The 21st century is an era where technology development and new trends are taking by storm, and baby and children products are no exception at all. And it’s not even surprising, since these products help many inexperienced and busy mums to keep tabs on their little ones’ development and well being.

Talking about products that can be beneficial for your little one’s development, toddler cutlery took over many of the baby shops’ shelves and made a huge boom among modern moms of the 21st century. If you’re wondering why, let’s learn a couple of things how can a single baby knife fork spoon set be advantageous for your toddler.

As your little one starts developing motor skills, its hands will progress from reflex to purposeful use. In other words, if you place something in a baby’s hand, it will close it and hold the object tights. However, this isn’t a conscious movement, but more like a reflex due to the lack of motor skills.

After a while, the baby will make a choice to start releasing the hand intentionally. Such behaviour typically occurs in the first 8 months of a baby’s life, and this is the period when babies mostly tend to decide whether to "mouth" the item in their hands or not. In other words, this is a period when babies learn how to manipulate food in their hands so it gets into their mouth.

Developing this skill is very important, since its natural progression is learning how to use cutlery, holding a pencil when they go to school and other practices that include manipulating with small items. However, a toddler needs time and repetition to gain a specific skill and acquiring the ability to use cutlery is best taught while eating a meal at a table.

But giving your toddler the usual cutlery you use as an adult isn’t appropriate at all, since it can feel too big, slippery and hard to grip. On the other hand, a specialized toddler cutlery set can be a better solution to give your little one the opportunity to explore different ways of gripping it, picking up and keeping the food on the utensil and bringing it to the right place.

Now that you know why you should get a baby knife fork spoon set for your little one, it’s of great importance to choose an appropriate one that will fit your toddler’s needs.

First of all, it’s very important to choose materials that won’t harm your toddler’s still soft and delicate gums. For this purpose, make sure you avoid sturdy materials such as metals or the typical silverware you use but choose materials such as silicone, bamboo or BPA-free plastic.

Starting from one of the most popular materials, silicone is a very soft and flexible material that will be gentle with your little one’s teeth and gums. This is why silicone is one of the most commonly used materials for producing baby products for feeding. Except for this, silicone baby cutlery offers a firm grip and won’t slip off easily from your little one’s hands. Therefore, it makes for the ideal cutlery material for when your little bug starts to eat by itself.

Bamboo cutlery sets for toddlers are also a very recommended option due to a couple of reasons. First of all, bamboo is a non-toxic and hypoallergenic material that won’t harm your toddler in any way. Except for being one of the healthiest options, bamboo sets are very durable, dishwasher safe and won’t shatter, crack or break even if your little one accidentally drops them on the sturdiest floor.

Finally, you’ll also come across BPA-free plastic baby cutlery Australia wide baby shops. And these sets also make for a great choice, since they also aren’t toxic or harmful for your little one, they aren’t sturdy to harm any part of its mouth and can be safely washed at high temperatures in your dishwasher.

Except for picking a children-safe material, it’s also important to get the right size so your little one doesn’t struggle. Getting a too large set for your toddler’s little hands will make it struggle gripping and grasping the utensils. On the other hand, choosing a too-small set will become a real drag for your toddler and make it get bored in no time.

And while most of the cutlery sets for babies and toddlers come in a standard size, you can still find ones that are sized according to your little one’s age. So, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s sizing chart or guide to choose the best option for your toddler.

Introducing cutlery to your toddler’s daily eating routine can be an overwhelming task, especially when your little one becomes fuzzy and refuses to collaborate. Luckily, there’re a couple of things you can do to ease the process for both, your toddler and yourself and make using cutlery a joyful experience.

So first of all, it’s best to pick a time when your little one is alert and in a playful mood. For instance, mornings can be the perfect timing to start teaching your toddler how to use cutlery, while the period before a nap can often bring fuzziness to your little one and make you feel frustrated.

Once you get your toddler to the table, make sure you sit opposite and place the food along with the cutlery set in front of them. Also, don’t forget that children tend to absorb and mimic their role model’s behaviour, and watching you use a cutlery set can "convince" your toddler to start using it easier.

Show your little one how to use the cutlery by using it on your own, and give it a chance to try. If they seem to be struggling, you can use the "hand over hand" technique of guiding your toddler’s hand to help them scoop or stab the food.

However, remember that developing such skills can be tricky, and your toddler may not be successful in its first attempts. So, it’s of great importance to be very patient and prepared for all the mess after the meal.

At the end of the day, practice makes perfect. So, make sure you include your toddler in your family meals, and give them a chance to watch others use cutlery and attempt using it on their own instead of feeding them separately.