Feeding & Mealtime Skills IEP goals for preschool (ages 3 to 5)
14 of the feeding & mealtime skills templates in the library are written for preschool (ages 3 to 5). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
14 templates · 1 skill · Pre-K · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Scoop soft food with a spoon
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Spear bite-size pieces with a fork
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch, given bite-size pieces of a firm food such as fruit, cooked vegetables or pasta, the student will spear a piece of food with the fork and bring it to the mouth without the piece falling off, with no adult help in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Feed self with a built-up handle spoon
Adaptive utensils
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch, given a built-up or angled-handle spoon, a scoop dish and a non-slip mat, the student will hold the adaptive spoon, scoop and bring the food to the mouth with no adult hands-on help in at least 6 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly at lunch.
Pick up finger foods to self-feed
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given small pieces of a finger food allowed by the feeding plan on a tray or plate, the student will pick up a piece of food with the fingers and bring it to the mouth with no adult hands-on help in at least 6 of 8 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks a week.
Drink from an open cup with two hands
Open cup and straw drinking
By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given a small open cup with a small amount of the drink allowed by the plan, the student will lift the cup with two hands, take a sip and set the cup back down on the table without tipping it over, with no adult hands on the cup in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks a week.
Drink from a straw cup or juice box
Open cup and straw drinking
By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given a straw cup or a juice box with the straw already inserted, the student will close the lips around the straw and drink a sip of liquid with no adult help in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks a week.
Preschool feeding & mealtime skills goals are measured inside daily routines rather than with worksheets, and the criteria are small: a few opportunities a day, a handful of steps, short periods of time. Conditions name the routine (circle, centers, snack) so any adult in the room can take the data.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 12 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 1 goal here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
What do feeding & mealtime skills goals look like for preschool?
They describe a readiness or developmental skill performed during a classroom routine, with a criterion in opportunities or steps. The support level is written in, since most preschool goals start with prompting and fade it.
How often should preschool goals be measured?
A few opportunities on most days, recorded on a trial or task-analysis sheet. Short, frequent samples match how young children show skills.
Does a preschool IEP need the same parts as a school-age IEP?
Yes. Measurable annual goals, present levels, and progress reporting are required at every age under 34 CFR 300.320. Preschool IEPs may also address participation in appropriate activities rather than the general curriculum.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
Pro tracks every goal on your caseload and drafts the report for you. Free for 14 days.
Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.