Mealtimes for the pre-school child
Make sure the child is sitting with his/her feet firmly on the floor and the table at hip height.
Sometimes it is easier to keep the child in a high chair or use a booster seat.
If the child is sitting at a table on a standard chair and is not stable and their feet are dangling then try putting telephone books together for the child to rest their feet on or make a box for the child to place their feet on.
Use appropriate size cutlery – try bending “cheap” cutlery at an angle to help with eating.
Try using a piece of foam tubing to help with the grip. Buy some cutlery which is made specifically for the child e.g. Caring Cutlery.
Use a piece of Dycem (non stick matting) or a dampened facecloth and place this under the plate to stop it moving around.
Use a soup bowl, or plastic bowl with a lip, to limit the spread of the food. The child can scoop more easily.
Do not overfill the cup or the plate. The child can always have more.