Overview

A spoon is likely the first utensil that you'll introduce to your child. They learn to scoop food and bring it to their mouth. Learning to use a spoon allows your child to eat by themself and take part in mealtime routines. For example, as your child gets older, they'll learn to serve food and use spoons for cooking.

Using a spoon also helps them build fine motor skills.

• Holding the spoon helps your child learn grasp patterns.
• They build dexterity and cross midline to scoop food.
• They use bilateral coordination to steady the bowl while they scoop.
• Hand dominance starts to become clear as they consistently use one hand to use the spoon.
• Coordination develops as they learn to bring the spoon to their mouth.

Self-feeding skills develop over time and include finger feeding, learning to use spoons, and learning to use utensils.

How spoon skills develop

Between 6 to 12 months of age, your child is mostly fed by you. They may try to grab the spoon as you feed them purees or mashed foods. When you give them a spoon, they'll wave it in the air, or bang and drag it on the highchair tray. Eager to eat by themself, they may try to scoop food.

Between 12 to 24 months of age, your child learns to use a spoon to stir and scoop. From 2 years of age on, your child learns to scoop foods that don't stick together, like peas. If given the chance, they can also start to learn to scoop food from a bowl to a plate.

Build spoon skills

Your child will be messy as they learn to use a spoon. To help them build these skills:

• Have your child sit with their feet supported or touching the ground.
• Use a child-sized spoon. These have thicker, shorter handles that are easier to hold. Some have a textured handle with bumps to make it less slippery.

Interest

If your child isn't interested in using a spoon:

• Give them their own spoon to hold while you feed them.
• Encourage play with wooden spoons, serving spoons, or small whisks.
• Offer regular-sized spoons when their skills develop.
• Motivate your older child by letting them choose a spoon or offering spoons of their favourite colour.

Bringing it to their mouth

If your child is struggling to bring the spoon to their mouth:

• Fill the spoon with food and offer it with the bowl facing toward them.
• Place a filled spoon on their highchair tray or bowl.
• Encourage finger feeding.

Scooping

If your child is struggling to scoop:

• Offer foods that stick to the spoon, like yogurt or congee. Or purees, like lentils, fruits, or meat.
• Offer foods that stick together, such as mashed potatoes, guacamole, or refried beans.
• Offer food in a small bowl or cup to make it easier to scoop.
• A spoon with a deep bowl helps keep food on the spoon.
• Encourage them to scoop with measuring spoons or small measuring cups during bathtime or to play with small shovels in the sandbox or snow.

As your child gets older, let them help measure ingredients for baking or cooking. Have them scoop food into your pet’s food bowl. Give them a small serving spoon to serve food during meals.