Utensils

Try using Little Grips, they are eating utensils for toddlers..the website is littlegrips.com

I knew it was time when my daughter started trying to grab the spoon or fork I was using to feed her, which was shortly after 12 mos. I bought toddler utensils, which are shorter, stubbier, and easier to handle. Some days, I give her one and I use another to feed her, while she explores the one she's holding. Other days she wants to participate more, so I spear some food with the fork and give it to her, and she brings it to her mouth (or picks the food off and eats it), then I get her to hand it back to me for more food. Sometimes she wants to stick the fork or spoon in the bowl and try to get food herself, and I let her try or I help her get some food on there. Just let him take the lead, he'll let you know when he's ready!

I just put a spoon on her highchair tray for her from the day she started eating solids (yes, very messy!) adn she was always at the table with us fro meals watching us use them. She eventually just figured it out around 18 months.

Hope that helps!

L.

I wish I could post a picture to show what I mean but words will have to do. My sister recommended this to me and it is hands down the favorite of all little kids I've seen (and me too, because they're more successful with it!) My son is not a baby anymore so I dont remember where I got it - I'm guessing Target but really dont know.

It is a short, curved, chunky type baby spoon & fork combo, they also come in a spoon with holes (strainer spoon, which holds more of the baby food textured foods)

The size and curve of the handle makes it easy for baby to hold it and get the food to their mouth since they initially aim with getting their hands to their mouth, not necessarily for the food to get there... Plus it is easy to hold, very perfect for little hands. It is no more than 4-5 inches long, total.

This will be FUN. grin. (dont feed him on top of a light carpet!! probably not till he's oh about college aged either! J/K) Give your son one spoon (or two,if he has to have something for both hands!) AND you keep one to keep feeding him with. It did not work with just one spoon once my son wanted to hold it but I wanted to get food IN him, LOL.

Chances are, having been an active participant in the world for some time now, he already KNOWS what a utensil is used for! I bet if you had him a spoon or kid fork, he will bring it right to his mouth - he may have to try a few times, and he may poke himself in the face, but I assure you that he already has a good idea of how to use one. Just watch him to make sure he doesn't make himself vomit if he puts it too far down his throat (and he will gag himself some, and you have to let him, so that he can learn how far one can put a spoon in one's mouth - don't freak out when he does it).
Invest in some kid cutlery - the Disney store has GREAT kid sized spoons, forks, cups, etc - and on many of them, the tips of the forks are blunted so that your child can still stab the food, but not stab himself if he misses his mouth! When you feed him, let him help feed himself too. Most 12 month olds prefer to grasp their utensils in their fists, and that is appropriate for this age - he will also experiment with which hand he likes to use too - in 6 months, you will most likely be able to tell wether he will be left or right handed by looking at which hand he holds his spoon in!

Go ahead and give them to him now, and just instruct him gently when necessary, occasionally. Just having him see the utensils, hold them, and play with them is the best way for him to learn himself.

we gave our daughter a spoon early, i think 10 or 11 months. although it was VERY messy, she had a blast and added new material to the eating routine. i hold the bowl of food and she dips in and i tell her to put it in her mouth, while i shovel food in as well. she is 16 months now and is pretty good! we recently gave her a plastic fork for babies (i think the brand is boon) and she is getting good at stabbing food. it's actually funny to watch. good luck!

Dear J.,
I gave my kids plastic baby utensils from the time they were super little. You know....the age where everything goes straight to the mouth. I just let them hold them, such on them, chew them, whatever. It does take a little time for them to understand how to get the food on the spoon and to their mouths, but you'd be surprised how quickly they can do it. I put my kids in their high chairs and let them have at it while I snuck in a bite or two in between. A lot of times, they wanted to give me a bite. It's all part of learing.
My other advice is to go to the dollar store and purchase vinyl tablecloths. I put these under the high chairs so if anything spilled or got knocked over, all I had to do was wipe off or wash the table cloth.
Bibs, babies, and high chair trays are all washable.
The vinyl tablecloth under the high chair can really save your floors.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby!

I gave my children a soft spoon to hold while I fed them their meal. They would "help" and make a huge mess but it was really fun! Pretty soon they no longer needed me to help. We also found graham crackers make really fun spoons for yogurt and applesauce. Anything you can dip AND eat is so much fun to a baby or 4 year olds like my son. hehehe