5 signs your baby is ready for an open cup (and how to make the switch easier)

Many parents wonder when their child is ready for an open cup. Should you wait until your toddler is older? Is a spout cup better? And at what age can you start practicing?

The short answer: every child develops at their own pace. However, there are clear signs that show a child is ready to transition from a spout cup or straw cup to an open cup.

More and more speech therapists, childcare organizations, and healthcare professionals advise introducing children to an open cup at an early age. This not only helps with learning to drink but also supports the development of oral motor skills, fine motor skills, and independence.

In this article, we discuss 5 important signs that your child is ready for an open cup and provide practical tips to make the transition easier.

Why choose an open cup?

An open cup requires different skills than a spout cup. A child learns to tilt the cup themselves, better gauge the amount of liquid, and coordinate mouth, lip, and tongue movements.

Drinking from an open cup therefore contributes to:

• The development of oral motor skills
• The development of fine motor skills
• Greater independence
• More self-confidence
• A natural drinking posture
• More control while drinking

This doesn't mean that a child will drink perfectly from an open cup overnight. Practice is necessary. A little spilling is also part of it.

Sign 1: Your child can sit upright independently

A good sitting posture forms the basis for safe drinking from an open cup.

When a child can sit upright independently, they usually have sufficient control over their head, neck, and torso to drink safely. This allows them to better estimate how much the cup needs to be tilted, reducing the risk of choking.

Do you notice that your child sits stably during meals and doesn't constantly need support? Then that's often a first sign that practicing with an open cup is possible.

Sign 2: Your child shows interest in your glass or cup

Many children learn by observing and imitating.

Does your child regularly grab your glass? Do they try to drink along? Or do they curiously watch what others at the table are doing?

Then your child is already showing that they are ready to discover new skills.

This is often an ideal moment to offer your child their own open cup and practice together.

Sign 3: Your child has sufficient control over hand and arm movements

Drinking from an open cup requires coordination.

A child must be able to grasp the cup, lift it, bring it to their mouth, and then set it down controllably.

Can you recognize the following?

• Picking up toys purposefully
• Bringing food to their mouth independently
• Setting down objects controllably
• Holding cups or bottles independently

Then the motor skills foundation is often present to practice with an open cup.

Sign 4: Your child increasingly wants to do things themselves

Many children reach an age where independence is central.

Eating by themselves. Walking by themselves. Choosing by themselves. And of course: drinking by themselves.

Precisely this need for independence often makes the transition to an open cup successful. Children enjoy trying new things themselves and feel proud when something works.

An open cup can therefore contribute to more self-confidence during meal and drink times.

Sign 5: Drinking from a spout cup or straw cup is effortless

When a child drinks without problems from a spout cup or straw cup, the step to an open cup is often smaller than parents think.

Your child then already understands:

• How drinking works
• When to swallow
• How to hold a cup

The transition then mainly involves learning to moderate the amount of liquid.

Common mistakes when transitioning to an open cup

Putting too much liquid in the cup.

Many parents fill a cup halfway or even completely immediately.

This makes practicing unnecessarily difficult.

It's better to start with a small amount of water. This gives a child more control and prevents major spills.

Giving up too soon

The first time is almost never perfect.

Spilling is part of the learning process. Just as a child learns to walk by falling, a child learns to drink by practicing.

Only practicing when necessary

Make practicing fun.

Let a child also get acquainted with an open cup in between, without pressure to perform.

Less mess while practicing

Many parents postpone the transition because they are afraid of messes.

That's understandable.

However, practicing with an open cup doesn't automatically mean that liquid will end up everywhere.

A stable cup can help create more calm at the table. That's why STEDDI developed an open drinking cup with a unique screw-on reinforced base.

View the STEDDI open drinking cup here:
https://steddi.store/products/steddi-drinkbeker

Or as we like to say:

STEDDI – the cup that doesn't tip over.

This allows children to better concentrate on learning to drink from an open cup, while parents spend less time dealing with tipped-over cups and spilled drinks.

Frequently asked questions about an open cup

From what age can a child drink from an open cup?

Many children can be introduced to small sips from an open cup from about 6 months. Independent drinking usually follows later.

Is an open cup better than a spout cup?

An open cup stimulates different skills and supports the natural development of oral and drinking motor skills. Therefore, many professionals advise making an open cup part of drinking development.

Is spilling normal?

Absolutely. Spilling is part of the learning process and usually decreases naturally as a child gains more experience.

Is the STEDDI drinking cup suitable for toddlers?

Our STEDDI open drinking cup is light and stable. A cup that doesn't easily tip over gives children more confidence while practicing.

Want to know more about open cups?

Are you curious how an open cup can help with your child's development?

Then check out the STEDDI drinking cup and discover why more and more parents, childcare organizations, and healthcare professionals choose an open cup with a reinforced base.

Also read our blog:

Why more and more childcare organizations are choosing an open cup

Conclusion

Can your child sit independently, do they show interest in your cup, do they have sufficient control over their movements, and do they increasingly want to do things themselves? Then there's a good chance they're ready to be introduced to an open cup.

Take your time, keep it fun, and don't expect instant perfection. With enough practice, most children develop this skill surprisingly quickly.

Do you want to make the transition a bit easier? Then a stable open drinking cup can help create more calm at the table.

Discover the STEDDI open drinking cup - the cup that doesn't tip over:
https://steddi.store/products/steddi-drinkbeker