Cutlery, Cups and Plates

In order for your child to become more skilled at using cutlery it is important for them to be seated at the table for mealtimes. Be sure that your child is seated with their feet firmly placed on the floor, ideally the position of hips, knees and ankles at 90° angles. The height of the work surface must be the distance from the floor to the base of your child’s elbow when bent to 90°.

If you have concerns about your child’s ability to use cutlery, use this advice sheet. If you have not seen improvement after three months, please contact Integrated Children’s Services.

Encourage your child to hold the cutlery correctly. Remember the following:

Holding with index finger pointing down. This helps to apply more pressure
Use of sawing action not tearing action
Keep shoulders and elbows down. If they are kept up, they will become tired

More Information

Strategies and Advice

Make sure that their feet are supported, either on the floor or on a step stool for mealtimes
Allow them to help with simple food preparation e.g. cut up a banana for a fruit salad
Start with soft foods that the child can push a knife through e.g. boiled potatoes
Then teach the child to cut foods that require a sawing action such as soft meats
Using a knife and fork together in a complex skill as each hand does a different action but must
coordinate together. Emphasise the different actions of each hand – the fork to hold food still, and the knife to cut. This can be practised using large soft foods such as a slice of bread.

Practice using a knife and fork outside of mealtimes during games such as:

Mars bar games (or banana)

Throw a dice, each time you get a six, cut off a piece of mars bar. Carry on cutting pieces until the next person throws a six.

Playdoh

Rolling out into different shapes and cutting out
Shape playdoh into a ‘pizza’ or a ‘beef-burger’ and place on plate
Ask child to cut it into 4, 6 or 8 pieces. The child can only use the knife and fork to touch the ‘food’, not his or her fingers
Encourage the child to use their knife and fork to turn the ‘food’ round so it is in the best position for cutting
Pick up each piece of food with the fork and push off into container using the knife.
Shape playdoh into ‘peas’ and place on the plate. Pick up each ‘pea’ with the fork and push off into a container with the knife
Make a ‘whole meal’ out of playdoh, made up of different shapes to be cut, picked up and placed into the container using only the knife and fork
Encourage them to put the knife and fork down on the plate in between (as if waiting for them to finish a mouthful) so they get more practice at how to pick up and hold cutlery correctly each time.

Sandwiches