best beginners chopsticks for a 3 year old?

[gigoteuse]

Hi!

My daughter just turned 3 and is getting very interested is using chopsticks, so I'm thinking of getting her some beginner ones. I've searched on the internet and I found all sorts of options, with loops, attached at the end, attached in the middle, super cute ones, not so cute but maybe better ones, I don't know which ones I should pick.

Do you children eat with chopsticks? How did you get them started, and how old were they?

Thanks

Sophie

[sarahsthreads]

We really like these:
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Combi-Successories-Training-Sticks/dp/B000GEKF78

I just wish I could remember to bring them along more often when we go out, but they work really well at home! DD was probably 2.5-ish when we first got them, and loves having her own chopsticks when we're eating with them too. They're a good size for her hands and she can manage them fairly well. I do have to make sure the food is a good size for her to pick up and she has a hard time with foods in a lot of sauce because they're kind of slippery, but I think any non-bamboo chopsticks would have the same problem.

Sarah :)

[luvmypeanut]

http://www.luckywonders.com/ChildrenChopsticks.htm

DD has been using these since she was 2.5 yrs old. They are easy to use and she was successful from the first time. They also make a left-handed version.

[schums]

DC got these for Christmas this past year and LOVE them. They use them a lot at home (even with non-Chinese food!) and always take them with us to the Chinese restaurant. Super easy to use and keep clean. The kids can even eat rice with them! I absolutely recommend them.

[MontrealMum]

FIL had something similar to this (w/o the animal on top!) http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Cheater-Chopsticks-Pack-10050/dp/B0006M6XPS/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1207023376&sr=8-41 when he went to China last year. If he hadn't practiced beforehand he would have starved. Even at 80 and arthritic he found them easy to use.

[greatcanuk]

Z recs has a good chopstick comparison review:

http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/08/zrecs-kids-chopsticks-showdown.html

Camille

[Mirthful]

If you want to try something you can pick up in a B&M store, we have the following from Bed Bath and Beyond. They do sell them individually in the store - I think they were $3 or $4 each? I remember getting them because I needed a filler to use my $5 off 15 coupon.

They aren't wood so they're a little more slippery, though they do have little ridges on the surfaces at the ends to help grip food. They are adult sized - webiste says 9 inches. The spring is pretty flexible - DD can use it without a problem.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14864865

HTH!

[MamaKath]

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Cheater-Chopsticks-Pack-10050/dp/B0006M6XPS/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1207023376&sr=8-41
We have these and they are great! The ends are ribbed so they can hold onto things more easily. They are heavier than regular chopsticks, but we use them for food and other games (pick-up beads, etc.) to help with fine-motor issues.

If you have a Noodles and Company restaurant near you, they give out little clips for bamboo chopsticks to join them. We always get a bunch and bring home some extra sticks for the kids to play with. Also some Japanese steakhouses have really nice ones for the kids. We have a couple sets of great plastic ones from our local Japanese steakhouse with their name and locations on them. Perfect for the kids!

HTH~