Overview

Once your child has some practice using a spoon, a fork is usually the next utensil to introduce. Your child will learn to use a fork to scoop, spear, mash, and push food. For example, the fork pushes foods like rice and curry onto their spoon. It can also hold food still as it's cut with a knife.

Your child will use a knife to spread and cut food. A knife can be introduced when you feel comfortable and are able to supervise your child. Some parents introduce a knife at 2 years of age, while others wait until their child is much older. Talk to your child about how to use a knife safely.

Using a fork or knife also helps them build fine motor skills and requires a lot of practice.

• Holding utensils helps your child learn grasp patterns.
• Scooping, spearing, spreading, and cutting helps them practice bilateral coordination.
• Coordination develops as they learn to bring the fork to their mouth and practice cutting food with a knife.

Being able to eat by themself and use utensils lets your child take part in mealtimes. Learning to use different utensils is important when your child gets older and learns to cook.

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

How fork and knife skills develop

It will take time for your child to learn all the different ways to use a fork and knife.

From 18 months of age, your child learns to scoop and spear foods with a fork.

Between 4 to 5 years of age, your child learns to spread soft foods and will start to use a knife and fork together to cut food. It can take 2 to 3 years to be skilled with using a fork and knife together.

Build fork and knife skills

As your child learns to use a fork and knife, they'll explore different ways to hold and use them. They'll be messy. To help them build these skills:

• Have your child sit with their feet supported or touching the ground.
• Use a child-sized fork. These have thicker, shorter handles that are easier to hold. Some have a textured handle with bumps to make it less slippery.
• Use a butter knife or other dull knife when your child is learning.
• Cut-up food doesn't need to be the same size or look perfect.

Interest

If your child isn't interested in using a fork or knife:

• Introduce a fork after your child is able to scoop with a spoon.
• Encourage your child to play with kitchen play sets and pretend food.
• Motivate your older child by letting them choose a utensil or offering utensils of their favourite colour.

Scooping

If your child is struggling to scoop with a fork:

• Offer foods that stick together, like mashed potatoes, guacamole, or refried beans.
• Offer food in a small bowl or cup to make it easier to scoop.
• Practice with spoons. Offer measuring spoons or small measuring cups during bathtime. Give your child small shovels to play in the sandbox or snow.

Spearing

If your child is struggling to spear foods with a fork:

• Offer foods that don't roll, like a meatball or falafel cut in half.
• Offer soft foods that stay together when speared, like pieces of waffle.
• Place food into a cup to make it easier to spear. They'll have to hold the cup in one hand to keep it steady.
• Have them help poke holes with a fork in cookies before baking.
• During play, have them practice using a fork to spear Play-Doh or dig holes in the garden or sand. Add forks of different sizes when they play house.

Spreading

If your child struggles to spread food with a knife:

• Start with easy spreads on firm foods, like jam on a toasted bagel or cream cheese on celery sticks.
• Place the food on a plate or cutting board to keep it steady.
• As your child's skills improve, they can try more challenging foods, like spreading jam on bread.
• Practice spreading icing on cupcakes or cookies.
• During play, try using a popsicle stick to spread fingerpaint, mud, or shaving cream.

Cutting

If your child struggles to cut food with a knife:

• Model how to use a knife by holding the food steady with one hand while using the knife with the other.
• They can help with meal preparation to practice with strips of soft foods, like bananas, pears, or cooked carrots.
• They can help with baking. Have them cut butter for cookies or slice rolls of cookie dough.
• During play, let them cut Play-Doh into chunks or strips.
• Show them how to use a knife and fork together. Start with strips of soft foods or Play Doh. This helps them learn to use these utensils together.