At what age did your kids use a knife and fork

[Yourarejokingme]

So at what did they manage it at.
Do they just throw caution to the wind and use their fingers.
I have 8,7,6 year olds and they all use their fingers some times but the 7 and 6 year old most of the time. I know I get onto them to use the fork but nope back to fingers.

[Kraggle]

My nearly 3 year old still prefers to use her fingers to pick food up, will sometimes use a fork or a spoon. Good to know I shouldn't be expecting her to master the full cutlery set yet!

[HeyMicky]

DD is 3.4, she's been using a fork and spoon pretty consistently for ages and likes to give a knife a try too. If it's tricky, though, she pushes things on to her cutlery with her fingers

[ReallyTired]

Both my children learnt to use a knife and fork at around the age of four. However some children who are perfectly capable people using cutlery will use fingers. I think it's a matter of parents insisting they use a knife and fork.

Dd aged 6. She known how to use a knife and fork properly since four, but she sometimes struggle to cut up meat because she lacks strength. She can cut up everything else though.

[ohisay]

7,4,3 fork all the time. Knife not so much, still finding myself cutting food up for them all quite often. 19mo food goes to mouth on fork or spoon, often having used his other hand to put it on there in the first place

[Bluecarrot]

Dd (almost 2) been using a fork from about 13m as she dislikes her hands being "dirty"
And been using a knife to push food onto fork and spread butter from 18 months. . She can't manage a big knife as it's just too cumbersome, and her little set is too blunt to actually cut food other than bread or soft fruit.

[MrsHathaway]

7 yo just fork unless I remind him.
4 yo just fork unless cutting.
2 yo just fork and hands.

I don't really remember when 2 yo graduated from "mostly hands" to "mostly fork" but he's been using a fork or spoon from about 9 months.

[TheTigerIsOut]

Ds was competent with knife and fork before he was 3. He hated to touch food, now, as a teenager, he doesn't hate the feel of food anymore, and I really struggle to stop using his hands.

Having said that, my mother was ok with us using our fingers to eat, I wish she hadn't. It was soooooo bloody embarrasing to be invited to other people's houses and not being able to manage the cutlery properly. I remember saving my allowance when I was 12 to buy a good manners manual I saw advertised in a magazine, just because I couldn't bear the embarrasement of not being able to use a full set of cuttlery properly.

[Mrscog]

DS is 3.10 been using fork and spoon since 14 months. Hasn't really used a knife yet - not sure when to introduce really so watching with interest!

[bittapitta]

Fork around 12-13mo. Knife and fork at just turned 3yo. Fingers sometimes when it's appropriate. Bit at school-age children not using knife and fork tbh.

[Lndnmummy]

Ds has used a fork since 2, no knife yet

[guinnessgirl]

DS (5) can use fork and can have a good crack at using knife, but it's s constant battle to stop him defaulting to fingers. I know fingers are easier but am insistent that he gets used to cutlery as he's definitely old enough now.

[Yika]

My DD is 5 and not competent with a knife. She uses fork and fingers. I need to crack down and help her more so that she can manage the knife and fork together.

[neversleepagain]

My three year olds use a fork and I give them a knife every dinner time which they are learning slowly to use.

[UmbongoUnchained]

My 16 month old uses a knife fork and spoon. The knife she uses to push food into her fork, not for cutting as its a toddler one and really blunt! She also has chopsticks (I'm half Japanese)

[Jesabel]

My almost 2 year old uses a fork and spoon and sometimes fingers.
My 5 year old uses a knife and fork, he's not allowed to use fingers unless it's finger food.

[bishboschone]

This is interesting , my son is 4 and globally delayed . ( genetic condition ) I have always treated him as if he were not but everything has been late and at 4 he still can't talk much . I use to give him a spoon when he was a baby . He eventually got the hang of feeding himself at about 9 months . He has been eating with a knife and fork since he was about 3 and a half . I presumed this was late as my daughter did everything mega early .