PL T1.02First Meals at the Weaning Table
From about 6 months, the infant eats solid food at a low table on a child-sized chair they can later climb into, with the adult sitting across from them.
Safety
- Choking foods: follow AAP guidance for children under 4; no whole grapes, whole nuts, popcorn, hot dog rounds, raw hard vegetables, chunks of meat or cheese, or globs of nut butter; cut soft foods into pieces no larger than 1/2 inch or into long thin strips for infants.
- Check the child's allergy list before every meal, and at school offer a food only after the family has confirmed the child has eaten it at home.
- No honey before 12 months (infant botulism).
- An adult sits with the infant for the whole meal; the infant eats sitting upright, never lying back or walking.
- Glass and ceramic dishes only with supervision and where licensing allows; otherwise use heavy tempered or unbreakable tableware.
Presentation
- 1
Wash your hands and the infant's hands. Set the plate, glass, and napkin on the table before bringing the infant.
- 2
Tell the infant: 'It is time to eat. I am going to put on your bib.' Hold the bib in front of them and wait for them to look at it before putting it on.
- 3
Seat the infant in the chair with their feet on the floor. If they do not yet sit steadily on their own, hold them on your lap at the table for the first meals instead.
- 4
Sit on the floor or a low stool across from the infant, at their eye level.
- 5
Name the food and put a small amount on the plate. Offer a piece or a spoonful and wait for the infant to open their mouth or reach for it. The infant reaching for the food is the point of interest.
- 6
Let the infant touch and pick up food with their hands. Eat a little of the same food yourself if the program allows.
- 7
When the infant turns away, closes their mouth, or starts to drop food, say: 'You are finished.' Wipe their hands and face with the damp cloth, showing them the cloth first.
- 8
Take off the bib and help the infant down from the chair. Later, show them how to turn and slide down feet first.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- The infant sits in the chair without being held
- The infant crawls or walks to the table and climbs into the chair
- The infant wipes their own mouth and hands with the damp cloth
- The infant eats at the table next to one or two other children
Control of error
Food that falls off the plate or misses the mouth is visible to the infant; the adult watches for fullness signs and ends the meal.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Sits in the weaning chair through a short meal without being held
- Brings food to their mouth with their hands
- Shows when they are finished by turning away or pushing the plate
- Climbs into and out of the chair alone
Guide note
Montessori sources start the weaning table at about 6 months, the same age the AAP gives for starting solid foods. The AAP also advises against delaying common allergenic foods (egg, peanut products, dairy, sesame) once solids start; for infants with severe eczema or an existing food allergy, the family should follow their doctor's plan. The Montessori practice of using a real chair rather than a high chair assumes the infant can sit on their own; before that, the lap is used, so the infant is not propped. At home, a low table and chair can be used for all meals or for snacks only.