No mere morsels

Nourish independence and motor skills by giving baby foods that are easy to pick up.

You'll Need

  • Finger foods
  • Cups
  • Bowls
  • Spoons

Time

10 minutes

Learning Stages

When your baby starts to approach one year she will be working to perfect her pincer grasp. This is when she picks up small objects with her thumb and forefinger. So in addition to spoon-feeding your baby, make sure you are also giving her the chance to pick up small pieces of food and feed herself.

For babies, mealtime is more than just a chance to eat, it's a chance to learn too! And while it may seem like a crazy idea at first, it's OK to let you baby play with her food. Just make sure you've covered the area, because trust us—it’s gonna get messy. Give your baby plastic bowls, cups and spoons, along with pourable items like dry cereal or water. Pour the cereal from one cup to another, or show baby how you spoon it into a bowl. Then let her do it herself.

Pouring and scooping will build baby’s fine motor muscles, improve her hand-eye coordination and stimulate her senses.