You don’t have to be a parent to know that kids can be pretty difficult to tame around dinner hours. Whether it’s pickiness, moodiness, or just pent-up energy, it’s not always easy to get a toddler to settle down and eat their food.
Since we parents do know this battle firsthand, it helps to have a plan in place to make dining less stressful and more memorable. With a few simple tips—and a great toddler table seat that simplifies things for everyone—you can begin to achieve mealtime bliss as a family. The 3-in-1 Learning Booster Seat from Little Partners gives your kiddo a better view while supporting excellent table habits they’ll take with them to future restaurants and gatherings.
Toddlers keep you on your toes, but our 3-in-1 Learning Booster Seat will keep them on their bottoms safely and effectively. Here are some of the best strategies to ensure that dinners with your toddler are happier for the whole family.
Tip #1: Start Off on the Right Foot
Toddlers are eager to learn and grow as their brains develop at a rapid rate, so now is the perfect time to challenge them by introducing behaviors and habits at meals. Establish those expectations before chowing down, and see how your child handles following a single direction like “Let’s finish our whole plate tonight” or “We don’t get down from the table until we’re all done.” Setting boundaries does wonders for kids!
And with the Little Partners 3-in-1 Learning Booster Seat, you can create a routine that’s also exciting for your toddler as you buckle them in with the sturdy waist strap. This strap secures the seat to the chair below and holds tight for a stable and safe boost. Plus, the removable cushion adds extra comfort for your little one and helps with cleanup at the end.
Tip #2: Scale Things Down for Them
Since toddlers get overwhelmed at the drop of a hat, it’s best to minimize the chance of a tantrum by keeping both the mealtime and the meal itself short in duration and portion size. Sitting for long stretches isn’t anyone’s idea of fun, but for toddlers, it’s ten times trickier! Try shortening dinner to last 20-30 minutes maximum. That way, they aren’t as likely to turn restless and grumpy.
Similarly, young children are often flustered by the amount of food presented to them, and if you give them a large serving, most of it will probably end up on the floor. Just provide them with the bites they need, and the Little Partners toddler table seat will make sure they’re comfortable and ready to eat.
Tip #3: Go the Positive Reinforcement Route
Like we said, kids at this age love structure: they want to figure out how to act so that Mom or Dad are proud of them. Incentivize that goal through regular praise at the table. This could include clapping when they handle their utensils correctly, complimenting them when they eat their vegetables, or perhaps a sweet treat for dessert when they refrain from chewing on non-edible items during their meal!
Paying special attention to your toddler’s ideal dinnertime behavior builds healthy habits going forward. After all, they repeat what we reward. On the flip side, try not to get too frustrated with them if they do slip up, because staying calm encourages them to do the same. Be patient, consistent, and reassuring in your approach.
Tip #4: Be an Example of Good Behavior
Toddlers are like little parrots in any surroundings, mimicking what their parents say or do without a second thought. Use that to your advantage! Demonstrate proper dining etiquette as much as possible to give your child something positive to emulate. It may seem overly simplistic, but you’ll see a big change if you start incorporating conscious mirroring into your dining routine.
You could even invent a game to facilitate this concept: “Mirror Minute,” where you each have to copy exactly what Mom or Dad is doing in that moment. The Montessori tradition is all about finding your independence at an early age, and you can disguise this vital learning as play.
Tip #5: Make Mealtime a Fun Time
Lastly, there’s no reason dining has to be dull. Show your toddler the ropes around mealtime, but also teach them that even mundane tasks like eating macaroni and cheese are a blast with the right attitude. A hearty meal is something to look forward to, not dread! Your toddler will soon be asking for their booster seat well before the dinner bell rings.
Sip and Smile with Little Partners
Shopping for a toddler table seat that works for you and your family is a breeze with Little Partners on your side, and these five tips should further integrate young kids into the rhythms of dinnertime. Our eco-friendly children’s toys and furniture set a new standard for safety and quality while enriching your child’s experiences.
The 3-in-1 Learning Booster Seat (and Step Stool!) streamlines dining table activities so that your toddler can join the whole family like the big boy or girl they truly are. It’s the best option out there for its durable design and non-toxic materials, and our lifetime warranty means everything we build is guaranteed to hold up through all of childhood’s rough-and-tumble adventures.
With a busy toddler in the mix, there’s plenty of kitchen fun to be had, including mealtimes that’ll make everybody happy, thanks to the Little Partners booster seat.