How to Let 15 Month Start Feeding Himself

Just accept that he is going to make a mess. Put a table cloth on the floor under the high chair if you are really concerned. But how else will he learn if you don't let him do it himself, mess and all.

L.

I would put him in his high char and start with anything finger foods like cheerios (I wouldn't give him cheerios if he doesn't have many teeth though), green beans, cut up bananas, cooked carrots, cooked potatoes. Something he can pick up, easily. Not only feeding himself is good, but it helps with his motor skills especially fine motor skills. Once he gets his motor skills down, feeding time could go smoother. But its not unusual to have messy feeding times anyways.

Wow... a 15 month old is more than ready to feed himself. Most childhood development experts say kids should be 100% self-feeding by their first birthday. All my kids hit it between 7-10 months. Just stick him in his highchair, put some food on a plate and let him learn. Of course he'll make a mess - it's the only way to learn. It'll probably be worse now because he's starting out late. By the first birthday kids can eat anything other family members do so just put small portions (remember that 1 tablespoon is a serving size for his age) on his plate. Cut everything into bite-size pieces and let him go. You can always give seconds or thirds. Toddlers get overwhelmed when they see big piles of food, though.

Don't expect him to use utensils because that takes months of practice... most kids can use a spoon by 15-18 months but that's because they start practicing at 8-10 months old. Toddlers eat with their hands. It's messy. Just deal with it. Get it over with now. The more he practices, the sooner he'll eat neatly. My youngest is 18 months old, uses a fork and spoon but still eats with her hands sometimes and it's not that messy. The first few weeks were really messy, though.

It's not your job to make sure your child eats. It's your job to provide a wide variety of healthy foods - it's his responsibility to eat. Kids are born with a great ability to listen to their body and stop eating when full. Remember that around 14-15 months their appetites plummet because they stop growing as fast as they did when they were babies. Many 1 year olds eat just one 'good' meal a day and kinda snack and pick at the other ones. As long as a variety of food is offered, no toddler will starve himself, though. (even though we're left scratching our heads at how they can function on 1 green bean a day -- known to happen).

No matter what you decide to feed him, it is goning to be MESSY! But that is to be expected. Just remember he is learning to be a big boy. Just be sure to cut eveything you give him into bite size pieces. I used a highchair for my 3 boys. I put an old sheet under it to help catch most of the mess. I always striped them down into just a diaper or old onsie to eat. I tried not to use a plate it I could. Because it would end up on the floor anyways. I bought a bowl from Walmart that had suckton bottom on it. It stuck to the table or highchair and even walker. I got one that had 3 divided areas on it. I used it for spagatti rings, mini ravoili and sruff like that. At that time I also tried a cup with very little in it for them. I figured why not let them learn to feed themselves and drink from a lidless cup. We even gave them a sppon or fork to use but tried showing them how to use it. They did get frustrated at not being able to get much on the spoon. But this is all part of growing up. Take a ton of pictures of the messy faces. You'll wanna show him whenhe gets older. After they were done eating we did bath time. Made cleanup more fun.

My daughter started self feeding with her fingers at about 10 months. We started with Cheerios and Gerber Puffs. At 15 months, you're little guy is more than ready to start self feeding with table food. Just give him little bites of whatever you're eating. He wants to do it himself and is going to resent you trying to feed him. Also, he should be able to begin to use a fork and spook himself. It may be messy, but it's a part of growing. Oh, definitely use a high chair at mealtimes! If you want, for snack, put out a handful of cheerios and let him snack on those. They aren't messy and are very easy to clean up. Dried fruit works really well too. For easy clean up of messes on the floor, put an old sheet down under his high chair. After mealtime, just shake off the pieces of food (I always shook it outside) and every few days toss it in the wash. My daughter is almost two and uses a fork and spoon fairly successfully. I still have a mess to clean up sometimes, but it's ok! She's learning and that's all that matters! Oh, if you're worried about ruined clothes, let him eat naked! Or buy a plastic bib with a pocket. We got ours at WalMart and it has sleeves and covers all the way down to the knees when she's sitting. Good luck and have fun! It's so neat to watch them develop skills!

No doubt about it this is a messy time in their lives but I assure you they will get enough food into the mouth and down to the stomach! Start with easy things for them to work with. Toast strips, french toast sticks, chicken legs or mock drumsticks, meat loaf cut in pieces. Bananas cut into small pieces, chicken strips or fingers, cooked carrots cut into strips, green beans in pieces, canned pears (or peaches)cut into small slices, oranges or tangerines in sections, dry cereal, etc. Naturally french fries and tater tots work pretty well too. To add a little more protien to the meals and snacks a little peanut butter on the toast strips or crackers works wonders. Jello squares are great because if you make the knox blocks type they can sit at room tempreture for awhile and stay in the squares and melt in their mouths. These are the least messy foods for them to work with and they will still get plenty to eat.
Enjoy this time with your child!

I'd say anything you can cut into small little pieces. I keep a 15 mo old and he wants to only do it himself so.....we cut up fruit, veges, bologna, turkey, chicken nug, ham--anything that can be cut up little enough for him. Also would depend on how many teeth your little one has to chew. The little guy I keep has alot, now getting his I teeth. So good luck, be careful & just try a variety of things. It may be hit and miss!!

Make sure everything on the plate is cut into small bite-sized pieces, give him a toddler-sized fork/spoon, and let him go at it. If he doesn't seem to get much in his mouth, you can use an extra spoon to offer him bites of food in between his attempts to feed himself. I found that my daughter was usually pretty receptive to letting me feed her some if she also had the opportunity to do some of it herself. Most of the time she got a good meal in her, and we had a lot fewer battles that way. Plus as she got more practice, she'd get more in and I'd worry less about having to help her out.

Good luck!

I gave my kids at that age a bit of something on their plate, once they ate that, I switched to the veggie, or something different, and so on. I realized early on, that my kids got overwhelmed with everything on their plates, so I started giving them their meal a few bites at a time and it worked like a charm. When they started throwing food around, they were done and the meal ended. Good luck!!

My son started feeding himself a couple months ago. He'll be 1 next week. He started with little things like Cheerios or the little snack things from Gerber. Can't remember what they're called at the moment. Puffs, I think. He hasn't tried the big wheel things yet, but we may get him some eventually. He eats everything now though, lol. The boy is a piglet. Just try little pieces of whatever you are having. Give him peas, carrots, fries, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, fish pieces. Just about anything goes at that age. No honey, peanuts, popcorn or anything your family may have allergies to.

We decided to have fun with our daughter and gave her a spoon and a bowl of mashed potatoes. It was SO messy. We don't use a regular high chair. We use a booster with a tray as it is easier for me to handle (not to mention a HUGE space saver, lol). We stuck her in the tub to eat that time, lol. It was fun but messy. :) Good luck with this.

Oh, and you can get a 'tarp' for underneath a high chair. I've never actually seen them, but I heard that you can buy them at just about any place. I also like the idea of stripping him to a diaper/undies. We do that with both our kids still, lol. Or, the sleeved bibs are a good idea too.

A high chair with a tray works well. Finger foods are easiest of course, but also let him try using a spoon and "spork". Yes, he will make a mess--that is how he will learn. Have him wear a big bib. He will get enough to eat. Don't worry, and don't let it be a struggle. This is a great milestone for him, so show your enthusiasm for his independence! Remember, it all comes out in the wash...

Don't worry he'll find a way to get the food into his mouth... although it might be just half of what you offer him (the rest will just end up on the floor or his lap!). So, maybe you'll have to prepare just a little more food for his meals than normal to compensate for what doesn't make it in his mouth. My 13 month old son eats everything my husband and I eat. He is very proficient about eating with his hands and he can also get the spoon to his mouth just fine, but he has trouble loading the food onto it so we help him with that part. One thing that has been helpful for us is putting something under his high chair to help with the clean up. We have carpet in our dining room so we got one of those clear office mats that rolling desk chairs go on from Staples. It doesn't look as bad as some of the other options and is so easy to clean up.
Happy eating with your little boy and keep the camera handy to catch his cute messy face :)

hi,
by this age your son is more than ready to feed himself and should be doing so with little to no help from you. my daughter was self feeding around 9 months. she is 16 months now and uses a fork and spoon (as best she can), but primarily eats small bites with her fingers. we give her little bits at a time so that she does not get overwhelmed by a full plate. she eats, whole wheat bread, cauliflower, broccoli, bits of chicken, salmon, berries, pieces of cheese, spaghetti, organic o's (varaition of cheerios, eggs, basically whatever we are eating she has.

this is a great learning experience for your little one and he is going to make a mess. so be prepared to clean it up and just enjoy watching him. also, his highchair will work or we use a booster seat with a safety strap for our little one and she eats at the table with us.

If he's wanting stuff on a spoon, start with something like mashed potatoes that kinds of sticks to the spoon. That way more of it will get in his mouth. Also, cheerios and crackers are good, too. Kids will eat when they are hungry, so I wouldn't worry too much about how much he eats. Also if you are trying to give him baby food, it often slides off the spoon, so maybe some mashed up big people food is better. Remember that he's learning and it will take a while for him to get the hang of it. It will be messy, but just be sure he isn't throwing it or just playing.

Good luck! You are doing great, Mom!

We started with finger foods around 9 months. You're probably having such a struggle at dinnertime because he is more than ready to do it on his own! The best place to put him is in his high chair. He is going to make a mess, so it's just something you have to deal with, unfortunately. You can cut him up almost anything in small pieces (depending on how many teeth he has). Start by giving him little bits at a time and giving him more when he is finished. Sometimes if you give them a lot on their plate, they get overwhelmed and just make a mess. He'll eat when he is hungry, so I wouldn't worry too much about him not getting enough. And when he's had enough, he'll let you know. Good luck!

I started feeding my one year old in her high chair. I would offer one part of her meal at a time as table food cut into small pieces and the rest I would feed her with a spoon. Gradually, she was able to feed herself the entire meal. I give her small portions (1-2 Tablespoons) and give her one course at a time so she has a better chance at eating it all. She's not really good with silverware, and that's ok with me. Some messy things (yogurt, applesauce) I still feed her with a spoon when I don't want to deal with the mess. Hope this helps you!

My oldest son started feeding himself at about 15 months, mostly just finger foods. Dexterity is not developed at this age, well enough, to properly handle utensils. We stuck with spoons for a long time, because they were easier to handle. My youngest was older, being a preemie, he was more delayed in those areas. So he was about 18 months before he started trying to really use a spoon. But I'd just suggest use of a spoon, primarily. It may not look like they're getting much, but some is getting in there. They won't starve. Make sure you offer plenty of finger foods. Even cooked foods, like carrots, green beans, fruits, etc., those can be all finger foods too. Just make sure they're cut small enough to not pose a choking hazard, and big enough to pick up. I know it's messy. You definitely have to let go of that. It's hard, I know!! Especially if you like neatness & order! lol. At that age, high chair is definitely best!!! With a large high chair mat underneath to catch all the mess!!! Make sure you still use bibs, or strip baby down if you're serving something especially messy (like spaghetti). Have fun, momma! And congrats on the new bean!!

Put him in a high chair. If you are worried about a mess on the floor they have mats that you can put underneath the high chair. As far as letting him eat by himself I would let him eat anything that you would of given him if you were feeding him. Just make sure everything is cut up into small bit sized pieces. Yes is does make a mess but they have to learn to do it on there own at some point. Just keep a wet cloth nearby so when he is done you just wipe him down.

My son is 17 mo and he has been doing it for quite awhile now. He actually will climb in his chair we just moved him to at the TABLE so he is like all of us. lol He was in his high chair but anywho. He will figure it out and YES it will be a mess BUT that is part of him learning. I would try to help him get the food on his child silverware and LORD he gets mad he will say MOM loud like leave me alone I will get it. lol when he does we clap and he gets excited lol... I pretty much give him anything he LOVES nuggets, Pasta, broccoli steamed and carrots is his fav. I biol them and put butter in them and OH he eats them like crazy. Just do little portions at first to see what he really will like. I never thought he would like the carrots but he does. LOVES bananas to. Good Luck and just be patient with him he will get it. Are you still nursing or bottle whichever? I still nurse and I am sure some are saying EWWW. I only do nap and night time. It is so funny at night he will go to his chair in his room and just sit there waiting for me. Times I have no clue where he is and I will say his name no answer so I know he is in room lol. I will get in there and he will get down and go shut door and say mum mum pez.lol Ok good luck. Sry I got off subject I tend to do that. lol

My daughter is 12 months and trying to feed herself. She gets plain mad when she wants the spoon or fork and I won't give it to her. What we found to work is that we give her a piece of bread or something else that she can pick up to distract her. She tears the bread apart, eats some of it, puts some of it in her lap, but meanwhile I continue to feed her with a spoon or fork. It is working great so far. Of course, I will probably try this at lunch and she will trick me. Good Luck.

Oh honey, let him make a mess on his tray and get it all over his face! He is just learning how to eat - no need to make it a controlled and orderly event. Food should be a source of enjoyment, not stress and full of rules. One exception - no throwing!

At this point if he smushes the food between his fingers, it is probably because he is experiencing a new sensation he's never felt before. To a 15 month old, this can be really really cool! As weird as it sounds, he is learning more about the world around him so let him give it a shot. His face will get messy, his sleeves will get messy, his tray or plate will get messy - but as long as he is making an earnest effort to eat then let him have this learning experience.

At 15 months I'm going to guess he has some teeth, so you can give him anything that you are eating - cut up in small, finger chunks. Throw a kid's fork on there so he can practice getting the food on the fork. He'll miss - A LOT - in the beginning, but no one gets good at anything without practice right?

Have fun with this! Open up a world of new, wonderful, exciting, and healthy foods to your son and make eating an enjoyable experience! Best wishes to you, mama!

Oh, and keep the Dustbuster handy for the area under the high chair.

I started my kids out in the highchair. I would put some food on the tray and let them feed themselves. I would also have food in front of me and feed him from that, that way you can keep track of how much he's getting. As far as the mess, that won't correct itself until they are over two. Luckily I have a dog who usually cleans up after them.
L. (mother of a 2, 5 & 7 year old)