Teaching Methods

• 1). Give the pair of chopsticks to your child one at a time. Have her hold the first one by letting it rest on the base of her thumb. She will hold it in place with her little finger and ring finger, or her ring finger and middle finger, whichever is most natural.
  
  
• 2). Hand her the second chopstick and show her how to hold it like a pencil. Have her practice moving the upper chopstick up and down while holding the lower chopstick still. Make sure the chopsticks are properly aligned.
  
  
• 3). Give her easy objects to practice with such as apple or cheese squares, or cotton balls.
  
  

Making Your Own

• 1). Take a pair of disposable chopsticks, or chopsticks that have a rectangular top. Take a small piece of paper and fold it or roll it into a small piece. You can use the paper that the disposable chopsticks came in.
  
  
• 2). Wrap a rubber band tightly around the top, or rectangular end of the chopsticks. Make sure the chopsticks are aligned properly.
  
  
• 3). Wedge the piece of paper up next to the rubber band. You may have to wrap the rubber band around the paper if you have trouble keeping it in place. Make sure that your child can easily close the chopsticks. If she is struggling to get them closed, the piece of paper is too large. Now your child will only have to worry about opening and closing the chopsticks, not keeping them in place. This will help them get used to eating with chopsticks without the frustration that can come with learning.