Feeding: Tips to Help Your Child Learn to Feed Themself

These instructions from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offer tips and suggestions to help your child learn to feed themself.

Important information:

Children develop at different rates. Your child may be ready to feed themselves when they:

• Can sit straight and tall in their highchair, without using their arms.

• Use their hands to play with toys.

• Put hands and toys in their mouth.

• Get excited to eat when in their highchair or booster seat.

• Grab the spoon while you are feeding.

• Enjoy eating.

Patient instructions:

• Use a seat where your child can sit straight and tall without extra support.

• Choose a secure seat. Your child should focus on feeding themself, not worrying that they will fall.

• If your child cannot sit upright without support, then use an infant seat, a supportive booster seat, or recline the back of their highchair.

• At all meals:

  • Offer your child their own spoon to hold. A spoon with a short, fat handle will be easy to grasp.

  • Offer spoons dipped in whatever food you are feeding them so that your child can practice bringing the spoon to their mouth.

• At the end of the meal:

  • Give your child a spoon and a bowl and let them practice scooping.

  • Choose a food they like and will stay on the spoon, like yogurt or pudding.

• Practice spoon feeding at snack time when it is not important how much your child eats.

• Allow your child to feed themself with large pieces of food, such as baby cookies or biscuits, graham crackers, or baby puffs. These foods are easier for your child to grasp and hold and bring to their mouth.

• Let your child get messy and have a good time! It is the best way to learn!

Reviewed on October 27, 2022, by Linda Donton, MOTR/L