent guide how to get the scissors into the correct position for the first few, so the child gets used to the idea…. then let the child do the rest of the whiskers on their own (even if its not perfect, let them build confidence and help them improve).2. Single cuts across the page to create a mini-puzzle (usually two-pieces).3. Cut out corners then fold to make a 3-D effect (like a fence around sheep).4. Cut out appendages and fold forward for a 3-D effect.5. Cut out zigzag straight lines to make a spiral or open/shut mouth fun.6. Cut out curves and wavy lines to make a spiral or open/shut mouth fun.7. Cut a geometric piece out of a picture.8. Cut out an object by cutting around its edge.9. Completion certificate is included in the book.Let’s Cut Paper: Amazing Animals – repeats a lot of the same skills but all new images. Adds in some harder elements: cutting out scalloped edges, cutting out an image in the scene to fold upward as a pop-up, and cutting out even harder edges to animals..More Let’s Cut Paper: repeats a lot of the same skills but all new images. Focuses more on larger scenes instead of just animals and faces. Many of images to cut out at the end are food related and are not just animal/faces like in the previous two books. I loved making doors to open, but Kumon did not give a page to glue behind the doors, so when the door is opened, nothing is there.Let’s Cut Paper: Food Fun – I did not like this one very much. Yes it had more cut and fold up options, but it just was not as engaging to me.
