When are LO's supposed to start using a fork?

[mom2william]

I have a 16 month old and am just wondering.  He now uses a spoon but I still have to fill it up for him.  Is this typical?  As for the fork, again he will use one but I put stuff on it for him.  I wasn't sure if fork use comes later and I should just not worry about it too much.  How do you teach them to get food on the spoon/fork?

Thanks for any insight!

Suzanne
___________
William born 3/23/05

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Hi again Suzanne

Ds has just started to get the idea of a fork (usually pinches mine ). He has the idea that you have to 'stab' at the food, but he's not quite there with the execution of it . He actually prefers it to a spoon, he's pretty much rejected being spoon-fed at all now (spirited ), so I often use it if he hasn't had enough to eat - he'll take it from the fork, or enjoy playing with it.

What I've been doing is let him hold it, and then guiding his hand to pick up the food, I really think he's getting the idea, and that he just needs a bit of practise - you just need to be quick to make sure that it ends up in his mouth rather than in his eye or up his nose .

It depends on the food whether ds can get the food on the fork/spoon or not - something like yoghurt is easy, he sticks it in, coats the spoon and gets it that way. Something like rice or peas is different - I often have to help (although he did get some peas in his mouth today with a spoon on his own - I was so excited .

I think the best way to teach them is guiding the hand (but not necessarily doing it for them), and also by eating with them - they're great imitators and if they see you doing it, then they'll want to too.

HTH

[Marisa's Mom]

Great question, I wonder the same about my 16 mos old. I haven't really given her a fork, we're still working on the spoon. She loves holding spoons, and she wants to try to feed herself more and more these days. I used to spoon feed her, but she's refusing that most of the time now. But she's mostly "patting" down her food (or hitting the spoon against stuff), rather than doing the down -> up motion for scooping. I used to be able to hold her hand and help guide her, but now she doesn't even like that.    She's independent minded, that girl. She wants to do it herself, and if she gets frustrated, she resorts back to using her hands.       

One of my problems is that when she tries to feed herself with the spoon, she can usually get the food in her mouth. But sometimes she's distracted, holds the spoon up and/or tilts it, and food falls down.      Then I end up fishing for food bits. How do you teach them to hold the spoon steady/flat, and not up or tilt it?

[mom2william]

Hey Caroline!  Thanks for the advice regarding fork use.  I have tried to guide his hand with both the spoon and fork but he doesn't like me to "make" his hands do anything!    I guess I will just keep trying and also model using utensils myself which I do already.

Marie,

My DS does the same with the spoon so no advice on how to help them get it in their mouths correctly (not upside down!).  I really do not know how teach him about doing the down up motion for scooping with the spoon as I have the same issues with him not wanting to hold his hand to help him!

Suzanne
___________
William born 3/23/05

[mum101]

DD's biggest influence was her creche. She started at 1 year old and since then I have rarely been able to feed her!  In her 1-2 age group she was one of the youngest then. 

At 18mo she has had a fork for a long time, but is much better with spoon. I still give her a fork and she 'stabs' for a while then uses her fingers until she's full. 

The only thing I do is imitate to her how to use a fork, I just go 'stab stab' 'ah got it!!' 

[dkjokisch]

Dd really started to get the hang of it around 17-18mos.  As far as the fork goes, she did better with the ones with metal tines.  And she has a curved spoon she uses for her oatmeal.  That really helped her get the hng of getting the spoon in her mouth without trying to turn it upside down first.