Practicing motor skills at meal time
Meal times and snack times are great opportunities for your baby to learn new things and practice his motor skills—the skills that develop his small and large muscle groups. Here are some ideas:
Map it out
Make a place mat with roads that lead to a snack. Place a finger food, like GRADUATES® Fruit Puffs and Veggie Puffs, at the end of the road. Then have your baby use his fingers to drive a new Puff down the road to meet his friend.
Hand-eye coordination
During meal time give him a soft-tipped spoon such as the GERBER® Soft-Bite Toddler Spoon—even if you’re feeding him with another. Holding the spoon may help him develop hand-eye coordination and feel more involved. Make sure to always supervise as he’s learning to use the spoon on his own.
Kitchen help
Your baby can’t help make dinner, but he can check out mom’s tools. Put an age-appropriate food, like GRADUATES® YOGURT MELTS™ snacks, into a plastic measuring cup and let him use his hand and finger muscles to get them out. Or place a few YOGURT MELTS pieces on his high chair tray and let him practice getting them into a measuring cup or measuring spoon.
Did you know?
At this age, your baby is more expressive about what he wants (and doesn’t want). You may begin to see your little one show excitement when food is presented and point and reach for food when he’s hungry.
Products
GERBER® GRADUATES® Fruit Puffs
Light airy snacks made with puffed grains and real fruit.
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