There are many questions a first-time parent has about raising their child, and one of them is how to help their toddler feed themselves. From about one year old, your child may already be attempting to feed themselves. Unfortunately, their attempts are often messy and frustrating for them, as a regular spoon is simply too large for their little hands and mouths. So the next question would be: what kind of a spoon would a toddler easily use for self-feeding?
Curved spoons for toddlers are ranked among the best toddler utensils for self-feeding. Categorized as adapted eating utensils, these curved spoons for toddlers make it easier for them to bring the food to their mouths without turning the spoon. Eating is a complex task involving visual-motor coordination that a child may take a while to develop. With a curved baby spoon, self-feeding is more successful, and your child will gain a sense of independence and confidence in using utensils.
Table of Contents
Curved Spoon for Toddlers
1. Best Overall Curved Baby Spoon: Kizingo Curved Baby Spoon
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy to use | 1. You must know if your child is right-handed or left-handed |
| 2. Appropriate portions | 2. Expensive |
| 3. Safe Non-toxic material | |
| 4. Dishwasher safe |
The Kizingo Curved Baby Spoons are simply the best for self-feeding. They are made of high-quality plastic and are free of BPA, lead, and latex, making them absolutely safe for your precious toddler. The pack comes with a pair of either right-handed or left-handed spoons in vibrant colors to make self-feeding even more of a delight.
These spoons are ergonomically designed to help your toddler scoop and transport the appropriate portions of food to their mouth with less mess. After a guaranteed fun mealtime, these curved spoons for toddlers can easily be cleaned in your dishwasher.
2. Best Budget Curved Baby Spoon: Cute Stone Toddlers Feeding Training Spoon and Fork Set
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Bendable | 1. Rounded blunt forks |
| 2. Easy to use | 2. Stains easily |
| 3. Safe high-quality material | |
| 4. Comes with 3 spoons and 3 forks |
If you are looking for a bargain, then the Cute Stone Toddlers Feeding Training Spoon and Fork Sets are your best option. You will get three spoons and three forks in one package, giving you great value for your money. The spoons and forks are made of high-quality, food-grade, toxin-free material that is completely safe for your toddler. They are also soft and gentle on your toddler’s sensitive gums and teeth.
The bendable spoons and forks can be curved to the right or left, making this a great purchase no matter which hand your toddler prefers to use. The spoon scoops are shallow, forks are rounded for safety, and their non-slip silicone handles are just perfectly sized for little hands. Their one-piece mold design makes these utensils easy to clean, and their high-temperature resistance allows for sterilization in hot water.
3. Best Stainless Steel Curved Baby Spoon: Kidvana’s Dolphin Fork and Spoon Cutlery Set
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Ergonomic design | 1. Only right-handled toddlers |
| 2. Safe, non-toxic material | 2. Dolphone handle can be large for first-time self-feeders |
| 3. Various colors | |
| 4. Fun dolphin design |
Kidvana’s Dolphin Fork and Spoon Cutlery Set is an excellent option if you prefer stainless steel. Its highlight feature is the dolphin-shaped handles that are ergonomically designed for ease of use. The handles are also free from BPA, lead, latex, and phthalate. Coupled with the 100% stainless steel spoon and fork, this set is verifiably safe for your toddler.
This set is sturdy and durable as it’s made from only the highest quality materials, growing with your toddler until they no longer want to use it. Its curved design makes for easy and fun self-feeding with no frustrations and less mess. The set comes in a variety of vibrant colors to choose from that will make mealtimes fun and exciting for your little one.
4. Best First Self-Feeding Curved Baby Spoon: Playtex Baby Curve Early Self-Feeding Spoons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy for little hands to handle | 1. Only for right-handed toddlers |
| 2. Encourages proper grip development | 2. Can be challenging for some toddlers |
| 3. Appropriate portion size | |
| 4. Safe Material |
For toddlers who are just beginning to practice self-feeding, the Playtex Baby Curve Early Self-Feeding Spoons are the best option. It has a dip and curve design where the spoon curves to face the child for easy feeding. It has short and wide handles made to match your toddler’s natural grip for easy handling while encouraging proper grip development necessary as they grow to use regular spoons.
Designed by mothers who are also nutritionists, these curved spoons for babies pick up just the right amount of food per scoop to reduce the risk of choking. Their curvature is also another guard against choking as it is not possible for your toddler to push these spoons in their throats. The package comes with two brightly colored spoons that will be a memorable and fun way for your toddler to begin self-feeding.
5. Best Curved Baby Spoon For Travel: NiegeTec Toddler Utensils with Travel Case
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Flexible handle | 1. Not a single piece mold design |
| 2. Ergonomic design | 2. It can be challenging for ambidextrous toddlers |
| 3. Food grade material | |
| 4. comes with carrying case |
Self-feeding does not have to be limited to your home with the NiegeTec Toddler Utensils with Travel Case. Each fork and spoon set comes with a travel case for safe and hygienic travel. The spoons and forks are flexible and bendable due to their steel wire interior. This ensures that once the spoon or fork is bent, it will stay firmly in place until deliberately bent in a different direction.
The smooth rounded tips are made from food-grade polypropylene that is free from BPA, lead, latex, and phthalate. The handles are made of thermoplastic elastomer covered in TPE soft glue for a non-slip grip. These utensils are resistant to high temperatures and microwave and dishwasher safe, making cleaning and sterilization easy.
6. Best Curved Baby Spoon For Left Handed Toddlers: EasiEaters Children’s Curved Fork and Spoon Set
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to grip | Only for left-handed toddlers |
| Promotes self-feeding | Comes in only three colors |
| Angled utensils | |
| Easy to clean |
Finally! Someone thought about the lefties and made this perfect curved spoon: the EasiEaters Children’s Curved Fork and Spoon Set. An Occupational Therapist designed this lightweight plastic set to facilitate and promote self-feeding. The fork and spoon have built-up handles that make it easier for your toddler to hold and maintain a firm grip. The handles have a 0.5-inch diameter and a 3-inch length making them perfect for little hands.
The fork and spoon are both permanently angled, and this design makes the hand-to-mouth motion easier for your toddler. Mouthguards are also available with this set to prevent choking and help maintain a proper grip. The set is dishwasher safe, therefore easy to clean, and comes in only three colors: red, blue, and purple.
7. Best Parent and Child Curved Baby Spoon Set: Green Sprouts Learning Spoon Set
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy to grip | 1. Shallow s poon tips |
| 2. Facilitates both self-feeding and adult feeding | 2. Pricey |
| 3. Gentle on gums and teeth | |
| 4. Easy to clean |
If you are concerned about your toddler eating enough while learning to feed themselves, then you should consider buying the Green Sprouts Learning Spoon Set. This set comes with two spoons; one for the parent/adult and the other for the toddler. The idea is to allow your toddler to explore self-feeding while ensuring that they are getting enough to eat.
Both spoons have non-petroleum silicone tips that are non-toxic. The tips are also soft on your toddler’s gums and teeth. The contoured shovel tip on each spoon ensures that the food stays on the spoon, and the loop handle of the toddler’s spoon facilitates a firm and easy grip. The spoons are also easy to clean and disinfect when necessary.
What to Check While Buying The Best Curved Toddlers Spoons
Buying spoons for toddlers may be a fun and exciting experience, but it is also a serious one. After all, this is a utensil that your toddler will have in their mouth often as they usually eat several meals in a day. So you must take great care as you consider which curved baby spoon you should get for your little one. So what should you consider?
1. Materials
The best baby spoons are those that have a soft tip and will be gentle on their gums and teeth as they practice this new skill. The handle should also be soft to allow for teething as it would be dangerous for a child to chomp down on a metallic end to ease the discomfort of teething. The materials used to make the spoon should also be non-toxic and completely safe for your toddler. They should also be durable so you can get your money’s worth for that spoon.
2. Your child’s developmental progress
Always purchase the best baby spoons that match your child’s developmental progress. Usually, you will find first-spoons designed for children who are just learning to feed themselves. Then there are those spoons for toddlers who have somewhat mastered using a spoon. There are even spoons for children with various disabilities. So take care to get the right spoon for your child.
3. Choking hazard
In order to reduce choking, check the design of the spoon. Does it have detachable parts? If yes, avoid that spoon until your child is much older, as they could choke on the small parts. You should also check the size of the spoon, i.e., how much food it picks up while your baby eats. Ensure that it is an appropriate portion for your toddler as too much food on the spoon could cause choking.
4. Cost
You need to consider value for money even when buying curved spoons for toddlers. Consider how many utensils you are getting in the package, as well as their durability and longevity (based on their materials). Obviously, avoid cheap spoons as your toddler will chew through them in a few months. You have wasted money and there is a risk that your child could have ingested harmful materials while chewing on the spoon.
Best Curved Spoon For Toddlers FAQ
1. Why should I get curved spoons for toddlers?
The process of moving food from a plate via a spoon to the mouth is quite a complex one for toddlers. They have not developed the hand-eye coordination required to complete that process smoothly. Curved spoons allow them to perform this task with ease, less mess, and more fun as they gradually get more coordinated. Curved spoons are also good for making mealtime easier for toddlers with some developmental challenges.
2. Are metal spoons bad for my baby?
Well, yes and no. When your baby is just starting to eat, it is better to avoid metallic spoons. This is especially true when they start practicing self-feeding because they do not yet have the awareness or coordination to avoid poking themselves or others with the metallic ends of the spoon. Also, they can bite down quite hard on the metallic spoon and injure their sensitive gums and teeth. So while metal spoons are not entirely bad, you should allow your toddler to use them with caution and supervision.
3. How can I get my toddler to use their curved spoon?
Some toddlers may show an interest in self-feeding but prefer to use their hands rather than their curved spoon. One way you could get them interested in their spoon is to make a game. For instance, you could have two curved spoons during mealtime. Then, have your toddler use one spoon to feed you as you feed them with the other. The second time around, feed yourself and let your toddler do the same. This game should ignite an interest in using the curved spoons themselves.
4. Which curved spoons should I get for my ambidextrous toddler?
Most children begin to favor one hand by the age of 2 years and finally settle on one dominant hand by the age of 4 to 6 years. So until then, it is better to get curved spoons that are flexible and can be bent to favor the left or right hand. Avoid curved spoons specifically designed for either left-handed or right-handed people, as this may cause frustration for your toddler.
