Being the sushiphiles that we are, my husband and I could hardly wait to get a pair of chopsticks into our daughter's hands. On her first birthday, she received the Combi Chopsticks Training Set and immediately set about trying to pick up everything from Cheerios to crayons.What we liked about them: the thumb grip is reversible, to suit righties or lefties, and can be removed when the child has graduated to the next level. They're lightweight plastic but dishwasher safe, and grooved at the end to keep food from slipping out.
What we didn't like: they're confusing. Frankly, I'm still not sure which way the thumb grip should point for right-handed use. And in the long run, our little girl wanted to do exactly what Mommy & Daddy were doing, and that meant using 'grownup' chopsticks.
Our take: for under $10, they're cute, make a great gift, and won't break the bank. But it turns out that we've had the most success with cheap wooden chopsticks secured at the top with a rubber band and spaced with the folded-up paper wrapper (a trick we learned at our favorite sushi spot in Portland). Do-it-yourself instructions here.
