During the early stages of introducing solids, the goals are to improve oral motor skills, establish safety, maintain positive associations with eating and to develop a diet with a wide variety of foods.

Development of oral motor skills for feeding are dependent on the qualities of the foods given to the child.  The qualities of the foods (such as meltable or non-meltable) determine the level of oral motor skills required to prepare the food for swallowing.  The following is an outline of foods organized by the typical progression of feeding skills.

Typically introduced at 5 months:

• Thin Baby Food Cereals

Typically introduced at 6 months:

• Stage One Baby Food Purees/Single Food Item Purees
• Thicker Baby Food Cereals

Typically introduced at 7 months:

• Stage Two Baby Foods, Mixed Food Purees
• Mashed Table Foods, such as banana, avocado, sweet potato…

Typically introduced at 8 months:

• Hard Munchables (not met for consumption). Please follow link and review all info before introducing: https://powellpediatrictherapy.com/2014/01/22/hard-munchables/

Typically introduced at 9 months:

• Hard Solids that Melt, such a graham cracker, Gerber’s cereal squares, Snap Pea Crips, Krinkle Sticks, Towne crackers

Typically introduced at 10 months:

• Soft Foods cut into Cubes, such as avocado, kiwi, cooked squash, cooked potato, peas, banana, vegetable soup ingredients without broth, Gerber Graduates fruits

Typically introduced at 11 months:

• Soft Chews, Same Texture, such as fruit breads, muffins, small pastas, cubed lunch meat, thin deli meats in small squares, barley, scrambled eggs, soft meat soup without broth

Typically introduced at 12 months:

• Soft Chews, Multiple Textures, such as macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, french fries, spaghetti, lasagna, fish sticks

Typically introduced at 15 to 18 months:

• Hard Chews, such as cheerios (and most non-meltable cereals), pretzel sticks, ritz crackers, saltine crackers, sticks of hard raw fruits and vegetables,

It is suggested that non-meltable cereals and crackers be introduced at approximately 15 to 18 months, which is much later than popular belief.

Please note, the provided ages are a suggestion, as different children develop at different rates.  My general suggestion is to wait approximately one month before proceeding to the next stage.  Signs that a food is too difficult for your child include coughing, watery eyes, gagging, turning head away or spitting out more than 50% of the food.

If you have concerns regarding your child’s feeding development, do not hesitate to consult your pediatrician or an occupational or speech therapist who specializes in feeding.

One of the most essential tools for learning feeding skills is modeling, which is best done by having regular family meals at the table.  Most parents agree that sitting together for meals is important.  I would like to advocate the value further from a sensory-motor perspective, and provide tips to make family meals more successful.

Children develop their perceptions of food over time through their senses: seeing, smelling, touch and taste.  Exposure at the table to other’s plates is a great first experience to new foods.  For example, a baby or young toddler who is not yet eating mature foods, is still learning about these foods through sight and smell while sitting at the table with family.

Also, as young children are developing food manipulation skills, including finger feeding, use of fork and spoon, drinking from a cup and straw and cutting with a fork and knife, consistent modeling from caregivers is crucial.

Adding routine and creating a supportive environment will greatly improve the eating experience, such as:

• Children should sit at the table for meals, with other eaters, three times per day.  If your child is not yet sitting three times per day, gradually increase daily meals over time.  It will take time and consistency, but your dedication will pay off in the end.
• Children 12-months-old and older should assist in setting the table and cleaning up in order to add structure to mealtimes.  Very young children can place spoons or napkins in the table to set up and can drop spoons into the sink and wipe the table for clean up.  Older children should pay a large role in setting up and cleaning after meals.
• Starting at 6-months of age, children can be expected to sit a the table for meals for 20 minutes.  If children are learning to sit at the table for 20 minutes, redirect escape attempts with “it’s not time to clean up”.  A visual timer may be a good tool to trial with your child.  Young children who need to be strapped into highchairs or booster chairs should not sit more than 20 minutes.  Children who are sitting in regular chairs may be allowed to sit more than 20 minutes, but should not be expected to sit more than 20 minutes until early adolescence.
• Children should be positioned so that they can observe others eating during mealtimes. I prefer smaller feeding chairs that position the child at eyelevel with the rest of the family, versus large, stand alone high chairs.





• Conversations and interactions should stay positive throughout.  It is essentials that the family table be associated with a positive and safe environment.  Many parents may inadvertently create a negative environment by venting about their day at the dinner table.  Also, if children are demonstrating undesirable behavior at the dinner table, redirection with a calm, yet assertive tone is best.  Time outs are not ideal since they can reinforce escaping from the task of sitting at the table.
• Parents should focus on the enjoyment of eating instead of volume.  This is by far one of the hardest principles for parents.  In my own home, I frequently catch myself focusing on the short term accomplishment of volume.  This leads to power struggles, frustration and the child having a high arousal state.  Children’s appetites are suppressed by adrenaline (the “fight or flight” hormone) when they enter a high arousal state.  Instead, as parents, we need our behavior and parenting decision support the enjoyment of eating.  In those moments I remind myself that in the long term, children will eat more volume and have better nutritional variety if the enjoyment of eating is always the first priority.