When did you start teaching them to use untensils?

At our 12 mo. appt. last week, the Pedi. asked how they were doing with spoons. I just looked at her and said "um, they aren't". We just put everything cut up on their highchair trays and they feed themselves by hand. She said to start introducing them. So, when did you all introduce utensils and when did they get the hang of using them themselves? You'd think I'd remember this stuff as Isabel is only 3.5, but I just can't remember. Thanks ladies!

 

At our 12 mo. appt. last week, the Pedi. asked how they were doing with spoons. I just looked at her and said "um, they aren't". We just put everything cut up on their highchair trays and they feed themselves by hand. She said to start introducing them. So, when did you all introduce utensils and when did they get the hang of using them themselves? You'd think I'd remember this stuff as Isabel is only 3.5, but I just can't remember. Thanks ladies!

 

I started giving them utencils after their first birthday. They are now 2 1/4 years old and I would call them proficient. It took a long time. I found these spoons by Sassy that are bent and have little holes in the actual spoon piece. It helps to keep things on the spoon and it really works. Start with thicker things like yogurt, pudding, oatmeal so they don't get very frustrated.
Don't feel bad, I still have not been giving mine real cups because I don't want to deal with the mess. It is more fun to dump them out than drink what's in them!

Tracy

 

We started giving them sppons occasionally starting around 10-11 months, and for the longest time they really only just played with them. Then quite literally out of the blue one day about 2 weeks ago, they just started feeding themselves wih the spoons! It's still pretty messy, but they generally feed themselves their yogurt/oatmeal at breakfast every day. My feeling was that I would happily feed them by spoon as long as they'd let me -- it's not really that much trouble and it's definitely less messy! And I figured the older they were when they started trying it on their own, the more quickly they would get proficient and the less mess they'd make, so I didn't really push them to do it ay earlier. I figured they'd get it when they were ready, and they did!

 

At 15 months, we started with forks. They got the hang of it really quickly, and now use them at almost every meal. At about 18 months, they started using a spoon more regularly (they just didn't get it earlier), and now they are fairly proficient at it.

 

My guys JUST started showing an interest in feeding themselves with spoons about a month ago. I have no problem with giving them their food on their tray and letting them feed themselves. But lately, they are wanting the spoon and a dish to eat out of.
So each meal has been ending with a little plastic bowl on their tray with some food bits in it, and them dilligently trying to get it 1)on the spoon and 2)in their mouth, and each day they get better!!!

 

I sat utensils down for the girls once they were big enough to sit in the high chair alone. Eventually they watched us eat and picked up on it right away.

 

I have been giving the girls spoons since before they were one. I would start each meal with feeding them a piece of food, then giving them the spoon or fork and letting them feed themselves.
In the beginning, they mostly held the spoon and ate with the other hand.

My girls feed themselves cereal by themselves. They both have certain foods that they will only eat if it is on a fork.

 

I started giving them forks around their 1st birthday and now they are pretty good at feeding themselves at almost 17 mths. They are good at spoons too.
Christine

 

Mine will mostly play w/the fork or spoon, but I have been slowly giving it to them anyway.
If I put the food on the fork, they will eat it off that (have been since a few months ago), but it takes longer and I am lazy!

 

Hmmm... we didn't talk about utensils at our 12 month appt. I let them play with a spoon and both can put it in their mouth if I load it with food but they don't attempt to put food on the spoon themselves. I think it's a little early to expect anything more.

 

i just started doing spoons now at 22 months.

they've been using real forks (cake forks) since they were one

 

No one asked about them using forks/spoons until 18 month drs appt LOL. So I tried that day and they are doing well. They can eat almost anything with a fork and mostly really thick stuff with spoons (they still sometimes tip them upside down to put in mouth). And they do well with regular cups at the table

 

I started teaching them at 18 months and they learned pretty quickly. When we go to restaurants they feed themselves, and basically feed themselves here also.

 

We sat our two in boosters at the table starting at around seven months and gave them spoons. We started solids around 8.5 months and by that time they expected spoons. They were proficient by 14-15 months with both a spoon and fork and an open cup. Have fun with the new tools!

 

I get the bad mommy award of the year on this one!! I still don't give mine forks and spoons... My mom has tried a little bit...and the food goes everywhere. I just can't deal with it yet. I know my older dd started with it earlier and by about 22 months she was pretty good about using them... so I'm thinking that if I wait to introduce it maybe there will be less of a mess. We're still working on learning that food doesn't get thrown on the floor. I just can't deal with them having a tool to project that food across the room. My ped did ask about it at 15 months...and I'm sure they will ask again this week when I take them in for their 18 month check up. Bad mommy, bad mommy!!

 

I gave them spoons when they showed interest in feeding themselves. For Ainsley that was at 15 months and Sierra was at about 17 months. They were both pretty proficient by 22 months old. They got forks at about 2.5 years old and were good with those pretty quickly.

I sometimes gave them spoons as infants to keep them from grabbing at my spoon but it was just a distraction technique and not meant to teach them anything.

 

I have to tell you that I still don't give my girls utensils. The are 18 months old and can't even keep their food in the bowl when I give it to them. I have tried to get them to eat their food out of a bowl but they always want to play with it instead and end up dumping it on their tray and the floor. I don't think I will attempt utensils until they can get the bowl thing down. On a side note I didn't try and give my son untensils until he was at least two. I was a single working mom and just did not really have the time to clean up after him.

 

I have alwasy given them spoons and now forks. They didn't do well in the beginning but now they use them and get food in their mouths. 19 months. This should not be considered a milestone because everyone introduces it at different times. It is easier to let them use their hands so for some that's all they do.. I don't think it much matters. They certianly aren't going to eat with their hands with their 26!

 

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Originally posted by flannelphilly:
It is easier to let them use their hands so for some that's all they do.. I don't think it much matters. They certianly aren't going to eat with their hands with their 26!

Agreed! And FWIW, my doctor didn't ask about it at the 12 or 15 month appointment, but she did ask about it at 18 months. And luckily they had just started a week or so before so I could say "yes"!

 

I think we started having a spoon on their trays during meals at about 11 months. At first they were not interested but slowly over time have taken an interest and use them quite well.

 

We started letting them try to feed themselves just before they turned 2. We're getting the whole feeding system for Christmas. Hopefully, they'll get the jist of the fork soon. My girls like to walk and eat.