How to Teach Children to Use a Fork and Spoon

If your baby is sitting up on her own, reaching for the spoon as you feed her and trying to feed herself with her own hands, she̵7;s ready to learn to use a spoon. This usually occurs between 12 and 18 months of age. After she manages to do most of her own self-feeding this way and her pincer grasp has further developed around 18 months, she can learn to use a fork as well. She will continue to get better with utensils as she turns two, three, and four years old.

  1. Choosing Correct Utensils

    • Before you start the process, be sure your baby̵7;s utensils are designed to help her find success and stay safe. Babycenter.com recommends offering her a rubber-coated toddler spoon with an easy-to-grasp thick handle and a toddler fork with short, dull tines. Pediatric occupational therapist Alisha Grogan of YourKidsTable.com suggests finding a wide, curved-handle spoon with a small, deep bowl to it so your toddler can fill it up more easily and she doesn̵7;t lose every bite from the spoon if some of it falls off on the way to her mouth.

    Introducing the Spoon

    • Begin by letting your baby hold her own spoon while you are feeding her. If she puts it near or in her mouth, encourage and praise her. As her fine motor skills develop and she is holding the spoon more firmly, place your hand over her hand which is holding the spoon, dip together into her bowl and place a small amount of food on her spoon. Guide her hand to her mouth so she can taste the food. Repeat this a few times during meals until she starts to try it on her own.

    Helpful Spoon Tips

    • As your baby is learning to use a spoon, offer her a thicker food, such as yogurt, to practice with since it is less likely to fall off her spoon and frustrate her. Remember that you will still be feeding her most of her food yourself, but over time as she gets better at feeding herself with her spoon, you can allow her to do more -- and eventually all -- of her own feeding.

    Trying the Fork

    • Once your toddler has mastered her spoon, you can put more focus on teaching her how to use a fork, though most kids don̵7;t master and use it often until they are preschoolers. First, place a few soft cheese cubes or pieces of melon in her bowl. When she picks up her fork, use the hand-over-hand method again, placing your hand over hers and help her spear the fork into the food. She should be able to guide it to her own mouth by now, so just offer encouragement to do so. Grogan suggests that even after she̵7;s learned how to use a fork, continue to give her several opportunities a week to do so to encourage the fork over her fingers.

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