How to Teach a Baby to Use a Spoon

By 15 to 18 months, your baby will be able to use a spoon with some success, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. To get your baby used to using a spoon and developing the skills needed to actually get food into his mouth, he will need plenty of practice. The months of spilled, dropped and flung food will be worth it when you see him feeding himself.

Things You'll Need

  • Baby-safe foods
  • Unbreakable baby spoon

Instructions

    • 1

      Introduce your baby to an unbreakable baby spoon around 8 months of age so he can start associating the spoon with eating. It will be some time before he has the fine motor skills, coordination and dexterity to use it properly, but he needs to start somewhere. You̵7;ll notice that he may ditch the spoon after playing with a bit and simply use his finger and thumb to self-feed.

    • 2

      Hand your child a spoon and let him experiment with it while you use another spoon to get food into his mouth. This way he gets practice while still getting enough nourishment to be healthy.

    • 3

      Help guide your baby̵7;s spoon into the food and then into his mouth while he grasps the spoon handle in his hand. This will help get him used to the motion of scooping up the food and trying to get it into his mouth.

    • 4

      Include your baby at mealtimes and show him how you use a spoon. Make it a slow, deliberate movement to feed yourself. He learns a lot from simply watching you.

    • 5

      Dish out the praise when he succeeds and even when he simply tries to use the spoon properly. This reinforces this behavior and increases the likelihood of him trying again.

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