Self-feeding is important for many tired parents with toddlers and babies. For children, mastering the skill of self-feeding with cutlery requires a lot of practice and hand-to-eye coordination.
So, it is necessary to begin the process as early as your kid turns 1 year. You can start even earlier if they show interest. Start teaching your child at a young age so that they learn to feed themselves.
Toddlers begin feeding themselves with their hands and sometimes they make it a habit and continue eating with their hands in later months and years.
In this article, we will answer one of the common questions by parents i.e. “at what age should a child stop eating with their hands?” You will also find out how you can teach your child to stop using their hands to eat their food and use cutlery.
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At what age should a child stop eating with their hands?
By the age of 2, toddlers should stop eating with their hands and begin feeding themselves with a spoon without any assistance. Occupational therapists (OT) expect toddlers to eat with a spoon without any help at the age of 2. So, at this age, a child should stop using their hands to eat their food. From the developmental point of view, toddlers should be using a spoon by age 2, a fork by age 3, and a knife by age 5 with supervision. However, many children can learn to use cutlery at a much earlier stage than this if they are provided with an opportunity. Many toddlers messily and proficiently feed themselves with a spoon by one year of age.
When to stop your kids from eating with their hands?
Children generally start showing interest in feeding themselves with a spoon around 8 to 10 months. You can give them a spoon and let them try eating with a spoon. They will soon learn how to use a spoon to eat their food.
You may need to have one or two spoons for your baby and help them guide until they become more proficient at this.
If your child is still using their hands at the age of 2 to eat their food, you should stop them from doing so and help them eat with cutlery. With guidance and practice, your child will eventually learn to use a spoon to eat their food.
The best spoon for your baby to self-feed is one that is soft and made of plastic having a shallow bowl. It will be safe for your kids to use without hurting themselves.
When you should expect a toddler to use cutlery?
Around 8 months, you can expect your kid to be able to hold a spoon and try feeding themselves without spilling food. But you should understand that it will be messy at the start. You can’t expect them to get all their food into their mouths.
When they turn 18 months or 2 years old, they should be able to use a spoon to feed themselves without spilling food.
Expectantly, your toddlers will be able to use a fork around 1 year and master this skill by the time when they turn 18 months or 2 years.
As far as the use of the knife is concerned, you can expect your child to be ready at the age of 2 with supervision. However, your kid will master the skill of proficiently using a knife by the age of 7.
When can babies use utensils?
Many experts suggested introducing utensils or cutlery between 10 and 12 months and stopping them from using their hands to eat their food.
It is because, at this age, kids start showing interest in holding a spoon. A spoon needs to be the first item to be introduced to your toddler as it is easier to use. As their fine motor skills get sharper around 15 months, they will get more success with a fork.
However, you don’t have to wait till their first birthday to introduce utensils. You can begin offering a silicone spoon to your kid for scoopable, thick foods such as oatmeal or yogurt even sooner between 6 and 9 months.
Preload the silicon spoon with baby food and give it to her or let your kid try putting it in their mouth themselves.
No matter the time you begin, don’t expect your little ones to go from finger foodie to expert utensil user overnight. Generally, it is not until 18 to 24 months that your kid will master the skill of grasping a spoon independently.
Learning to use a spoon or fork
Many kids won’t be able to use a fork or spoon until they are around 18 months old. However, it is a great idea to allow your kid to practice from an earlier age.
Generally, kids will let you know when they are ready to start by reaching out for a fork or a spoon. Here are some ideas to motivate your kids to use a fork or spoon:
- Have meals with your kid to let them watch the way you use a spoon to feel yourself.
- Begin with a plastic spoon to have a comfortable grip. These are also safe for your kids and when they improve their skills, you can move to a small-sized metal spoon or fork.
- Let them hold their spoon while feeding them with a spoon.
- Allow your kid to practice often to strengthen their skills.
- Praise them when they try to use a fork or spoon.
Conclusion
At what age should a child stop eating with their hands? Toddlers need to stop using their hands to eat their food at the age of 2. They should use a spoon to eat their food themselves without any assistance.
You should encourage your little ones to self-feed to help develop their independence, and fine motor skills, and let them learn to self-regulate their appetite. With practice, your kid will learn to use a spoon and fork without help from adults.