Isabelle has been interested in self-feeding for quite some time--probably since she was about 9 months old. She would be happy to scoop up handfuls of oatmeal out of the bowl and shove them into her mouth if I let her. The problem is that I want her to feed herself with utensils. Of course.
Izzy has no problem with getting messy!
I've let her hold her spoon, off and on, throughtout the past 6-7 months or so. Her coordination just isn't there yet. Most of the time, if the spoon even makes it to her mouth, it's upside-down or sideways. Lately, when I hand her the spoon, her first instict is to get happy and throw her little spoon-clasping hand up in the air in victory. And then her blueberry yogurt flops down onto her shoulder. Lovely.
Yesterday, I let her practice feeding herself oatmeal, and she still struggled with coordination. Later, when I gave her quinoa pilaf (don't ask--she's a strange kid and likes the most bazaar foods), she somehow managed to get it into her mouth every time. Evidently she had the right motivation--her absolute favorite food in the world. She still can't scoop it out of the bowl herself. Even with her favorite quinoa, she still needed me to load the spoon for her.
But watching Izzy eat, I also wondered if she needs new spoons. All of her spoons have fairly long handles that are perfect for mom or dad to feed her but make it tough for her to maneuver from the bowl to her mouth. I looked at some online, and it seems that most toddler spoons and forks have short, wide handles.
NUK Gerber BPA Free Graduates Scoopin Spoon
Any suggestions? Would a short toddler spoon help? What did you do to get your little ones to learn to feed themselves? At what age could they successfully self-feed? I know it varies from kid to kid, so Izzy might just not be ready for it. And if you've got a specific kind of spoon that works well, definitely tell me what it is or send a link please! I was completely overwhelmed by all of the options at Wal-Mart and Target.
I welcome any tips you've got!
Sassy Baby Less Mess Toddler Spoon
A toddler spoon with holes in it? Really?
I'm an Occupational Therapist and work at a children's hospital. The sassy spoon with holes in it is perfect for the little kiddos learning but are overturning the spoon, typically seen between 11 and 14 months. The holes help keep thick purees on the spoon to minimize mess. The motor coordination for using a spoon with scooping and bringing hand to mouth comes with practice and repitition throughout mealtimes at a later age, between 15-18 months. For best success, little mess, and limiting frusturation for your child when learning the Sassy spoon (with the holes) is the best I've used during therapy sessions. Hope this helps! Good luck!
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