I'm sure this has been posted before.

But how do you get toddlers to use a bowl and a spoon?

My sons will dump the bowl out and throw it on the floor and the spoon they just chew on. I have to take the spoons away in order for them to eat, which they don't like. I'm tired of the mess from them dropping the bowls. I just want them to learn to use them to make it more sanitary when we go out to eat. I do wipe the tables with disposible disenfectent clothes, But I still worry about germs. I don't remember when my older sons started using them.

Any ideas?

TIA!

 

We're still working (not too successfully) with the boys on this; they're more fascinated with the bowl/spoon than any eating.

In the meantime, get some Table Toppers (Target) for restaurants. They are single-use self-stick placemats to keep things sanitary while eating out.

 

Ditto the Table Toppers - they really work well.

As far as getting them to use the spoon and bowl, I discovered recently that given enough incentive, my girls were happy to learn. Grandma had been giving them ice cream in a bowl with a spoon for weeks when they were over there, and they had nooooo problem with that. Now they use the spoon for yogurt and other stuff like that, too. So try something yummy like ice cream!

 

I have just started with the same thing. I am putting their food on paper plates/bowls for now. Everytime they go to touch the plate (like if they look like they are going to pick it up) I pull their hand away and say "No." They usually now do not throw the plate unless they are finished and are just bored. As for the spoon, I am only letting them experiment with yogurt right now while they work on how to hold the spoon and get it in their mouth properly. I buy a very thick yogurt that basically doesn't slide of the spoon very easily and I put it in a bowl. So far it's been working but I do need to do it more often. I basically put the spoon in their hand and then I help them scoop it up on the spoon and start to guide the spoon towards their mouth and they do the rest. They are trying to pick the food up on the spoon which for my girls seems to be harder than the actual bowl to mouth thing. I also have a spoon most times so that I can feed them while they are feeding themselves. That way I'm able to make sure they are actually eating a decent amount.

 

Mine were probably 18-20 months before they really got it down. They love yogurt, oatmeal, and rice. We make the sticky rice, so it sticks to the spoon well. And at first it was pretty messy, but now they are 2 and they eat great with a spoon. They still make a little mess, but nothing like it use to be! They love ceral with milk. I think it is so cute to see them eating it and then picking up the bowl to drink the left over milk when they are done. I guess they have watched DH do it! The messes got remarkably better about 2-3 months ago (they just turned 2 in August). It just takes practice and patience!!

 

It took a while here. Around 19 months they finally started getting the hand of a spoon and are doing well with it now. Paige makes a complete mess still with her yogurt and Alexandra can eat mess free now.

 

mine are better at using a fork rather than a spoon. They have the toddler ones that are not as sharp. They can get stuff in their mouth real well and are always very proud of themselves. I haven't tried giving them spoons & bowls. But at a restaurant, they do ok with plates. None have gone flying yet!! I need to buy some more for the house (since currenlty just anthony uses them) so we can practice more.

I also love those table toppers!

ETA - I forgot that sometimes when they do get a bowl, I usually just use it for grapes or some other non-mess food. That way they can start getting the idea w/out the HUGE mess.