Benefits of Ripping  Paper 

 Why Ripping Paper Is So Good for Kids 

As adults ripping paper is one of those things we call “making a mess” but for kids, it is one of those “the best activities.” 

Give a child a stack of scrap paper and they’ll usually know exactly what to do: rip, crumple, crunch, and laugh.

From a developmental and mental health perspective, that simple act of ripping paper can:

• strengthen small hand muscles and coordination,

• give the brain lots of sensory feedback (sound + touch + resistance).

• offer a safe outlet for stress and big emotions, and

• turn into surprisingly beautiful art once the paper is in pieces.

Let’s break it down into three big benefits and some easy ways to use all those ripped pieces.

1. Sensory magic: sound, touch, and “brain feedback”

Ripping paper is basically a tiny sensory concert:

• Sound: the crackle and rip as the fibres tear,

• Touch: rough, smooth, stiff, or soft paper under their fingers.

• Movement and resistance: pulling, holding, and deciding how far the rip goes.

Children don’t all experience these sensations in the same way:

• Some kids are sensory seekers. Their bodies crave more input, so they might love the loudest rips, the crunchiest cardboard, and big, dramatic movements with both hands.

• Some are more sensory sensitive or “avoiders.” They notice every little sound and scratchy edge and can feel overwhelmed if the ripping is too sudden or too loud.

• Others have low registration. They don’t really notice gentle sounds or light touch and might seem “tuned out” unless the activity is bigger, stronger, or more obvious. [1][2]

Ripping paper lets all of these kids experiment safely. For seekers—or just very wiggly, curious children—this kind of hands-on, noisy-yet-contained activity can be incredibly satisfying. It gives their nervous system lots of immediate “brain feedback” about what their hands are doing.

For more sensitive kids, doing it slowly, with choice and clear expectations, can be a gentle way to explore sound and texture without feeling pushed past their limits.

Ripping paper becomes a simple, low-pressure way to:

• Explore sound (loud/quiet, fast/slow rips).

• Explore touch (thin tissue vs. thick cardboard), and

• Practice listening to their own body signals:
  
  “That was too loud for me.”
  
  “I like the soft paper better.”
  
  “I think I want to stop now.”

When we watch and listen, we also learn a lot about what helps each child feel calm, focused, or “just right” in their body.

Try this at home or in the classroom

• Sound explorers: Give different kinds of paper (newspaper, tissue, construction paper, and cardboard) and ask, “Which one is the loudest? Which is the quietest?”

• Texture detectives: Let children feel each type of paper before they tear it. Use words like smooth, scratchy, crunchy, soft.

• Rip races vs. calm rips: Invite fast ripping (“Rip as quickly as you can—for 5 seconds!”) and then slow, mindful ripping (“Now rip as slowly and quietly as you can. Listen to the sound.”) That contrast helps kids notice how different kinds of sensory input feel in their bodies.

2. Stress relief in disguise: calming the nervous system

There’s a reason adults instinctively crumple receipts when stressed: repetitive movements and simple, hands-on tasks can be soothing.

Art therapists describe ripping and tearing paper as a way to:

• Release emotional energy (frustration, anger, sadness).

• practise letting go of perfection (“It’s okay if it rips ‘wrong’”), 

• Stay grounded in the present by focusing on sound, texture, and movement. [3]

When children focus on the feeling of the paper in their hands and the sound of each rip, they’re doing a kind of mini mindfulness exercise—using their senses to bring their attention back to “right now.”

Research on expressive and sensory-based arts with children suggests that:

• Sensory exploration and art-making can support emotional regulation and connection [4][6].

• Creating arts and crafts is associated with higher happiness, life satisfaction, and a stronger sense that life is worthwhile. [5]

So when a child gets to rip paper on purpose, in a safe and supported way, it can become the following:

a small, everyday tool for calming the nervous system and giving their feelings somewhere to go.

Try this: “Rip and reset” moments

• Offer a “ripping station” with scrap paper where kids are allowed—encouraged, even—to rip for a few minutes when they feel overwhelmed.

• Add a simple script: “Let’s give your feelings to the paper for a moment. You can rip as fast or slow as you need.”

• For a more mindful version, invite them to notice:
  
  “What do you hear?”
  
  “How does the paper feel?”
  
  “What happens in your body when you rip slowly vs. quickly?”

You don’t need to talk about “therapy” with children; simply frame it as a tool their body can use to feel a bit better.

3. What to do with all those ripped pieces

Once the paper is in pieces, the fun (and the learning) is only halfway done. Now you’ve got free supplies for art, science, and problem-solving.

A. Make new paper from ripped paper pulp

Turning scraps into new paper is like a tiny science lab and recycling plant in one.

Kids can:

1. Rip the paper into very small pieces (more fine motor work!).

2. Soak them in water.

3. Squish and blend (by hand or with adult help and a blender) to make pulp.

4. Spread the pulp out on a screen or cloth.

5. Press and dry it into new sheets.

What children practice here:

• more hand strength and squeezing when they wring out the pulp,

• patience and sequencing (“first we rip, then we soak, then we squish…”),

• environmental awareness—seeing that “trash” can become something new.

Idea: Once the new paper is dry, use it for special drawings, cards, or journals—it gives the whole process a sense of purpose and pride.

B. Create collages and mosaics with ripped paper

This is where the magic happens visually. Children can use ripped paper pieces to make the following:

• animals, landscapes, or abstract patterns,

• “feeling pictures” (happy colours, calm colours, angry colours),

• group murals where everyone contributes a few pieces.

Easy collage and mosaic prompts

• Feelings collage: “Pick colours that match how you feel today and make a picture with them.”

• Nature mosaic: Use green and brown scraps to make a tree, or blue and white ones for a sky/sea scene.

• Story starter: Invite kids to create a ripped-paper background, then draw characters on top and tell a story.

• Math & patterns: Make repeating colour patterns (red-blue-red-blue) or simple shapes and talk about counting and sorting.

References

1. Passarello, N., Tarantino, V., Chirico, A., Menghini, D., Costanzo, F., Sorrentino, P., Fucà, E., Gigliotta, O., Alivernini, F., Oliveri, M., Lucidi, F., Vicari, S., Mandolesi, L., & Turriziani, P. (2022). Sensory processing disorders in children and adolescents: Taking stock of assessment and novel therapeutic tools. Brain Sciences, 12(11), 1478. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111478
2. Shafai, F., Peña, M., & Dodman, E. (2021). Sensory processing differences toolkit. AIDE Canada. https://aidecanada.ca/resources/learn/sensory-regulation/sensory-processing-differences-toolkit
3. Fallat, L. (2022, August 7). Ripping and tearing: A transformative process. The Art of Mental Health. https://www.arttherapynj.com/post/ripping-and-tearing-a-transformative-process
4. Malhotra, B., Jones, L. C., Spooner, H., Levy, C., Kaimal, G., & Williamson, J. B. (2024). A conceptual framework for a neurophysiological basis of art therapy for PTSD. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 18, 1351757. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1351757
5. Keyes, H., Gradidge, S., Forwood, S. E., Gibson, N., Harvey, A., Kis, E., Mutsatsa, K., Ownsworth, R., Roeloffs, S., & Zawisza, M. (2024). Creating arts and crafting positively predicts subjective wellbeing. Frontiers in public health, 12, 1417997. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1417997
6. Goguen, C. (2024). How sensory exploration using expressive arts provides a cohesive experience for children with multiple diagnoses (Capstone thesis, Lesley University). Digital Commons @ Lesley. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1878&context=expressive_theses