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What are Safety Scissors?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Safety scissors are scissors designed for children, and used in other applications that have a rounded or blunt tip. This tip, as opposed to the pointed tip of many scissors, is considered “safer” since it can prevent accidental cuts that might be caused by the sharper points. Another consideration in choosing safety scissors for school use is that rounded tips cannot stab another person. An aggressive child or teen is not particularly dangerous with safety scissors.

You’ll often find child scissors in much smaller sizes. Longer and pointier scissors can be especially difficult to balance properly, especially for children who are just learning how to cut. Though these small sizes are great for little hands, kids in fifth or sixth grade who are still using small, 4-5 inch (10.16-12.7 cm) safety scissors can find them difficult to use and uncomfortable. Smaller openings for thumb and index finger may prove confining especially if a lot of cutting is required, and the child using them has large hands. Teachers may keep a few larger pairs of scissors, sometimes with purposefully blunted edges, for bigger kids in the classroom.

Safety scissors are a commonly found in elementary school classrooms.
Safety scissors are a commonly found in elementary school classrooms.

Another use for safety scissors is more adult-oriented. Small scissors with blunted edges, and usually just a tiny amount of actual cutting length can make it easy to trim ear or nose hairs without accidentally stabbing yourself with pointy-ended scissors. These may be found in drug stores, beauty supply stores, and sometimes in drug store sections of grocery stores.

Safety scissors have a round or blunted tip, making them more suitable for children.
Safety scissors have a round or blunted tip, making them more suitable for children.

These adult types can be a helpful and better alternative than pointier manicuring scissors. They’re often available in the same section where you’d buy manicuring scissors and supplies. Since these safety scissors don’t offer as much cutting blade, they’re not a good substitute for child scissors, and can be frustrating to use if you’re trying to cut a long length of paper evenly.

You’ll be able to find child safety scissors in various stores. A few varieties can be found at drug or grocery stores, and you’ll also find them at crafts stores, office supply retailers, teacher and education supply locations, and art supply stores. If you’re trying to supply a whole class with safety scissors they may be more cheaply purchased online in bulk packages. Average price ranges from a couple to four to five US Dollars (USD) for a single pair, to possibly less than a dollar when scissors are purchased in large quantities.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent HomeQuestionsAnswered contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent HomeQuestionsAnswered contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

OhDeDoh

@andromeda- I started teaching my child safety with scissors along with safety for other sharp objects. You have probably noticed how our kids want to do what mommy or daddy is doing, and that was a good segue for me.

When my daughter was about three, she wanted to make a card for her grandma. She had seen me use my scissors with blades for making decorative edges. We went to our local art supply store and were able to find her a pair of safety pinking scissors of her own.

She loved learning how to make the scalloped edge and I got to teach her how to safely work with the tool. Go with what feels right, and make sure to handle scissors safely yourself, as well.

andromeda

How young did parents out their let their children start to use scissors? I found a listing for safety scissors for toddlers and I couldn’t help but wonder when it was a good idea to teach your kid to handle scissors.

I saw an advertisement for plastic, rounded scissors with a spring mechanism. This makes the blades pop open automatically. That sounds like I good way to help prevent cuts. The blades also seem to be inlaid in the plastic as another safety feature.

My daughter is not one year old yet, and it’s really hard to picture her with scissors in another year or so.

SalmonRiver

I volunteer with my son’s kindergarten class. I am so thankful for children’s safety scissors! Twenty-five five year old with pointy objects is not a good scenario for anyone. I come in to help with art projects when ever the teacher needs me.

I love helping cut out the tiny little hand prints for things like Thanksgiving turkeys. I want a pair of adult size safety scissors for myself! Children's safety scissors are a must have for any parent or group when you are going to be doing arts and crafts with tots.

I’m not the most graceful person, and I don’t know many kids under the age of 12 who are much more graceful than me. I think scissors with rounded tips have prevented more than a few injuries.

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    • Safety scissors are a commonly found in elementary school classrooms.
      By: Ljupco Smokovski
      Safety scissors are a commonly found in elementary school classrooms.
    • Safety scissors have a round or blunted tip, making them more suitable for children.
      By: Monkey Business
      Safety scissors have a round or blunted tip, making them more suitable for children.