A sippy cup is a training cup that assists a child with drinking safely without spilling. They are made from plastic and come in a variety of sizes, shapes and designs. Sippy cups are the transition from bottle feeding to drinking from an open cup. They help children learn how to drink without getting liquids on themselves or making a mess since they have no spout or straw to suck from like most baby bottles do.

1. The Very First Sippy Cup

A sippy cup is a vessel for feeding a baby or toddler that has an opening on the top and a spout in the middle. You can use this to feed your baby water, milk, juice or any other liquid you choose.

A cup with a spout will help to prevent spills when your child tries to drink from it because they will naturally tilt their head back like they do when drinking from a bottle. This helps prevent the liquid spilling out onto their clothes and potentially into their eyes too!

You should introduce your child to using a sippy cup when they’re ready for one—which is usually around 6 months old but may be earlier if they are showing signs of wanting something more than just being held while you eat or drink yourself. The best time is when they start sitting up unassisted without support—that way they have no choice but to hold onto the sides of the sippy cup instead of grabbing at food off your plate!

There are many different types of these cups around which means there could be lots available at stores near you depending on where you live (or shop online). Some types come with handles so that small hands can grab them easily; others only have handles on one side so children must use both hands simultaneously instead (this helps kids develop motor skills). There are also ones made specifically for little kids who haven’t quite mastered holding onto things yet; these ones come with suction cups so there’s less chance of dropping them accidentally!

2. Soft, Lovable Sippy Cup

The soft, lovable sippy cup is a great choice for your baby. Not only is it safe for them to chew on, but it’s also BPA free, easy to clean and spill proof. This makes it easier for your baby to transition from the bottle to the cup.

3. Silicone Transition Sippy Cup

• Silicone material is safe and soft.
• No plastic parts, no BPA.
• Spoutless design is easy to clean, use and travel with.
• Spoutless design is also easy to store (you can stack them).

4. The Spoutless Wonder Cup

The Spoutless Wonder Cup is a spill-proof, leak-proof cup that makes drinking a little easier for your baby. It’s great for babies who won’t use a sippy cup because of the spout or nipple, but who can’t yet drink from an open cup. The Spoutless Wonder Cup has no spout and no nipple to clean, so there are fewer parts to keep track of and fewer chances for mold or mildew growth. The soft silicone rim also allows it to be held by small hands without breaking, unlike many other cups on the market today!

Even though this isn’t technically a sippy cup since it’s not designed with any sort of special valve system present (like those found inside most popular brands), it still serves its purpose well enough given its low price point compared to other options – plus it doesn’t have any extra features which might complicate things further down the line when your little one starts showing interest in holding objects themselves!

A sippy cup is a training cup that assists a child with drinking safely without spilling. Learn all you need to know about the best sippy cups for babies and toddlers here!

A sippy cup is a training cup that assists a child with drinking safely without spilling. Learning to drink from a regular cup can be tricky, so why not make it easier on your little one by choosing the best sippy cups for babies and toddlers?

Cup For Baby Who Refuses Bottle

Your baby probably won’t be able to hold a cup or drink solo without spilling it until after age 1, but you can let them start practicing earlier. The ideal time to introduce a sippy cup—whether with a straw, spouted, or spoutless—is typically around 6 months old, when they start solids. They will be having a lot of new sensory, motor, and cognitive experiences when they’re first eating, so it may be best to wait a week or two before adding the cup.

 Baby Milestones Chart: A Week-by-Week Guide to Development

Also, as with all transitions, think about what else is going on in your child’s life before you begin. Have they started a new daycare? Did you recently move houses? If there have been any big changes, you may want to wait a month or so before beginning the switch to a cup. Too many changes at once will make your child feel insecure and likely to cling to familiar routines and objects.

Tips for Easing the Transition

Your baby wont start drinking from the sippy cup overnight. Here are some expert-approved tips to help bridge the gap between the breast or bottle and cup.

Try Out a Few Sippy Cups

Although there are tons of baby cups to choose from—hard- and soft-spout sippies, and those with a straw—some experts recommend spoutless sippy cups because the others may hinder feeding development. If possible, buy several types; your child may have a preference. For example, some babies prefer cups with handles (especially those who like to hold their own bottle) but others do not.

Start by Offering an Empty Cup

First, offer an empty cup and let your baby explore and play with it. Do this for several days so they’ll be familiar with the cup before you put liquid in it. You can also explain that they’re soon going to start drinking from the cup, suggests Mark L. Brenner, Ph. D., author of Pacifiers, Blankets, Bottles, and Thumbs: What Every Parent Should Know About Starting and Stopping.

Teach Them to Sip

Make sure your child is seated before giving them a cup with water, breast milk, or formula (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you avoid juice at this age). Hold the cup up to their mouth and tilt it slowly so a little liquid dribbles in. Give your child time to swallow before offering more. If you put breast milk or formula (or even a smear of pureed baby food ) at the tip of a baby cup that has a short straw, your baby will taste it and probably suck the straw to get more.

 How to Wean Your Baby Off Breastfeeding

Expect messes.

The first few times your baby drinks from the cup, it can be a bit messy (expect lots of drooling and dripping). Don’t force your child to take more than they want, since you don’t want to turn this into a power struggle. If they try to grab the cup to drink on their own, by all means, let them.

Make the Cup Appealing

If you’ve been bottlefeeding, an easy way to do this is using the bottle for water only and saving the good stuff for the sippy cup. “If given the choice between having milk in an unfamiliar cup and water in their favorite bottle, most kids will go for the cup,” explains Jennifer Shu, M.D., a Parents advisor and editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Baby and Child Health. You can also show them that it’s fun: Take a sip from a small cup and say, “Mmm, yummy!” Your baby may just want some too.

Limit Time with the Sippy Cup

Once your baby likes the cup, they may want it all the time—but don’t let them carry it around during the day, use it as a pacifier, or sleep with it. Constantly bathing their teeth in sugar from drinks (even breast milk!) increases the risk of tooth decay. “Nursing on a bottle’s nipple throughout the day and night means your child’s teeth are in prolonged contact with milk or juice, and that can cause cavities,” explains Dr. Shu.

Always Supervise Your Child

Supervise when your baby drinks from a cup while seated. If they walk or run with a cup and fall, it could lead to mouth injuries.

 When Can My Baby Start Drinking Water?

Learn When to Wean

The longer you wait to wean, the more attached your baby will get to the bottle or breast—and the harder it will be for them to give it up. After your baby’s comfortable with the sippy cup (about a month or so), you can begin the weaning process. If you move too quickly, they may view the cup as more of a punishment than simply a new way to drink.

Start by phasing out one midday feeding session, since babies usually eat the least at that meal and aren’t as emotionally dependent upon it. Replace the feeding with a snack or a meal, including a beverage from a cup. Wait a week (or two if your baby is struggling with the transition) before eliminating another feeding. Continue phasing out one feeding per week until your child is off the bottle or breast completely. “The evening feeding should be the last to go because your kid is probably most attached to it, especially if it’s a big part of his bedtime ritual,” says Dr. Shu.

The Best Sippy Cups for Babies and Toddlers

Ready to start weaning your child off the breast or bottle? Of course, you could introduce them to open-top cups right away, but you’d have to deal with plenty of frustrating messes. (You better believe they’ll love chucking that full cup straight across the room!) To lessen the stress, it’s usually smarter—and cleaner—to choose a sippy cup designed for the transitional phase.

The best sippy cups will be easy to clean and use, made without harmful chemicals, and able to withstand spills. Keep reading for our top picks on the market today.

1. Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup

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The spoutless Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup has a flat 360-degree drinking edge that allows your child to sip from anywhere on the rim, successfully mimicking an actual cup and supporting mouth muscle development. When your baby is finished drinking, the lid automatically seals so you can bid adieu to spills. Little ones 6 months and older enjoy the easy-grip handles on the BPA-free cup, while adults love that it’s top-rack dishwasher safe with no extra valves or parts.

2. The First Years Take & Toss Spill-Proof Sippy Cups

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You won’t believe the low cost of these top-rated sippy cups! And the budget-friendly price tag doesn’t compromise the functionality: They have a space-saving stackable design, spill-proof lids that are interchangeable with other Take & Toss products, and colorful translucent colors that let you see your baby’s drinking progress. The dishwasher-safe sippy cups (with snap-on and valve-free lids) are also made without BPA, PVC, and phthalate—and they’re recyclable to boot. Definitely consider stocking up on these cups, which come in a four pack, for kids 9 months and older.

3. NUK Learner Sippy Cup

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NUK’s Learner Sippy Cup is jam-packed with impressive features, including a soft silicone spout that’s gentle on teeth and gums, a vent to reduce swallowed air, easy-grip removable handles, and a dishwasher-safe construction. The BPA-free and spill-proof cup is best suited for kids 6 months and up.

4. Oxo Tot Transitions Straw Cup with Removable Handles

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This Oxo Tot Transitions Straw Cup has an almond-shaped straw that conforms to your baby’s mouth, effectively preventing spills and easing the transition from the bottle or breast. It’s also ideal for beginners because the straw valve opens when your baby’s lips touch it—and the hinged cap closes afterwards to stop leaks. With removable handles and convenient measuring marks, it’s no wonder this is one of the best straw sippy cups on the market today.

5. Nuby Two-Handle No-Spill Super Spout Grip N’ Sip Cups

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Bright colors aren’t the only draw of this best first sippy cup, made for babies ages 4 months and up. It has a no-spill soft silicone spout that promotes oral development, a valve that lets your baby control their drink flow, and easy-grab handles that actually get the cup to their mouth.

6. Munchkin LATCH Transition Cup

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Designed for babies 4 months and up, depending on their readiness, this BPA-free cup has a soft silicone spout that lets your baby “latch.” An anti-colic valve prevents air bubbles to reduce gas-induced fussiness. What’s more, the sippy cup is ideal for road trips, thanks to removable handles (perfect for fitting into cup holders) and a snug-fit lid cover.

7. Philips Avent Natural Trainer Sippy Cup

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Looking for the best sippy cup to transition from the bottle or breast? The Philips Avent Natural Trainer Sippy Cup—geared toward babies 4 months and up, depending on readiness—is a solid solution. It comes with both a fast-flow bottle nipple and soft silicone spout, allowing it to grow with your baby. Removable handles teach independent drinking, and a protective cap keeps everything sanitary. You can also clean the BPA-free cup in the dishwasher.

Conclusion

These are the best sippy cups for babies and toddlers. The first cup is made to be easy-to-hold, soft and lovable. The second cup has a soft silicone spout that helps children feel comfortable while drinking from their cups. The third one is great because it has no spout at all so children will not be able to stop drinking from it once they start!