FAQs

When and where can I buy the cutlery?

Our first edition sets are priced at £19.95 per set and are available in two colours; Borneo Green and Jeddie Orange. To buy your set please visit our shop.

What age is Nana’s Manners cutlery suitable from?

Typically our cutlery is best for children ready to start school, i.e. 4-5yrs. Before this age, children are often not ready to coordinate their left and right hand in the way needed to use a knife and fork effectively. When your child is developmentally ready to learn this life skill, Nana’s Manners will support them along the way. You know your child best and will know when they are ready. Our cutlery is not suitable for children under 3yrs old.

How should I look after my Nana’s Manners cutlery?

Please handwash your knife and fork in warm soapy water. Handwashing protects the soft touch coating we worked hard to achieve.

Do not put the cutlery in a microwave or conventional oven (we can’t imagine why you would, but thought we’d say just in case!)

Does your knife actually cut properly?

YES! We are only too aware of how other children’s cutlery fails in this area. We worked hard to develop a serration that will cut a sausage and a roast potato that can also be run over your skin without a problem.

We always recommend adult supervision when children are eating. Even better if you can all eat together!

How do I use the finger stickers?

The stickers are designed to show children where to put their fingers the first few times they use Nana’s Manners cutlery. We believe independent learning is the best learning – children will feel empowered if they are able to get on with using their knife & fork all by themselves. In practice we have found that after just a couple of uses with the stickers, children very quickly get the hang of the grip.

Do Nana’s Manners make left handed cutlery?

The short answer is yes. Over the past couple of years we have read a lot of research, theories and surveys in the use of cutlery, as well as discussion forums. The general conclusion we have seen is that hand dominance is not directly related to how you hold cutlery. It appears to be a learnt behavior. The way you learn at an early age is the way you continue.

It is clear that in actions involving the use of one hand, such as using a pencil, scissors, or cutting with a sharp kitchen knife, people will choose to use their dominant hand. The difference in many other everyday actions is that they involve using both the left and right sides of your body together, such as riding a bike, driving a car and using a knife and fork. In these processes there is not always a clearly "left" or "right" handed way to manage them. Both sides are doing an important job in coordination with the other.

The tradition of using your knife in your right hand dates back to pre 17th Century. Until this time the fork was used, if at all, to grip the meat whilst it was being cut. The knife was the essential item and a man would bring his own knife. This would be a sharp hunting knife he used for many non-culinary tasks! The knife was drawn with the right hand.

Thankfully we’ve come a long way since then! With all this in mind, we have designed our cutlery to be held traditionally, with the fork in the left hand, knife in the right. The curve in the handle makes this the most comfortable way. However, both our knife and fork are shaped with our three-finger grip, so this by no means prevents it being held the other way round.

If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!