eating with spoons and forks

[MadisonC]

Just wondering when your LO started using spoons and forks? DS will soon be 18 months and has no interest in feeding himself using utensils.  Just thought I'd ask so I have an idea. Thanks!

[Diana1981]

Hi there
It was before he turned 2. I bought different kinds, colors, etc. i started to show him how to use them but at the beginning he just used them to hit the table! But after a while of watching us use them he understood what he had to do with them.

[FroggyMom]

DS just turned 2 years old, and he STILL has no interest in using utensils!  He CAN use a spoon...he just doesn't WANT to and is not at all interested!  I tried to get him to use utensils maybe around 18 months or even a little earlier, and he just would not do it.  I gave up trying awhile and figured he would do it when he wanted to.  However, he never showed any interest on his own and is just content to let me do it.  So, now sometimes I put his food in front of him and pretend I'm too busy to help (walk to kitchen and do other things....while peeking around corner at him!).  If he thinks I'm not going to do it for him, he will pick up his spoon and start eating!  

If your DS is showing no interest, just leave the spoon out on his tray and even just let him practice holding it or playing with it for awhile first and see if that helps!

[Lemonthyme]

Somewhere around 16-18 months I think.  He will now feed himself (at 20 months) but when he's tired / grumpy / full / not enjoying the food, the spoon or fork and sometimes the bowl go flying.  I wouldn't worry.  Loads of his friends at nursery are still being fed with spoons!

[*Amy*]

I did blw so maybe I am different but dd has been feeding herself with a spoon since she was 16 months.

[cuckoochick]

C is pretty good with a spoon for certain things (porridge, weetabix, soup) but still likes to use her hands. We keep trying to teach her how to use the fork but she keeps picking stuff up to put on the end of it and it often rolls off!

Of course there are days when she will refuse any help and others where we have to feed her!

[Mama_Mia]

M has been using fork and spoon since I gave them to him at about 14 months. I held his hand and showed him how to do it and he took over. He still has lazy times when he uses his fingers but no big deal. He knows how to use them. ....

I would just give a spoon when one is needed and sooner or later he will try it out.

[MadisonC]

Thanks everyone! I will just try leaving the spoon on the tray for him and I\m sure sooner or later he will pick up from watching us.

[Roseii]

Same as Nicola, dd2 (19.5mo) has been spoon feeding herself weetabix, pureed fruit and the like with a spoon since 15mo, but anything bulkier than that and she uses her hands, which I'm fine with! X

[MadisonC]

He fed himself lunch today.. and what a mess! lol About 10%made it into his mouth and the other 90% on my floor.  To be expected Im sure I will just have to sit back and tidy up later lol.

[creations]

He might find it easier to use a fork.  It's less messy

DS has been feeding himself with a pre-loaded fork since about 6 or 7 months.  He still uses his fingers for most meals and sometimes he will take a pre-loaded fork, remove what's on it and eat it with his fingers instead.  BUT he has started to try to stab food on his plate too and once in a while now (at 12 months) he does manage to stab a bit of food.  He also has a spoon at every meal time and he taps this into the food but doesn't manage to pick anything up yet.  Again he will take a pre-loaded spoon but more often than not the food has fallen off it by the time it gets to his mouth so he finds it frustrating.
I looked around for forks, the normal kids forks tend to be a bit too rounded to be able to stab food easily with them.  I eventually found one that had more adult like prongs but still kid size.  In the early days we used a small plastic fork (the disposable sort you might get in with pre-pack fruit or pasta boxes) which was great too.