Cups for Toddlers: How to Teach Toddlers to Use Cups Stress Free
August 2022
Last reviewed: August 2022
Author:
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
Coauthors:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
As an Amazon Associate, Kids Eat in Color® earns from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
Author:
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
Coauthors:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
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Inside: Is it time for your toddler to drop the bottle? Learn how to transition your toddler from bottles to cups, plus get recommendations for the best cups for toddlers.
Some toddlers love their bottles. We get it, bottles are comforting. But eventually it becomes time to wean your toddler off the bottle and transition them to cups.
If your toddler is struggling or refusing to use cups, start here. As parents, we can help our children get off bottles and start drinking out of cups. We can also make sure we are giving them the toddler cups that can help their development rather than hinder it.
Here’s everything you need to know about transitioning a toddler from bottles to cups. Find out how to teach your child to drink out of cups, and which are the best cups for toddlers.
You can introduce a cup to your child as soon as they start eating solid foods. For some, this happens around 6 months. By 12 months, most children can manage cups confidently with few spills.
Not sure why phasing out the bottle is important for your toddler? Keep reading.
Related: Is your toddler starting to get picky about the foods they eat? Discover how to handle mealtimes with a picky eater and reduce everyone’s stress with our free picky eating guide.
Why to drop bottles: your toddler’s oral health
There are many reasons why it may be the right time for your family to get your toddler off the bottle.
If your toddler is using a bottle as their primary cup, it’s OK. Here are steps that can help your toddler transition from a bottle to a cup.
Related: Can a pre-meal routine help your toddler eat better? It may be just the thing to help their mind and body prepare to sit at the table.
Best cups for toddlers
There are two types of toddler cups that we recommend for young children and babies: open cups and sippy cups with straws.
Are 360 cups bad for toddlers?
One type of kid cup that we don’t recommend for toddlers and young children is the 360 cup.
Those toddler 360 cups teach bite patterns that may make it difficult for your child to learn how to manage and successfully use an open cup later on down the line.
If you have a 360 cup at home, no worries. We recommend removing the lid of these cups to practice open cup drinking.
Related: Learn the fundamentals of feeding toddlers so you can feel confident handling meals and managing picky behaviors in our toddler feeding course.
Open cup for toddlers
Open cups are the best cups for toddlers to help develop oral motor function.
Best open cups for toddlers
If you already have cupboards full of sippy cups and lids of all kinds, no need to buy anything new.
Simply remove the lid and let your toddler practice cup drinking from the open cups you already own!
Other easy, inexpensive cup options for your toddler include:
Related: Are you worried your child isn’t getting enough calcium as they learn to drink from cups? Read all about calcium and learn the best calcium-rich foods for toddlers and kids.
How to teach a toddler to drink from an open cup
While you are practicing cup drinking with your toddler, keep in mind that lip closure around the cup/spout should be a focus.
Here’s how to get your toddler to use open cups:
You can start by practicing kissing the dry cup.
Role play and pretend to take a sip.
If your toddler is showing interest (ex. reaching for the cup), you can fill a cup with 1-2 ounces of water.
Provide hand-over-hand guidance while taking a sip.
Finally, allow the child to practice drinking from an open cup again and again.
Fill up the straw with water, sealing it with your finger.
Release the liquid into your toddler’s mouth for exposure.
Then, progress up towards using clear straws to pull colorful liquids. Take turns watching each other and see how far you can get the liquid, as close to lips as possible.
Tips to help transition toddlers from bottles to cups
Whether you’re transitioning from the high chair to a booster seat or transitioning from bottles to cups, big changes can lead to big feelings in toddlers. Read our tips to learn how to make the transition and teach your toddler to drink from a cup.
1. Decide when to start
You might decide that only cups will be offered at mealtimes instead of bottles. Or, you can pick one meal to practice.
2. Communicate the change to your child
Talking about the change with your toddler will help them better manage their big feelings.
Transitions are hard. Be patient with your toddlers. With each exposure to toddler cups, the child will continue to learn.
4. Expect and embrace spills!
During toddler cup drinking, there will be a lot of spills!
Start small with only 1-2 ounces of water in your toddler’s cup to help manage mess. They will likely still pour the water right on their face or down their shirt and that’s ok!
Each time they drink out of a cup, they will gain more control and confidence.
5. Add in some fun
Kids learn with play. If your toddler is refusing to use a cup, have them offer a cup to a doll, stuffed animal or other toy. Have the child “feed” the toy water and then “feed” themselves water.
When to get more help
If you have any concerns about your toddler’s transition to drinking cups, contact your pediatrician for further recommendations.
In some cases, where the child is struggling to practice or refuses to use a cup for a significant amount of time, a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist consult may be appropriate.
America Occupational Therapy Association. (2016) Specialized knowledge and skills in feeding, eating, and swallowing for occupational therapy practice. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, INC.
Beckman, D. (2000). Oral motor assessment and intervention. Paper presented at the Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention conference, Charlotte, NC.
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Erinn Jacobi is an occupational therapist with almost a decade of experience in a variety of settings within pediatrics. Erinn has significant experience in outpatient, inpatient, acute, rehabilitation settings, working with families struggling with feeding, sensory processing, and how picky-eating is influenced by children's sensory experiences within their personal, familial, and community environments. Erinn has worked with a wide array of individuals and communities around the North East and is passionate about helping all families at mealtimes!
Inside: Is it time for your toddler to drop the bottle? Learn how to transition your toddler from bottles to cups, plus get recommendations for the best cups for toddlers.
Some toddlers love their bottles. We get it, bottles are comforting. But eventually it becomes time to wean your toddler off the bottle and transition them to cups.
If your toddler is struggling or refusing to use cups, start here. As parents, we can help our children get off bottles and start drinking out of cups. We can also make sure we are giving them the toddler cups that can help their development rather than hinder it.
Here’s everything you need to know about transitioning a toddler from bottles to cups. Find out how to teach your child to drink out of cups, and which are the best cups for toddlers.
Article contents:
When should kids start using a cup
Why drop bottles
Best open cups for toddlers
How to teach toddlers to drink from open cups
Best straw cups for toddlers
How to teach toddlers to drink from straws
Tips for transitioning toddlers from bottles to cups
When to get more help
At what age should a toddler use a cup?
You can introduce a cup to your child as soon as they start eating solid foods. For some, this happens around 6 months. By 12 months, most children can manage cups confidently with few spills.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends getting your toddler off the bottle by 15 months of age at the latest.
Not sure why phasing out the bottle is important for your toddler? Keep reading.
Related: Is your toddler starting to get picky about the foods they eat? Discover how to handle mealtimes with a picky eater and reduce everyone’s stress with our free picky eating guide.
Why to drop bottles: your toddler’s oral health
There are many reasons why it may be the right time for your family to get your toddler off the bottle.
Oral health may be one of the reasons to wean your child off bottles. Prolonged bottle feeding can cause tooth decay in young children.
If your toddler is using a bottle as their primary cup, it’s OK. Here are steps that can help your toddler transition from a bottle to a cup.
Related: Can a pre-meal routine help your toddler eat better? It may be just the thing to help their mind and body prepare to sit at the table.
Best cups for toddlers
There are two types of toddler cups that we recommend for young children and babies: open cups and sippy cups with straws.
Are 360 cups bad for toddlers?
One type of kid cup that we don’t recommend for toddlers and young children is the 360 cup.
Those toddler 360 cups teach bite patterns that may make it difficult for your child to learn how to manage and successfully use an open cup later on down the line.
If you have a 360 cup at home, no worries. We recommend removing the lid of these cups to practice open cup drinking.
Related: Learn the fundamentals of feeding toddlers so you can feel confident handling meals and managing picky behaviors in our toddler feeding course.
Open cup for toddlers
Open cups are the best cups for toddlers to help develop oral motor function.
Best open cups for toddlers
If you already have cupboards full of sippy cups and lids of all kinds, no need to buy anything new.
Simply remove the lid and let your toddler practice cup drinking from the open cups you already own!
Other easy, inexpensive cup options for your toddler include:
Related: Are you worried your child isn’t getting enough calcium as they learn to drink from cups? Read all about calcium and learn the best calcium-rich foods for toddlers and kids.
How to teach a toddler to drink from an open cup
While you are practicing cup drinking with your toddler, keep in mind that lip closure around the cup/spout should be a focus.
Here’s how to get your toddler to use open cups:
Related: Got all your mealtime tools and gear? See our recommendations for the best toddler utensils and the best plates for toddlers.
Straw cups for toddlers
Are straw cups good for toddlers? Yes. Cups with straws are also a great option for toddlers. Here are some of our favorites.
Best straw cups for toddlers
Here’s a list of some of our favorite toddler straw cups.
How to introduce your toddler to a straw cup
Related: Also learn how to get toddlers to use utensils if they’re struggling.
Tips to help transition toddlers from bottles to cups
Whether you’re transitioning from the high chair to a booster seat or transitioning from bottles to cups, big changes can lead to big feelings in toddlers. Read our tips to learn how to make the transition and teach your toddler to drink from a cup.
1. Decide when to start
You might decide that only cups will be offered at mealtimes instead of bottles. Or, you can pick one meal to practice.
2. Communicate the change to your child
Talking about the change with your toddler will help them better manage their big feelings.
You may still have tantrums at mealtimes, but they will lessen over time.
3. Be patient
Transitions are hard. Be patient with your toddlers. With each exposure to toddler cups, the child will continue to learn.
4. Expect and embrace spills!
During toddler cup drinking, there will be a lot of spills!
Start small with only 1-2 ounces of water in your toddler’s cup to help manage mess. They will likely still pour the water right on their face or down their shirt and that’s ok!
Each time they drink out of a cup, they will gain more control and confidence.
5. Add in some fun
Kids learn with play. If your toddler is refusing to use a cup, have them offer a cup to a doll, stuffed animal or other toy. Have the child “feed” the toy water and then “feed” themselves water.
When to get more help
If you have any concerns about your toddler’s transition to drinking cups, contact your pediatrician for further recommendations.
In some cases, where the child is struggling to practice or refuses to use a cup for a significant amount of time, a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist consult may be appropriate.
Learn more about feeding toddlers
References
America Occupational Therapy Association. (2016) Specialized knowledge and skills in feeding, eating, and swallowing for occupational therapy practice. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, INC.
Arvedson, J. C. (2006). Swallowing and feeding in infants and young children. GI Motility online. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from http://www.nature.com/gimo/contents/pt1/full/gimo17.html
Beckman, D. (2000). Oral motor assessment and intervention. Paper presented at the Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention conference, Charlotte, NC.