Feeding themselves with their fingers
Most babies start feeding themselves with their fingers at around 8½ to 9 months. A large study in four countries and a smaller US study found similar ages.
How sure are we?
Fairly sure. Two studies agree, but both asked parents, and there are only two so far. How we know this
What it’s a sign of
Your baby is linking their hands, eyes and mouth to feed themselves.
Feeding themselves soft foods with their fingers came later in the US study, at about 13½ months on average. In the four-country study, India was later than the other countries.
We don't yet know the age by which nearly all babies feed themselves with their fingers.
A main source for the ages
Similarities and differences in child development from birth to age 3 years by sex and across four countries: a cross-sectional, observational study
Ilgi Ozturk Ertem, Vibha Krishnamurthy, Mphelekedzeni C. Mulaudzi, Yanina Sguassero, Hakan Balta, Ozlem Gulumser · 2018 · Lancet Global Health
- Children
- About 4,900 healthy children
- Where
- Argentina, India, South Africa and Turkey
- Ages
- Birth to 3½ years
- How
- Trained staff asked parents open questions about what their child could do, at health clinics
- What it found
- Found the age by which half of children reached more than 100 milestones. Most came at similar ages in all four countries, and for boys and girls. For example, half of children waved bye-bye by about 11 months and said a first word by about 9 months.
- Limits
- Only four countries and no rural areas, children from city clinics, and only healthy children (about half of those who came were left out for health reasons). It gives the age for half of children, not the full spread.
A main source for the ages
Feeding Behaviors and Other Motor Development in Healthy Children (2–24 Months)
Betty Ruth Carruth, Jean D. Skinner · 2002 · Journal of the American College of Nutrition
- Children
- About 100 children
- Where
- Not given in the summary we read
- Ages
- 2 months to 2 years
- How
- Mothers were interviewed at home as their child grew
- What it found
- Babies first used their fingers to rake food towards themselves at about 9 months on average, and fed themselves soft foods with their fingers at about 13½ months.
- Limits
- We have only read the summary. Mostly well-off families.
If you’re worried about your child, talk to your child and family health nurse or GP.
Last checked 2 November 2026