Cup on the Table

What you need

• a small cup
• a splash of water
• their snack plate

How to do it

1. Put the cup on the table beside their plate rather than into their hands.
2. Carry on with the snack and let them reach for it when they want it.
3. When they've had a sip, tap the table where the cup goes and wait.
4. Let them put it down themselves, even if it lands with a bump.

Why it matters

Picking the cup up and putting it back down is half of drinking from one, and it only gets practised when the cup lives on the table instead of in an adult's hand.

What they're learning

Putting it down

Landing a cup flat without tipping it is a separate skill from lifting it, and it's the one that saves the tablecloth.

Drinking when thirsty

A cup within reach lets them notice thirst and do something about it, rather than being offered it.

Two-handed grip

Both hands on the way up, both hands on the way down.

What to look for

Watch for them looking at the table before letting go. That's them aiming rather than dropping.

A tip

Expect a few knocks at first. A cup with a wide base and a splash of water in it turns those into a wipe rather than a puddle.

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