Feed Your Baby With These Best Toddler Utensils
When babies grow up to become toddlers, a few things change. Notably, they’re now able to eat semi-solids and even pure solid food provided that it’s at least somewhat softened such as with steamed potatoes. It’s during this stage when kids start to learn how to eat, but before they’re able to use adult-sized tools they need to learn with some tools of their own. That’s why toddlers often use toddler utensils to eat.
Designed to be safe for babies to wield but also be completely and perfectly usable, toddler utensils are the key to teaching kids how to use spoons and forks at a young age. While they may take a while to really get the motions down, with the help of toddler utensils they’ll eventually develop the muscle memory to eat with no problem at all.
Toddler Utensils Buyer’s Guide
Toddler utensils are the perfect way to introduce your baby to how to eat on their own. This guide will cover all there is to know about baby and toddler utensils.
Why Do Toddlers Need Utensils?
Like many different skills that we take for granted today, the use of utensils is something that our parents or parental figures teach us at a young age. Unlike walking or talking, using utensils isn’t something that we humans are really “made” for — sure, we can use utensils now, but that’s because we made tools that worked with what we’re able to do with our hands. In other words, using utensils is something of an artificial skill, and it can take a while before a baby learns how to self-feed.
Of course, because they’re still so young, it’s unreasonable (and irresponsible, even) to let them use silverware for adults. These utensils are too large, too heavy, and in some cases, too sharp. And even if they weren’t, adult-sized utensils are thin enough that your baby could choke on them if left unsupervised.
As such, babies need something made for them if they want to be able to use utensils at a young age. Toddler utensils are just that — utensils made to accommodate the growing and developing brain of a child. They’re safer and easier to use, with smaller and lighter parts that are easier to self-feed with.
Types of Toddler Utensils
Spoons
Spoons are probably the first utensil you’ll be introducing to your child at a young age. Before they begin to teeth, they can only really eat baby food, and this can only be fed via a spoon. So even if they aren’t able to hold a spoon on their own yet, they’ll be introduced to one at a very young age.
Forks
Forks are usually introduced once your baby begins to teeth. They’ll usually be first used on fruits and vegetables, and as your child becomes old enough, they can use it on meat, too. Forks are usually duller in toddler utensils compared to adult silverware, so they won’t cause as much harm to your baby even if they end up getting careless with it.
Tips When Using Toddler Utensils
Keep an eye on your kid at all times
This is probably the most important takeaway is the entire guide. If you have to remember one thing in this whole article, let it be this. Babies must be supervised when they’re self-feeding because you’re basically giving them two tools that they have full control over. Some babies may be curious enough to shove the utensil in their mouth or even stab themselves with the pointy end, and this can be a recipe for disaster. Try being as near them as possible to stop them in their tracks if they begin doing anything reckless.
Wash them thoroughly after use
Babies are very prone to sickness as their immune system isn’t as fully developed as an adult’s. Because of this, you need to thoroughly clean their utensils after every use. This ensures no bacteria or viruses end up on the utensil the next time your baby uses them.
Toddler Utensil Price Range
The price of toddler utensils isn’t something you can just estimate. In fact, the price of any given utensil set can vary on many different factors. For one, the materials used can heavily affect the final cost — silverware, for example, costs more than plastic utensils. There’s also the concern of the number of utensils per set — a set of six utensils will cost more than a set of two. You can expect to spend no more than $25 on a good set of utensils, and these should usually come in sets of more than one so that you can use them interchangeably as needed.
The Best Toddler Utensil Model of 2024 in Detail
Grabease Toddler Utensil – Best Overall
There are few toddler utensils that really showcase their care for toddlers like Grabease’s set of self-feeding utensils. At first glance, they look like large pacifiers that have a fork and a spoon attached to the other end, but the design of this is intentional. The large flower shape acts as a barrier, preventing the utensil from falling into the baby’s mouth and choking them. The tools themselves are easy to grab hold of and use, and you can even buy them in a variety of colors to match with their other utensils. The added safety feature makes this set the best overall pick.
Pros
- The barrier prevents choking on utensils
- Easy to grip with small hands
- Comes in many different colors
Cons
- A bit too small for larger portions of food
NumNum Toddler Utensil – Soft Texture
The NumNum Toddler Utensil comes in a set of two in blue and orange, with each set including a bumpy texture Stage 1 spoon and a middle Stage 2 spoon gap. Both spoons allow toddlers and newborns to plunge the spoon into food rather than rotating their wrist and lifting it. The spoon scoops up just the right quantity of food with this design. One is a mealtime teether that captures just enough meal to bring up to mouth; the other is a more open design that allows your baby to explore solids and thicker mixtures.
These pre-spoons encourage independent self-feeding by allowing the baby to scoop the grooved end into food, capturing a bite before it goes to her lips. Fair warning: due to the open form of the spoon, baby’s meals might rapidly become messy.
Pros
- Comforts the baby’s sore gums
- Encourages positive feeding habits
- Helps with the development of wrist rotation
Cons
- Open “spoon” plate can be messy
Munchkin Toddler Utensil – Best for Families
Are you expecting twins or triplets? Maybe you’re planning on having a few babies within the next few years? If you think you’re going to need more than just one pair of utensils, then this set by Munchkin is a great pick-up. It’s a set of six total utensils, giving you three fork and spoon pairs for your toddlers to use. You can either have this entire set be used by a single baby or have multiple toddlers use them at once. The design of the forks and spoons makes them top-rack dishwasher safe, so you can put them in for cleaning without too much worry (just put them in the right spot).
Pros
- Set of three pairs of utensils
- Great material quality
- Can be washed in the dishwasher’s top rack
Cons
- Must be placed in a specific part of the dishwasher to be dishwasher-safe
Re-Play Toddler Utensil – Most Colors
If your kid is fascinated by colors, then they’re certainly going to love this set of utensils by Re-Play. Made in the USA, these high-quality plastic spoons and forks are available in many, many different sets of colors, and you can pick whatever colors your kid fancies the most. Using non-toxic, BPA-free plastic, the spoons and forks meet federal regulations and be used again and again without worry. With a total of 23 different colors available in their set, you’re bound to find at least one that your kid will deem as their favorite.
Pros
- Comes in a total of 23 different colors
- Made in the USA
- Can be used multiple times
Cons
- You can’t mix and match specific colors to your liking
Annova Toddler Utensil – Best Silverware
Once you think your kids are old enough to use heavier utensils, you can transition them into using these silverware utensils by Annova. The spoons and forks are made out of this beautiful stainless steel material that shines almost silver-like in color. There’s even a set of cute engravings on the base of the spoon’s handle, a cute little indicator that it’s meant for your child. Do note, however, that this is silverware, and your child may not be able to use it yet until they’re at least a little bit older, so buy this with caution.
Pros
- Silverware for kids
- Cute engraving on the base of the handle
- Set of three pairs
Cons
- Only ideally used by older toddlers
NUK Toddler Utensil – Best Forks
While it may seem a little odd to sell forks without accompanying spoons, there are plenty of situations where spoons are wholly unnecessary. For example, if you want your kids to eat steamed veggies, then it probably won’t be easy for them to grab the food with a spoon (you’d probably even find it difficult yourself). Forks are perfect for this scenario, and Nuk’s cutlery forks are made out of durable stainless steel to ensure they’re good for use even years and years down the line.
Pros
- Made out of a durable stainless steel material
- Handle keeps the tip away from the table
- Great for long-term use
Cons
- Only meant for ages 18 months and up
People Also Asked
A: Silverware is generally reserved for toddlers who are already familiar with using utensils.
A: Babies should start being able to use utensils at around 10 to 12 months of age.
A: Once your baby starts learning how to use utensils, it may take a few weeks or months before they’re able to use utensils safely and eat on their own.
