Accessories that can be used to support with mealtimes

Mealtimes are an important aspect of family life. Children begin to develop self-feeding skills from birth. Self-feeding is a very complex task and it is common for children to have difficulty using cutlery to feed themselves. It usually takes until a child is 7 years old before they can successfully use cutlery to feed themselves without being too messy.

There are a variety of tools that can be used to support children with mealtimes if they continue to find these skills challenging.

Many of these are readily available and are not seen as specialist equipment:

plates with rims can be helpful in stopping food slipping off the plate
placemats keep the plate in place
non-slip mats (such as Dycem) can be used to help keep plates still

You also get suction bowls so they cannot be thrown.

Caring Cutlery helps a child to hold the cutlery in the most efficient way and encourages independence with cutting up food. The handles have finger indents, where the index fingers are placed, and contoured handles, to make them easier to hold. For maximum benefit the child should be supervised when using the cutlery initially to ensure their fingers are positioned correctly.

The cutlery should be used as long as it is deemed both beneficial by the parent/teacher and acceptable to the child. Once the child is proficient using the cutlery they can try standard cutlery.

Try a variety of cups/beakers/bottles to find one that suits your child.
Avoid light plastic cups as these spill easily.
Try with 1 or 2 handles and without handles.
Try a variety of spouts, straws and water bottle caps.
It is important that your child is well supported when they are learning any new skill. Initially ensure your child is well supported in a high chair or on your lap. You can use cushions or rolled up towels to help your child to stay sitting up straight in their high chair.
Once they have outgrown a highchair, ensure feet are support by steps to help them maintain a more appropriate posture.