Any good tips for using forks/spoons?

Emilie and Trevor are still trying to figure out how to use a fork/spoon, we haven't done forks all the much yet, still trying to master the spoon. I know my oldest DD was using one very well at their age and I'm sure it's because I only had one, instead of 3, and had much more time to help her use it. I'm sure part of the problem is in the morning we don't have a lot of time to practice since we have to get their big sister to school, so I end up giving them pancakes or toast or something like that. Today since my oldest DD is not going to school I did give them cheerios and some milk. I know they will eventually get the hang of it, but does anyone have any good tips that really worked with your kids?

Thanks.

 

We actually started with forks here. I pretty much let them use them at every meal. Sometiems they get it sometimes they don't but they at least try every time. No real tips, sorry. The girls are getting better with the forks as far as spoons go though they have no clue or least I don't think they do.

 

Right now the girls just play with their forks and spoons. They eat off of plates at daycare, but I usually just put in on their tray at home. I just bought some new plates and fork, spoons for home. Sorry that I don't have any advice. I was wondering the same thing a couple days ago. Thanks for asking!

 

My two are just now getting somewhat intrested in spoons. They will try to use it with me helping/guiding the way. We've been practicing with yogurt since it stays on the spoon but is pretty easy to pick up. They still have a ways to go. I have no advice since we are still in the transition. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread since we need help too!

 

We started with forks and then went to spoons. Just give them every opportunity to practice! And give them things that stick nicely to a spoon (yogurt, applesauce, pudding). That way, they don't get frustrated every time a Cheerio falls off their spoon.

We have some chunky handled forks and spoons from Pottery Barn Kids. I LOVE them. They were great for first starting out.

 

My girls are really into spoons, they started about a month ago. We are using these Gerber spoons and they seem to work really well. I try to give them things that stick easily to the spoon (cottage chese is a good one). My girls have the most trouble putting the food on the spoon so I started filling the spoon up and then giving it to them, and that works really well. Good luck, I hope they catch on soon.

 

Mine have been using forks & spoons for a few months now & are just now getting pretty good at it. I finally found a brand I liked, just the cheap Nuby ones at Walmart.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00...mp;linkCode=asm

They're better with spoons, actually. They still get frustrated with the forks sometimes b/c they aren't usually sharp enough to really stab something like a noodle.

I would try practicing with oatmeal. We have it almost every morning for breakfast & I make it kinda thick so it sticks to the spoons really well.

 

We are practicing with oatmeal and mashed potatoes. YoBaby yogurt is just too runny to stick on a spoon.

 

We have started with forks first, they seem to have a little bit of an easier time with stabbing the food rather than scooping it up with a spoon. Just lots of practice! Mine are already showing lots of improvement with the forks in just the few weeks they have been using them. Just give them the utensils during a meal or two and let them figure it out!

BTW... I have been giving them the spoons and forks left over from their bday party. They are disposable plastic primary color ones that are in the shape of different animals. I think Dixe makes them.

Good Luck!

 

It was the strangest thing and I have no idea how it started. Somehow the boys had a real salad fork in their hand and some cheerios on their tray. The next thing I knew they were picking up the cheerios with a fork. It became their favorite thing to do and they became very good at using a fork very quickly.

 

I swear by the combination of these spoons and these bowls. Toddlers can actually eat a bowl of cheerios and milk, or soup, with very little mess. The handle on the spoons is just right and the little holes let the thin liquids drain out, but help thicker things (like yogurt or applesauce) stick to the spoon. The bowls are still nice for my boys, and they are 4. I've bought both items at Wal-mart and Target, so they are easy to find.

 

I found spork like looking things that the girls have started with. We use spoons too, but I usually stick with things that stick together and stick well to the spoon. They have yogurt with rice cereal and fruit for breakfast, they love thick bean soup for lunch and for dinner I mix ground turkey with mashed potatos and a little chicken broth when we use the silverware. I do fill the spoons/forks and hand them to the girls. I'll even help get them get the next spoonful outta the bowl, but I usually don't give them the bowl. I figure once they're good with the utensils, then we'll try navigating into dishes.
It's messy, but we use vinyl bibs that just wash off, so that's saved me many times. Good luck

 

I didn't do anything to teach them -- they just started wanting spoons & forks (this was before they could talk of course, but they would point at mine and grunt), so I started giving them to them. They did surprisingly well. I just took the attitude the daycare teachers seem to take -- they give all the kids utensils, but don't insist that they use them (or pay any attention to whether they use them). They figure if the kid wants to eat the food, s/he'll either figure out how to use the utensil, or figure out some other way to eat the food.

It does seem like Cheerios & milk is a pretty tricky thing, though. I still haven't tried that one, and Sarah & Amy are pretty good at spoons by now. Things that are thicker and all one consistency (like oatmeal or yogurt) seem to work the best.

It is a messy process. Sarah still drops blobs of food down her bib, and she's been using a spoon for almost a year. Amy is better, but Sarah tends to overload the spoon.

 

I usually give finger foods also, french toast sticks, toaster strudel, mini pancakes, etc. but just this week I bought mini frosted wheat cereal it's perfect because they are much easier to pick up on a spoon because they are bigger then little cheerio rings. I also began to give them a regular spoon like we use and so far they are using it longer and actually getting food into their mouths with it like when we ate hamburger helper last night. They see me, DH and their sister eating with regular spoons and they wanted my spoon all the time so I just gave them their own.

 

Thanks for the tips ladies. Maybe I need to look into different forks/spoons. And I know part of the problem is, with breakfast at least, we are so rushed in the morning to get my oldest DD to school, that I don't have time to do something like oatmeal, but that would work great. I think we will try that this weekend. We did mashed potatoes last night and that worked for a bit, then Trevor figured out it was easier to just use his hand. :laughing: We will just keep plugging away at it and they will eventually get it right?!