Traditional toothpicks are dangerous for children. That is why I invented the first child safe toothpick for picky eaters. As an early childhood educator, I have come across many picky eaters. In my experience, the one thing that seems to work with the majority of children who are refusing to eat, is serving their food on toothpicks.
Are you struggling with a picky eater? If so, you’re not alone. Studies show that by the age of two, 50% of children in the US are considered picky eaters. So what do you do when your child becomes one of them? Toothpicks are fun and different and therefore interesting to children. The only problem with this solution is that toothpicks can be extremely dangerous in the hands of a young child. A toothpick is tiny, sharp and can easily break in a child’s mouth so when my son was two years old and going through the picky eater phase, I was determined to find a safer alternative. After much research, I was disappointed to find that although many other parents were also using toothpicks with their picky eaters, there was no such thing as a “child safe toothpick”.
This is where the idea of Pick-Ease began. I wanted parents to have a child safe toothpick that they felt comfortable handing to their children. A product that would help make mealtimes fun and enjoyable while still being safe. With that thought, I created Pick-Ease – the only child friendly toothpick on the market.
Designing A Child Safe Toothpick
When I set out to design the first child safe toothpick safety and functionality were my top priorities. Pick-Ease was designed with a chunky handle, which is perfect for small hands to grasp. As a safety feature, the chunky handle also acts as a stopping point for the food, keeping it at the bottom of the utensil. Pick-Ease also has a fun themed rounded head on top of the handle. Depending on the child’s level of fine motor skills, they can hold the head using their pincer grasp. Pick-Ease is made of polypropylene plastic which can not be broken like a traditional wooden toothpick can. Pick-Ease is BPA free and manufactured in the United States. Pick-Ease truly is the first child safe toothpick.
Both of my boys, as well as all my daycare children, love using Pick-Ease. Not only does it make eating more fun, it keeps little hands clean while helping to build those fine motor skills. It really is an amazing utensil for children of all ages.
To see my child safe toothpick in action, view our video on our home page! You can also browse all the Pick-Ease sets.
