How to Stick Magnet Signs to New Ford F150 Pick Up Truck February 29 2020, 1 Comment

How to stop my baby / toddler throwing food at mealtimes. November 08 2018, 0 Comments

Mealtimes can be incredibly stressful when you’re teaching your little one to eat. Often more food seems to end up covering the room than in your little ones tummy! The fact of the matter is that this behaviour is perfectly normal. Nevertheless, this fact doesn’t help your patience or your décor. To help it stop, we need to understand why it’s happening.

Why do Babies and Toddlers Throw Food?

Throwing food is completely normal for kids between 8 and 18 months old. This happens for a variety of reasons.

1. They are learning cause and effect – It’s fun for babies and toddlers to drop or chuck food, especially onto the floor. They don’t mean to make a mess, they are actually learning that they can make something happen.

2. Their way of communicating – Little ones often have limited vocabulary. Once they learn they can drop food, it isn’t long before they realise that they can throw food off their high chair simply because they don’t want to eat it. Babies and toddlers may not like certain foods simply because of how it looks, tastes, the colour it is or its texture. Alternatively, they may not know how to eat it, this is something we often take for granted as parents.

3. They want your attention – Kids, even babies and toddlers crave attention, even negative attention. So, if you give them a big reaction when they do something you’re not too thrilled about such as throwing food, they will most likely continue to do it.

4. Fear of being force fed – As a parent, you desperately want your little one to eat enough. Partly so they grow into a healthy young and energetic child and partly so that you can get a decent night sleep! Therefore, it can be really tempting to force feed babies and toddlers. We’ve all seen it; “the aeroplane is coming into land”, “the trains coming into the tunnel”, “have 3 more scoops and then you can have pudding”. These are strategies that should be avoided. The truth is that these pressurising techniques tend to cause more negative issues around food that could well go on into their adulthood.  Some kids that have been force fed will throw any and all food the instant they see it as a defence mechanism. Try to relax knowing that your little one will eat if they are hungry.

Ok, so hopefully understanding these causes should hopefully help you to keep your stress levels down. Now let’s look at what we can do about it.

Top Tips to Stop your Baby or Toddler Throwing Food

1. Give them less food – Kids love to play with their food. If we give them a big helping of food, it literally gives them that much more to throw. Sometimes the reason they’re throwing their food is because it’s an overwhelming amount in front of them, but even if that’s not the case, giving them just a few pieces (try 1-3 at a time) on their tray will often eliminate the throwing of food all together. Try decanting just a little bit from a plate/bowl next to you on to their tray or into their bowl.

2. Use a suction bowl – if they love to throw the whole bowl, we recommend using a strong suction bowl. NanoGrip™ on Amazon has the strongest suction by far meaning much less mess. They will no doubt try and try again to remove it but they will soon give up once they realise the bowl is not coming off.

Here's a video of our NanoGrip™ Suction Bowl pulling a 1.5 tonne car.

3. Give them 100% attention – As a busy parent, we’d often like to unload the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, or make a quick phone call while our babies and toddlers are busy eating, but you’ll be able to stop them from throwing much easier if you’re sitting down with them with your full attention.

4. Keep a cool head – Giving the illusion of calm will help your child learn that you are not fazed by any food they throw. Remember that kids love your attention, even if it’s negative attention. You may have to fake your calm-attitude initially but in the long run it will help you to be more patient. This patience will set a lovely, calm tone for mealtimes that allows your child to feel comfortable exploring new foods and eating until their tummy is full!

5. State positive expectations – When you’re at mealtime and your little one drops some food on the floor, calmly pick it up and state, “We keep food on the tray”. It is super important not to over-react. You do not want this to sound like a telling off as this is giving the food dropping behaviour too much attention and they will probably do it again. Notice how the language used: “We keep food on the tray” is phrased on the positive expectation, not worded negatively as in this example: “No throwing food”. Remember, you want mealtimes to be calm, positive experiences. You will need to repeat the positive phrase dozens of times, over a period of two weeks or more but trust us, it will sink in eventually. Just stay positive and calm.

6. Teach them to put unwanted food into a special section on their high chair – If it’s obvious that your baby or toddler doesn’t like a food and that’s why they’re throwing it, show them that they can pile it into a corner of their tray or a separate compartment (usually for a drink) like many modern high chairs now have. With little ones that are not yet talking, it’s important to understand that they understand far more than they can say so don’t feel like this is all falling on deaf ears. After you repeat the phrase: “We keep food on the tray”, take their hand. While you’re holding their hand or wrist and move it to where they can put their food and say, “You can put it here.”

Now, relax knowing that you’ve got some strategies up your sleeve ready to tackle your little ones next throwing attempts. Stay positive, these strategies will make a difference.

How to help babies and toddlers eat independently and make less mess. February 02 2017, 0 Comments

"The most effective suction bowl system on the market for parents who want to help their little ones enjoy calm, stress free mealtimes".

You've lovingly made the food and some of it has actually been eaten! This isn't the end though as you then have to clean up the mess. It isn't just on the high chair, it's all over the room, on the baby and then you have to wash up. Parenting is hard enough without your little one throwing their bowl of food all over the room.

At Gecko Grippers, we understand from first-hand experience and from our work with parents that you need the simplest, most effective solution: Gecko Grippers.

Exhausted parent, Jane, was fed up with bowls that were being launched across the room by her little boy. It wasn't his fault, it was the cheap bowls that didn't do what they were supposed to. She was at her wits-end when she discovered Gecko Grippers and became one of our earliest customers. "Gecko Gripper Suction Bowls offer great value for money. They have the best suction power by far as well as help to develop independence when eating. Being available in a 3 pack, they are ready at all times of the day. It's worth remembering that you get 4 products; 3 of the best suction bowls on the market and a Gecko Gripper place mat".

What if you didn't need to clean up so much because your little one didn't throw their bowls? Imagine how relaxed mealtimes could be if you had a bowl that actually stayed put. Imagine how much your relationship could be improved if you had calmer mealtimes with less stress. Parents worldwide are enjoying lower-stress mealtimes with their little ones:

"Such a brilliant product. The bowls are fantastic and hold really well onto my son's high chair and being silicone haven't distorted at all in a hot dishwasher".

"I'm beyond happy with this product and for anyone looking to buy suction bowls for a cleaner baby led mealtime don't bother with the cheaper options-get the best-you won't be disappointed!!!".

"My 1 year old was never trusted to have the bowl as, I'm sure most parents will understand, it either ended up on the floor or someone else so I needed something that would be really secure. I was expecting her to be able to lift the bowls off or work out how they came off but no".

As a calm parent using Gecko Gripper Suction Bowls, you'll benefit from the high quality, chemical free and versatile Silicone as they are oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. This means that you have the ultimate in convenience and can simply pop them in the microwave to warm food and into the dishwasher afterwards. The suction power ensures that the bowls stay put and your little one can concentrate on improving their eating skills rather than making a mess. The fun colour adds a splash of style and fun too and they'll last indefinitely meaning they're around to help as long as you need them.

Get a set 3 of Gecko Gripper Suction Bowls and a FREE Gecko Gripper Place Mat with no risk. In fact, we're so confident in our Gecko Grippers that we will provide you with a 365 day, 110% Money Back Guarantee. If you're not 100% happy at any point in time over the next year, we will give you a full refund plus an extra 10%.

Enjoy calmer, relaxed mealtimes knowing that you have the highest quality and most versatile bowls available. Add a set to your basket now to start enjoying mealtimes with your little one.

Remember, we are so confident in our Gecko Grippers that you have a 365 day, 110% Money Back Guarantee.

How to Stop Dog Bowls Sliding Around May 17 2016, 0 Comments

Would you like to chase your dinner around?

Your hungry dog has been busy keeping you company all day or pining for you to come home and they're totally devoted to you. You give them a loving stroke, returning the affection and then dish their food into their bowl. However, things take a frustrating turn for both you and your hungry hound as they chase the bowl all over the floor. Not having the ability to hold it still, they bang and crash,desperately trying to eat. This isn't what you want for your faithful hound. This isn't what they want from you either!

Gecko Grippers are the answer to the problem. You do not have to watch your dog suffer this frustration every meal time. You can help them to have a calm, stress free meal that leaves them feeling relaxed and satisfied afterwards.

Gecko Grippers are flexible, sticky, rubbery mats that do not wear out. Simply pop one on the floor and place your dog's bowl on top of it. The Gecko Gripper holds the bowl firmly in place and your dog can enjoy its meal. Afterwards, simply peel the Gecko Gripper up, give it a quick rinse under running water and allow it to air dry. It will literally be as good as new and will last indefinitely. It is important to understand that Gecko Grippers only stick to smooth, dry and hard surfaces so they will not work on carpet. They can be used with almost any existing bowls you have which makes them a very cost effective option.

We have sold over 2000 Gecko Grippers and are developing new ranges to the product.

What do some of our customers say?

"Easy to position and clean. They do stop the bowl sliding around and she can eat without tipping the bowl over". Miss P Lowe.

"Innovative. I wish I found these things years ago". Mr M Jones.

You and your dog should experience these benefits:

1. Calmer meal times
2. A happier dog
3. Less mess
4. Less stress for you and your dog
5. Reduced risk of tripping over your dog
6. Can be used with existing bowls
7. Less gorging meaning improved digestion and health
8. Improved relationship between you and your dog

Gecko Grippers are available in either single or double packs and come with use and care instructions. We offer a 110% money back guarantee so you can buy with confidence knowing that if you're not 100% happy we will give you a full refund plus 10% of the purchase price.

Join our growing Gecko Gripper family, add your Gecko Grippers to your basket now and benefit from our limited time, discounted prices.

How to Stick Magnetic Signs to Aluminium Cars and Trucks January 26 2016, 6 Comments

Help Toddlers to Eat August 04 2015, 0 Comments

Life as a toddler must be hard. Imagine; you're hungry, tired and just want to battle through it and carry on playing. As if things weren't bad enough though, mummy or daddy stop you playing to have something to eat. But it gets worse. They kindly give you the food but you can't quite seem to get hold of it because the plate or bowl keeps sliding around. Frustrating!

There is a very simple answer... Gecko Grippers - Toddler Placemats. These wonderful sticky placemats will take away the frustration your little one has during meal times. They simply stick to any smooth surface such as the high chair table and the bowl simply sits on top and is held in place. Toddlers want to be independent but don't quite have the skills to cope yet so Gecko Grippers help to bridge the gap in their ability by holding the bowl or plate for them while they just concentrate on scooping the food.

Gecko Grippers work by using microscopic suction. Basically, if you zoomed in with a microscope, you would see thousands of suction cups like the ones used to hold things to windows. This may sound a little gimmicky but they really do work. They're so strong in fact that they can hold a 2Kg weight to the ceiling! We've received countless comments thanking us for developing this product and it's lovely to know that you have helped in some small way.

Gecko Gripper - Toddler Placemats  have hidden benefits for parents and carers too. Calmer, happier children are the main ones but also less mess and your little one can learn to become an independent eater much faster which means you're able to eat your own meal in a reasonable fashion at the same time if you wanted to!

Life using Gecko Grippers couldn't be easier, due to the PU Gel properties in the Gecko Grippers, they are extremely easy to wash. A quick rinse under warm soapy water and allow to dry and they will literally be as good as when brand new. They simply do not wear out meaning you have a lasting investment. Gecko Grippers are environmentally responsible being recyclable but also coming in packaging that is designed to keep the product safe but can also be recycled when the time comes.

If you have any questions about Gecko Grippers, please do get in touch and we'll be delighted to help.

How to hold baby and toddler plates and bowls in place? Gecko Grippers - Stick with Us! June 14 2015, 0 Comments

How do you stop baby bowls from slipping and sliding or even worse being picked up and the contents being emptied all over the floor? There are three main ways to solve this problem:

1. Silicone based bowls and plates.

These are standard bowls and plates but have a grippy material permanently attached to the bottom. These are ok but do not really grip that well. They can be quite expensive and some can only be hand washed. They do not hold the bowl or plate down at all.

2. Suction.

There are bowls with built in suction and separate units that attach to your existing bowl/plates. The suction systems vary enormously in quality and the aim is that the bowl is held completely down eliminating spillage. This is fine in theory but the problems start as soon as you try to use them. Our research suggests that many users complain that they simply do not work. Others say that they need pumping several times to create enough suction. Our tests verify both of these complaints but the results do vary between products. The difficulty we found was that when pumping the air out of the suction cup it was very difficult and impractical to do when the bowl or plate is full of food. We also found that babies didn't want to sit and wait patiently while we pumped their food up and down in front of them until it was firmly held in place. Nearly all of the suction systems lost suction during the babies meal and some to the point that they completely came loose and toppled off defeating the purpose completely. There is also a moral question for parents and carers to ask themselves here. If the suction cup does manage to completely hold the bowl in place, what are we teaching our young children? Is it really teaching them how to eat?

3. Gecko Grippers.