Teddy's Turn to Drink

What you need

• a soft toy
• two small cups
• a splash of water

How to do it

1. Sit a soft toy at the table with its own little cup.
2. Hold the toy's cup to its mouth and tip it, saying 'teddy sips'.
3. Hand your toddler their own cup and let them take a turn.
4. Go back and forth, teddy's sip then their sip, for as long as it holds them.

Why it matters

Doing the movement on someone else's behalf takes the pressure off, and the tipping action is exactly the same one they need for their own cup.

What they're learning

Judging the tip

Tipping a cup for a toy is the same wrist movement as tipping it for themselves, with none of the worry about spilling down their front.

Pretending

Standing in for someone else is the beginning of pretend play, and it's how a lot of real skills get rehearsed.

Gentle hands

A cup at a toy's mouth has to arrive slowly, which is good practice for arriving slowly anywhere.

What to look for

Watch for them tipping the toy's cup slowly rather than upending it. The control is the thing.

A tip

Their own cup should have real water in it. The toy's can stay empty, which saves a puddle on the table.

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