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Top Five tips to make feeding toddlers easier

F rom when babies first start eating solids, the tantrums and tears begin, as does the mess. Fussy eaters often refuse foods by throwing them away, putting more food on the floor than in their mouths. Teaching toddlers to feed themselves is a necessary and rewarding experience but comes with many challenges along the way. Ryan O’Neill, founder of innovative baby brand GizmoTots shares five tips to make the process easier. 1. Start small: When babies first start to feed themselves it’s advisable to start with only a few pieces of food at a time. Putting a bite-sized piece of soft fruit or cooked vegetable in front of a baby or in their fingers when they are ready to eat helps the child stay on task. Give each piece of food to the toddler one at a time. 2. Sit at the table: When possible, always ensure the toddler is sitting at their highchair or the table. Sitting upright is important to prevent choking but it also helps to feed the child in the same place so they can learn the association between food and eating. Focusing on the task at hand without distractions helps the process too. 3. Patience! It takes time for toddlers to learn themselves and it can be extremely frustrating when it doesn’t go to plan or when they even take a step backwards. Mess is unfortunately a part of the process but it can be reduced by using

a silicone plate that sticks to the table or high chair so toddlers at least can’t throw or knock over their whole plate. 4. Demonstrate: Children learn so much from observing. While toddlers are learning to eat it’s especially important to sit down for meals when possible and focus on eating together, even if it means the adults eat with their fingers to demonstrate the process. Minimise TV and technological devices while eating so there are less distractions and this gives kids the opportunity to watch how everyone else eats. 5. Make kids excited for meal times: Cutting foods into shapes is a tried and tested technique to disguise food from fussy eaters. While it can help make meal times more appealing, it can be very time consuming. GizmoTots is a silicone plate made especially to help ease toddlers into self-feeding with eye-catching colours and designs. The plates are available in fun shapes, such as frog face and racing car, which help make all food look fun, without any extra preparation. Having special plates, cutlery or glasses for your toddler helps make meal times special and something they will look forward to. Shop Online www.gizmotots.com.au

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& Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2017 41

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