Our favorite cups
1. Open Cup with Handles
Why we love it:
- Supports the transition from bottle to open cup.
- Helps develop fine motor skills with a non-slip design.
- Soft silicone nurtures strong lips, jaw, gums, and swallowing mechanisms.
- Tapered and weighted base reduces mess.
2. Nuby Open Cup
Why we love it:
- Ideal for babies transitioning from breastfeeding or bottle feeding to cup drinking.
- Super soft silicone rim is gentle on gums and new teeth.
- Non-slip matte silicone base ensures a secure grip for little hands.
- Encourages open cup drinking, strengthening oral motor skills.
- Weighted base prevents tipping, and the angled design provides a steady flow for safer sipping.
3. ezpz Mini Cup + Straw
Why we love it:
- Helps babies and toddlers learn to drink from an open cup and use a straw.
- Supports developmental milestones such as lip rounding, a mature swallow, and speech development.
- Weighted base adds stability and reduces tipping over.
- Sensory bumps guide lips to the tip of the straw for easier lip placement.
4. Honey Bear Cup
Why we love it:
- Helps teach the new skill of straw drinking while encouraging independent straw use.
- Fully enclosed design prevents spills.
- Supports oral stimulation for natural drinking transitions.
- Parents are able to prime the straw making it easier to learn.
5. Olababy Silicone Training Cup
Why we love it:
- Encourages independence and accomplishment in drinking.
- Versatile for use as an open cup or a straw cup.
- Designed for easy gripping by tiny hands.
- Facilitates transition from bottle to open cup.
6. NumNum Straw Training Cup
Why we love it:
- Helps babies develop independent drinking skills.
- Encourages transition to a mature swallowing and breathing pattern.
- Builds oral motor skills, supporting lip closure and tongue tip elevation.
- Weighted straw allows drinking from any angle.
- Spill-proof design reduces mess.
Introducing straw cups and open cups to babies is essential for their oral motor development and overall feeding progression.
Unlike sippy cups, which encourage a sucking pattern similar to bottle feeding—relying primarily on tongue thrusting and minimal jaw or lip movement—straw and open cups actively engage and strengthen the key muscles in the mouth, lips, and jaw. This engagement lays the foundation for proper swallowing mechanics, speech development, and the ability to handle a variety of food textures as eating skills mature.
Open cups, in particular, promote hand-eye coordination and independent drinking while allowing babies to learn controlled sipping. Straw cups, on the other hand, encourage lip rounding, tongue tip elevation, and a mature swallowing pattern, which are vital for advancing oral motor skills. Early exposure to these types of cups can make the transition smoother and reduce the risk on prolonged dependency of bottles, and set the stage for healthy oral habits and developmental milestones.
5 Tips for Introducing an Open Cup to a Baby
Start Small and Light
Begin with a small, lightweight open cup that fits comfortably in your baby’s hands. A 1-2 oz capacity is ideal for easy handling and reducing mess.
Fill Open Cups to the Top
Fill the cup to the top for easy sipping without tilting the cup or head.
Provide Support at First
Hold the cup together with your baby during the first few tries to guide it to their mouth. Gradually reduce your assistance as they gain confidence.
Choose Calm Moments for Practice
Introduce the open cup during calm, low-stress times, such as after a meal or snack, when your baby is alert and not overly hungry or tired.
Be Patient and Celebrate Progress
Expect spills as part of the learning process. Celebrate your baby’s efforts and progress to build their confidence and make open-cup drinking a positive experience.
5 Tips for Introducing a Straw Cup to a Baby
Start with a Beginner-Friendly Straw Cup
Choose a straw cup with a soft silicone straw that is gentle on your baby’s gums. Weighted straws or beginner training straws can help make sipping easier from any angle.
Prime the Straw
Show your baby how the straw works by gently filling it with a small amount of liquid and releasing it into their mouth to help them understand how to suck from the straw.
Model the Behavior
Demonstrate how to use the straw by drinking from one yourself. Babies learn by imitation, and seeing you do it can spark their interest and encourage them to try.
Encourage Lip Closure
Gently guide your baby’s lips around the straw, and encourage them to close their lips fully to create suction. You can even playfully mimic the "sucking" motion to help them understand.
Practice Patience and Repetition
Learning to drink from a straw can take time. Offer the straw cup consistently during meals or snacks, keep the experience fun, and celebrate small successes to build their confidence.