Why it is important for a baby to eat with their hands

When a first-time mother thinks about the first occasions when her baby will be able to eat other foods besides breast milk, she imagines a beautiful and perfect scene where her little one enjoys each bite calmly while she feeds him or her with a spoon.However, the reality is a bit different. Until the first three years of a baby's life, mealtime resembles more of a battlefield than a baby food commercial. Little ones often play with their food, throw it around, and smear it everywhere, turning it into a chaotic and quite frustrating moment for many mothers.If you have also experienced a similar situation, you have probably scolded your baby more than once for eating with their hands. But guess what? Even if they make a mess, this is very good for their development. Here are the reasons why a baby should eat with their hands:Sensory LearningBabies learn in ways different from adults. In the early years of life, it is important for little ones to have the opportunity to experience through all their senses. You might think that food is meant to be enjoyed with taste, but for a baby, mealtime is an opportunity to learn through touch, smell, taste, and sight.CoordinationThe development of fine motor skills begins at a very early age. For a person to coordinate their eyes with the movements of their fingers, they need to practice a lot, and mealtime is particularly good for this. Although it can be frustrating to see a baby throw half of their food while trying to get it to their mouth, this exercise helps them work on their coordination and improve their movements.IndependenceDuring the first months, babies are completely dependent on their parents for feeding. However, over time, little ones gain some autonomy, which will help them develop essential skills for the future. When a child starts using their hands to feed themselves, they are beginning to work on their own independence.TexturesWhen discovering new foods, texture is as important as flavor. Children who eat with their hands learn to recognize different types of textures, temperatures, and other sensations. If in your eagerness to keep everything clean and tidy, you are prohibiting your child from eating with their hands, you are only hindering their knowledge development and, in the future, their openness to new foods.Positive ExperienceMealtime does not have to be an unpleasant time. If little ones can have fun while eating, they will gradually start to associate this with a positive experience. Remember that for little ones, it is easier to learn through playful teachings than through restrictive methods.What more reasons do you need for your child to eat with their hands? Let your little one get messy and enjoy their food with all their senses. These recipes will help stimulate their development:Green SpaghettiGuava Jelly with StrawberryMini Octopus Sausages