Under the Montessori weaning method, glass dishes are typically used to encourage gentle, respectful treatment of dishware, though another natural material like wood or metal can be used for parents not quite ready to deal with the inevitable broken dishes. Dishware must also be small enough to fit into tiny hands and mouths and to be easily carried to the table by babies once they start toddling and setting their own places.
Cups: Montessori weaning cups should be stable enough to resist easy toppling.
1. Circleware Skyline Shot Glasses (Bed Bath & Beyond, $4.99 for 6)
2. Turquoise Shot Glass or Egg Cup (Page Pottery, Etsy, $10)
3. Borosilicate Espresso Cup (cb2, $1.95)
Pitchers: In addition to being easy to grasp, pitchers should also be see-through, so children are able to see the liquid as it is poured.
4. Glass Creamer (Williams-Sonoma, $12)
5. Mini Glass Creamer (Crate & Barrel, $2.95)
Bowls: Small bowls should be just deep enough to keep too much food from spilling over but not too deep for small utensils to reach inside.
6. Bamboo Petite Snack Bowls (Pampered Chef, $25 for 4)
7. Pyrex Custard Cups (Target, $9.85 for 4)
8. Mini Latte Bowls (Anthropologie, $20 for 8)
Plates: Plates need only be small enough for children to hold steadily on their own.
9. Pistoulet Saucer (Bed Bath & Beyond, $7.99)
10. Crewcut Appetizer Plate (cb2, $1.50)
11. Riika Canape Plate (Anthropologie, $10)
Flatware Sets: Fostering a sense of independence means that even babies are encouraged to cut their own food, so a Montessori flatware set always includes a knife.
12. Luna Cocktail Flatware (World Market, $15.48 for 4 sets)
13. Fabler 3-piece Flatware Set (IKEA, $4.99)
Bibs: Though technically not dishware, a bib is a must for any baby learning to eat. A side snap allows a child to eventually learn to put a bib on by him or herself.
14. Blue Disco Dot Waterproof Bib (Zerbert Baby, Etsy, $14)
15. Sketchy Animals Bib Set (Babies R Us, $7.99 for 5)
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Bibs that go over the head -- with an "envelope neck" -- are even better choices. Although adults have no problems with velcro and snaps, they are actually kind of difficult for children, especially at the neck where the child cannot see the closure.
Another good resource for dishes/utensils is For Small Hands (http://www.forsmallhands.com/).
Great post. Here’s what we use: duralex glassware, gerber graduates fork/spoon/knife set, corelle dishes, homer laughlin dishes (from restaurant supply stores), ikea prep bowls.
We used espresso cups which are perfect in size and can be bought inexpensively. Tea set sized milk jugs are perfect for pouring practice and small plates that the Japanese use for meals are great and come in lots of pretty designs, Daiso usually have a good range.
Oops, we also have the Oneida Paul Revere 3-Piece Child Flatware Set. It's a fabulous set for preschoolers.
The Duralex cups on Amazon are great too, come in sizes from huge to very very small.
We also love small stainless steel mise en place bowls.
Best glasses are POKAL from IKEA. I think we got the idea from an old post here! At 3" tall, the 5oz cups are the perfect size for preschoolers. Heavy bottoms so they don't topple. Thick enough to withstand drops on the floor and only 50c each. Also double nicely as a small wine glass!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60081734/
I have this set! I was desperately looking for a scaled-down fork that still had spearing power. The Oneida children's flatware is fabulous!
We have had good success with the 13cl Duralex glasses and some tiny dessert-sized plates that are cheap and sturdy, both from the HEMA (a staple in the Netherlands, similar to Target). We also have used some small IKEA bowls and some glass prep bowls that we already had.