22mo–3y10 minMealtimeFamily timeSelf-care
Fingers Count Too: Mealtime Skills Respect
A supportive mealtime activity that respects different cultural/home eating habits while helping your child practise self-feeding and neat drinking in small, achievable steps.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a small portion of a familiar food (some pieces for fingers + some soft food for spoon)
- a child-sized spoon
- a small cup with a small amount of water
Nice to have
- a damp cloth or wipes
- a small plate or bowl with a non-slip mat/towel underneath
Movement level: false
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneBegins self-care independenceBody· 22mo–3y· core
- MilestoneDrinks well without spillingBody· 22mo–3y· core
- MilestoneShows object-function knowledgeMind· 2.7y–5y· core· Steps 2, 3
- MilestoneFeeds self with spoonBody· 12mo–2.1y· stretch
- MilestoneFeeds self with utensil (spoon/fork) without spillingBody· 22mo–3y· stretch· Step 2
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Be aware of eating habits at home and of the different ways people eat their food, e.g. that eating with clean fingers is as skilled and equally valued as using cutlery.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)