Plates and utensils

When do you introduce?
DS just turned 1. Right now I put everything on his tray on his highchair. I've used plates before, but they just get thrown on the floor, which means everything on it goes all over the place. Started with the spoon, but it's a mess.

Re: Plates and utensils

would love to know other experiences.

DS is almost 14 months old. I give him a fork, which he uses if I put food on it.....but he eventually just throws it. Plates are not possible - he'd just launch it.

He strongly prefers food that he can feed himself.

Re: Plates and utensils

I started giving my boys a fork at each meal shortly after they turned 1. They def didn't use it correctly for a while and most of the time it ended up on the floor. I wanna say that somewhere between 15-17 mths they started getting the hang of putting a piece of food on their fork and actually getting it in their mouths.

Now, as far as plates I have to laugh because my twins will be 2 in like two weeks and plates still become frisbees in my home. I put their food on a plate at EVERY meal and constantly stress that the plate is NOT to be lifted off the tray. I even went so far as getting the plates with suction cups on the bottom but still no luck.

Hope that helps. Best of luck!

Re: Plates and utensils

WE started just giving DS a fork with his meals a few months ago, prob about 13 months. He tinkered with it, and then started to use it about a month ago. He doesn't do it consistently but he does try, and he loves when we put food on the fork for him. I use plates with all meals, and 90% of the time it winds up on the floor.

Plates and utensils

I just picked up a set of forks and spoons today and my DD just turned 1 also. We'll see how it goes lol

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At 11 months I did plates maybe even 10 months utensils at a year.

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i'm not sure at what age, but i want to say very early on. All his food has always been served on a plate or in a bowl. spoon came a bit later.

he usually picks it up and hands it to me when he's done. if he's fussy or in his chair too long he'll throw it, even though he knows its wrong.


i bought plastic plates from ikea so even if he throws them they won't break. as to the mess: no helping it with an impatient toddler

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My son just turned 15 months. He does at this point eat his food with both his hands or with a fork. However, plates are not happening! He does the same thing and just turns them upside down and dumps the food off.

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Hmm.. looks like I'm behind. DS is almost 14 months and I haven't given him a plate or fork yet. I just don't see the point if he's clearly not ready. But I seem to be late to the party on everything, sippy cups, water, solid foods etc. But DS is doing just fine

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I just started with DD at 12 months. She got a plate and utensil set for her birthday so I figured I'd give it a shot and see how it goes. She actually took an interest to the utensils and likes using them, so I offer them to her a few nights a week for dinner. She doesn't know how to use them at all, but she gets the general concept that the fork or spoon goes in the food and then into her mouth. She will bring it to my hand to help guide her. The plates and bowls - that's a different story. She might let it sit on her tray for a few minutes, but she inevitably will try to throw it at some point.

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My DD is 18 months and still has not mastered the utensil concept. We offer it and she will have some success but still mostly uses her hands to eat. She does better if we help her put the food on it. She will keep a bowl or plate on her tray for the most part but we don't always use them.

We have a hard enough time getting her to eat so sometimes pushing the utensils just results in more refusal to eat!

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Colin eats everything himself - unless he's w/ my parents - who insist on feeding him.

I gave him (and Sean) a spoon at about a year, and give him a fork now .....(14 months) he knows what to do w/ it, but he hasn't mastered it yet -

As far is the mess, well, they're babies - how are they ever going to learn if you never let them make a mess? I just clean it up - I'm cleaning anyway !!

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I know with the older 2 they were self feeding with spoons by M's age which is 15 months. With her, she does good with a fork, spoon . I know I have to give it to her but she makes a huge mess and 9 out of 10 times she needs a bath after wards and I don't always have time for that.

As far as plates, I do on occasion but she dumps the food on the tray and tosses the plate/bowl over board so I don't bother anymore.

Re: Plates and utensils

I introduced them around 11 months.
They are just now really getting good at it. I usually let them feed themselves but if I am in a rush I give them a spoon and I feed them too.