Loaded Spoon, Handed Over

What you need

• a short-handled spoon
• a bowl of thick yoghurt

How to do it

1. Sit your toddler upright in their high chair with the bowl in front of them.
2. Load the spoon yourself with a small amount.
3. Hand it over, handle first, and let them take it the rest of the way to their mouth.
4. Take the empty spoon back, load it again, and hand it over again.

Why it matters

Loading the spoon is the hardest part, so doing that bit for them lets them practise the part they can manage, getting a full spoon to their mouth, right from the start.

What they're learning

Spoon to mouth

Bringing a full spoon up without tipping it is the first real piece of feeding themselves.

Grip

Holding a spoon firmly enough to steer it is hand work that gets stronger with every mouthful.

Doing it themselves

Even with the spoon loaded, the mouthful is theirs, and that's what makes them want more goes.

What to look for

Watch for them reaching for the spoon before you've handed it over.

A tip

Sit them upright and stay with them the whole time they're eating. This is about the spoon, not about how much gets eaten. Let them stop when they've had enough.

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