First Sips Together
What you need
- a small unbreakable cup
- a splash of water
How to do it
- Sit your toddler upright at the table or in their high chair, not leaning back.
- Pour a splash of water into the cup. Just enough to cover the bottom.
- Rest the rim on their bottom lip and let them hold the sides while you hold the base.
- Tip it slowly so a little water reaches their mouth, then take it away for a breath.
Why it matters
Holding the base for them keeps the water coming slowly while they work out the sip, so the first tries are about the lips and tongue rather than the tipping.
What they're learning
- Sipping, not sucking
- An open rim asks for a sip, which uses the mouth muscles a bottle teat never does.
- Lip closure
- Meeting the rim with their top lip is the part that stops the water escaping, and it takes a lot of goes.
- Trusting a new thing
- A slow, steady first offer makes the cup something they reach for rather than something that arrives too fast.
What to look for
Watch for their top lip coming down to meet the rim. That's the piece that turns a pour into a sip.
A tip
A little coughing or spluttering is part of learning the sip-swallow-breathe rhythm. Pause, let them settle, and offer again another time.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: hold the cup yourself and let them only rest their hands on it
Harder: let them tip the cup while your hand stays underneath
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Everyday helper activities · Activities for 1 year olds · Toddler activities with cups · Toddler water activities