Grapes - at what age to you stop chopping them (preschool party looming)

[Mojomummy]

I'm doing the grapes for the xmas party & mentioned cutting them in half.

I was told i don't need to do this - eek !

The children are age 3-4. I'm probably being cautious, but the reason I said I'd do them was so I could half them (should've kept my mouth shut).

So to chop or not ?

(bearing in mind there will be 35 kids, several adults BUT if a child chokes on one, they are EXTREMELY difficult to cough up because of their softness & shape)

At that age I would still cut in half, esp when dealing with other people's children.

what????????? chopping grapes......have never ever chopped grapes.

why would you chop grapes??

Hope I not upsetting anyone but genuinly confused about this

Would never have considered cutting them in half at this age. Ds and dd and 4 and 3 and eat grapes by the bunch, it would take up my whole life if I cut them in half!

I cut them. My uncle was with a 3 year old when she choked to death on a grape so I'm funny about them.

grapes should be chopped because they are one of the most easiest food to choke on, due to their shape & the fact they are so soft. e.g. If you choke on a piece of apple, a thump on the back will usually dislodge it, whereas the grape is a perfect size to get stuck.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6424069.stm

aah.....choking risk....ok.(just seen that mentioned at the bottom of the OP, shame me for not reading properly)

am obviously lucky that mine never have even tho two of mine would live on grapes given the chance.

I dont chop for my dd (4) and havent since she was about 2. I still chop in half for my 14 month old though.

i still chop for ds aged 3.10 but not for dd aged 7.5
but i did choose grapes last year at the pre-school xmas party and that was so i knew they were chopped(as i did it)
this year someone has beat me to it by choosing grapes so i think i will go armed with a small knife(just in case)

so yes i would and still do chop them

I would chop them at preschool and still do most of the time for mine aged 4 and 6. At preschool it would very wuick and easy for a little one to start choking and fo rit not to be noticed straight away.

A little boy died this year aged 3 after getting a grape stuck and a child of about 6 died after choking on a meatball at school. Best to be over cautious than have to comfort a bereaved parent imho.

This always frightens me at toddler group I go to, where the grapes are given whole. I hover over dd like an overanxious mum and bite them in half for her.
I am actually one of the least anxious parents about choking but ALWAYS chop grapes. I know a lot about swallowing because of my job, and grapes are perfect airway blocking size, and like someone says, difficult to dislodge.

I would chop. Can't be too careful re grapes.

'I know a lot about swallowing because of my job'

For dd 18 months I half soft ones and leave firm ones whole - if that makes sense . But other peoples kids its always best to err on the side if caution and cut in half.

ok, I walked into that one! (am a SALT, btw, with adults, so work lots with difficulties eating and drinking)

I guessed that fibernie

Still made me smile

thanks - I will chop them & just hand them over in their containers.