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4 min read
I've gotten a lot of comments over the years, from other parents and grandparents, when they see my 1-2 year old children drinking out of regular glasses.
Watching a one year old successfully drink from an open cup is kind of amazing.
Seeing those two little hands grab the glass, bring it to their mouth, take a sip, and then return it to the table (without spilling!) is nothing short of impressive.
But's it's so much more than just a party trick.
It's a wonderful skill to introduce to children as young as six months old.
Not only are open cups great for oral motor development but from a Montessori perspective, drinking from a cup teaches:
Plus, you don't have to do much work to pique your child's interest in this skill.
It's one that most kids are naturally drawn to.
Why? Because they see you doing it.
As I've talked about many, many times before, children want to do what they see the adults around them doing.
These are the tasks that are meaningful to them.
It's the reason our toddlers want to engage in the practical life activities most adults would find mundane - sweeping, cooking, folding laundry, etc.
When our children see us drinking from a cup, they want the chance to try this too.
So if you're open to a few spills at first, I encourage you to give it a try!
Here's how to choose the right glass (based on your child's age) and instructions on introducing an open glass, both for infants and toddlers.
Technically you can skip them altogether. There's no oral motor developmental benefit to learning to drink from any kind of sippy cup. They're really only to minimize mess. Ideally open cups are used for meals and sit down snacks, while sippy cups/water bottles are saved for on the go activities.
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