When Did You Toddler Start Using a Spoon/fork?

I started when she begin eating with her hands. She has only recently mastered the spoon and fork at almost 2 years old. I just gave it to her at mealtimes. She would play with it and try. It's good practice. They will watch you and put 2 and 2 together.

I startedgiving my daughter utensils around 12-18 mionths. Boy did she try but mostof the times her fingers worked better. If you want to try, may I suggest the zoo animals throw away by dixie i believe, you don't have to throw them away, we wash oursin the dish washer still to this day. They are bright colors and shaped like animals. Just keep giving utensils to him and when he isready he will use them.

My daughter just turned 18 months and she has just started using a spoon/fork. She does better with the fork b/c she can poke the food with it. I bought her some of the take and toss spoons/forks and she does well with those.

Good advice below. It's always good to offer it to them, and they will use it in time. But remember, (early childhood teacher here) that using the pincher grasp is very important in children this age. It strengthens fine motor skills so continuing to each with fingers is ok. Some studies have shown that children in Asian countries develop much stronger fine motor skills early because of the pincher grasp and picking up tiny grains of rice. I think that at this age, a combination of utensils and fingers is fine. My kids are 2nd and 3rd grade. I STILL have to remind them to use their forks! LOL!

I started giving my 20 month old a spoon to hold whenever I fed her with one, starting at about 8 months. Unfortunately I don't think it has helped her learn to use it any sooner. Frankly, she still prefers to use her fingers. This goes for everything from spaghetti to pudding. I have found that she is more successful with a fork than a spoon. I know some parents might have safety issues giving their toddler a fork but I only let her have it if she is strapped into her booster seat and don't allow her to wander around with it in her mouth or anything. I just think it's easier to get a pea to your mouth if it's impaled securely on the tines of a fork as opposed to rolling around on a spoon. She still flips the spoon upside down right as it's reaching her mouth, so anything that is not sticky just falls right off. From one mom to another, my advice would be just be sure he has some utensil (I love the advice about zoo pals, that's an awesome idea!) at mealtime and one of these days he will surprise you!

C.,
My son is 15 months old and just in the last few weeks began using "toddlerware" to eat with. I bought brightly colored toddler size spoons and forks and he loves them. He got to a point where he just wouldn't eat when I fed him so I put a little fork in his hand and got a bowl that suctions to his high chair tray and I let him go at it. Don't get me wrong though because most of the food still ends up everywhere else but I can tel he really enjoys learnind to feed himself. I suggest giving your son the fork/spoon and let him enjoy mealtime. Occassionally I go over and correct the utensil in his hand or help him spear something but over all I have stepped back and allowed him to learn. They'll do it in their own time! Have fun and God bless!

Hi C.,

I think its great that you want to start your child using utensils. I started with a spoon (easier to learn to use)very early with my children. I would just set it on the high chair at meal time, snack time or when they would sit in their high chairs and play with toys while I was fixing supper. Then when they would try to use it we would work on putting food on it, first with their fingers then scooping the food after they got the hang of it. Your toddler will love something new and learning something new! Blessings, A.

I started giving my daughter a spoon/fork when she was about 15 months. It usually just got played with or tossed aside after a bit, but the idea was to get her used to having one with her meals. She is now 20 months and is starting to use her fork and spoon. It is usually messy but we applaud and cheer when food makes it to her mouth. I help her out by putting the food on the fork and then giving it to her, she usually likes this a lot and will give the fork back to me for more. With the spoon I try to help guide it to her mouth, sometimes she lets me, sometimes not. Either way we end up with a messy but happy girl. She just recently started using both herself and actually getting something on the fork/spoon and then to her mouth. I think that giving one to her to just to get used to it really helpd. Seeing Mommy and Daddy use a fork and then having her own to play with helped her to associate what she was supposed to do with it. But it differs from child to child, my niece didn't start trying to use a fork till she was two, but when she did she picked it up quickly and my sister didn't' have anywhere near the messes that I've had!!