When to start a training cup, and which one to choose first

A shelf of baby cups raises more questions than it answers. Hard spout or soft spout? A straw, a weighted straw, a 360° rim, or an open cup straight away? And does anyone actually need a so-called sippy cup?

The good news is that a child does not have to work through every type of cup in a fixed order. The first cup should match their current abilities and the way you will actually use it. At the table you can practise with an open cup, while a sealed straw cup is far more useful on the move.

What matters most is not to start only when you want the bottle gone overnight. Relaxed practice from around 6 months gives a child time to learn a new skill without pressure.

In this article

1. When to offer the first cup
2. Signs of readiness
3. What is not a sign of being unready
4. Spout, straw, 360° or open cup
5. Comparison table
6. What a weighted straw is for
7. How to choose the first cup
8. How to offer it the first time
9. What belongs in the cup by age
10. What to do when your child will not drink
11. Frequently asked questions

When should you offer a baby the first cup?

For most children a cup can be introduced from around 6 months, alongside first solids. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics both note that this is when you can try a training cup with a spout, a straw cup, or an open cup with an adult helping.

Six months is not a deadline for handing back the bottle. It is the start of getting acquainted. A few calm attempts at mealtimes and a small amount of liquid are plenty.

A rough progression can look like this:

• around 6 months: the child holds the cup with help, explores it and tastes small sips,
• 6–9 months: regular practice with a straw or an open rim at mealtimes,
• 9–12 months: coordination improves and drinking from a cup becomes more frequent,
• 12–18 months: the cup gradually takes over from the feeding bottle,
• around 2 years: the goal is ordinary drinking from an open cup, though a sealed cup stays useful for travel.

Pace is individual. Children born prematurely, or with motor or medical difficulties, may need an adapted approach.

Signs your child is ready

The calendar is only a guide. What matters more is the ability to sit safely and coordinate head, mouth and swallowing.

Sits upright with support

Your child does not have to sit entirely unaided, but does need to hold the head and trunk steady. Offer liquids upright, never lying down.

Has started solids

The cup joins the meal naturally. If a child is developmentally ready for first foods, they can usually start exploring a small amount of liquid from a cup too.

Brings objects to the mouth

Grasping, turning and lifting a cup are motor skills. At the beginning an adult guides the cup, or you hold it together.

Shows interest in your cup

Reaching for a parent's cup is useful motivation. Children learn by imitation, so let them watch you drink.

Can swallow a small sip

Early attempts may involve spluttering or a cough. If a child chokes noticeably on every attempt, coughs often, or their voice changes after drinking, speak to your paediatrician.

What does not mean your child is unready

• Throwing the cup off the table.
• Chewing the straw rather than drinking from it.
• Spitting the water out or spilling it.
• Drinking only a few drops at first.
• Accepting the cup one day and refusing it the next.
• Needing an adult to hold the cup.

All of this is normal while learning. Readiness does not mean instant independence.

Hard spout, soft spout, straw or open cup?

The term “training cup” covers several very different products. Each solves a slightly different need.

Hard spout

A classic cup with a rigid spout is often accepted quickly, because drinking resembles a bottle. Valved versions frequently require suction. It works as a short bridge, but it is not a compulsory stage.

Soft spout

A silicone spout is gentle on sensitive gums and can make more sense to a younger child. If you use one, introduce a straw or an open cup alongside it over time.

Straw cup

A straw allows drinking without tipping the whole container. Soft silicone is pleasant against the mouth and a sealing lid suits life away from home. With leak-proof models, check that the valve does not put up too much resistance.

Open cup

An open cup teaches a child to control the tilt and the size of a sip. From roughly 9 to 12 months this skill improves quickly, though first attempts can start earlier with adult help. Pour in only a little water and expect spills.

360° cup

The child drinks from the rim while a silicone membrane limits leaking. It is practical, but it is not the same as an open cup — releasing the liquid requires pressing with the lips or sucking.

Which type of cup suits which situation?

You do not have to crown a single winner. A good pairing is an open cup at meals and a straw cup for independent drinking and travel.

What does a weighted straw do?

An ordinary straight straw only works while its lower end stays submerged. A small child, however, holds the cup on its side, tips it back like a bottle, or turns it while looking around.

A movable straw carries a weight at the end that shifts with the liquid. The child can therefore reach the drink at more angles, without first having to master how to hold the cup.

It is not an essential feature for every child. It earns its place mainly:

• during the first months of learning,
• when moving on from a bottle the child used to tip back,
• if an ordinary straw quickly leads to frustration,
• for drinking in a pushchair or on the move.

The trade-off is another shaped part to take apart, clean and dry completely.

How to choose the first cup

Sensible volume and low weight

Around 150 to 200 ml is practical to begin with. A small cup is lighter and easier to grip. A larger 300 ml makes more sense once confidence grows, or for longer trips.

Two handles that are easy to hold

Handles help a child hold the cup with both hands. A rotating system can reduce awkward wrist twisting when the position changes.

A soft part at the mouth

A silicone straw or spout is kind to gums. Check them regularly, especially once teeth arrive and the material gets chewed.

Appropriate flow

A cup should limit spills, but a child should not have to fight a very stiff valve. If they can drink from another cup but not this one, the problem may not be the child.

Simple to take apart

Fewer hidden folds mean easier washing. Before buying, check whether the straw, valve and seal come out, and whether replacement parts are available.

A material suited to how you will use it

PPSU is light, tough and suitable for repeated use at higher temperatures according to the instructions. Silicone is soft, stainless steel is durable, and PP is affordable. Choose by real need, not by a slogan.

Why a Grosmimi PPSU cup can be a good first cup

The 200 ml Grosmimi PPSU cup combines a light body, two rotating handles and a soft Stage 1 straw intended for first drinking from around 6 months. For a child who often tips the cup, a compatible weighted straw can be fitted.

As the child grows stronger and starts biting the straw, you can move to the firmer Stage 2. The larger 300 ml version suits regular independent drinking. There is no need to replace the whole system at once — individual parts adapt to the next stage.

See first cups by Grosmimi →

How to offer the cup for the first time

1. Pick a moment when your child is neither very hungry nor tired.
2. Seat them upright in a high chair.
3. Pour in only a small amount of liquid.
4. Show them how you drink from your own cup.
5. Let them grab and explore the new object.
6. Rest the cup or straw gently against the lips, never deep in the mouth.
7. Stop after a few attempts, even if little was drunk.
8. Try again regularly at the same meal.

The first goal is familiarity, not volume. Forcing, pouring large amounts into the mouth or tilting the head back can make learning harder.

What to put in the cup by age

Before 12 months

Breast milk or infant formula remains the main source of milk nutrition. Small amounts of water can be offered with meals. Familiar breast milk or formula can also be used for cup practice.

Cow's milk should not be used as the main replacement for breast milk or infant formula before 12 months.

After 12 months

Water is the appropriate main drink between meals. Milk can be served with meals according to the diet and your paediatrician's advice. Sipping sweetened drinks or milk throughout the day prolongs the contact between sugars and teeth.

Hot drinks do not belong in a sealed straw cup. Heat can raise the pressure and force liquid out through the valve.

What to do when your child will not drink from the cup

• Check that the cup is assembled correctly and the straw is clear.
• Try drinking from it yourself; the valve may resist too much.
• Offer the cup at a calmer time of day.
• Try a smaller, lighter model.
• Use a familiar liquid appropriate for the age.
• Let your child watch you drink.
• Practise briefly but regularly.
• If it turns into a battle, take a few days off.

If a child refuses all liquids, has noticeably fewer wet nappies, a dry mouth, is unusually sleepy, or repeatedly coughs and chokes while drinking, contact your paediatrician.

Frequently asked questions

Is six months too early for a cup?

No. From around 6 months a cup can be offered alongside solids. It means practising small sips with adult help, not replacing milk feeds overnight.

Do I have to start with a classic spouted cup?

No. A child can begin with a straw cup or a small open cup. A spout is an optional bridging step.

Is a straw better than a spout?

A straw is practical for longer-term independent drinking and pairs well with an open cup at meals. A spout, however, can give some children a quicker first success. Flow and the comfort of the specific model matter too.

Does every child need a weighted straw?

No. It mainly helps children who tip the cup a lot or cannot yet keep the lower end of an ordinary straw in the liquid.

How much should a child drink in the first attempts?

A few drops or sips is plenty. Before 12 months the main milk nutrition still comes from breast milk or formula. The goal at this point is the skill.

Can a child use several types of cup at once?

Yes. An open cup at meals and a straw cup on the move do not cancel each other out. Children learn to match the way they drink to the situation.

When should we drop the feeding bottle completely?

Getting to know a cup starts from around 6 months. Phasing out the bottle is generally recommended between 12 and 18 months. Our separate guide to moving from bottle to cup covers the steps in detail.

Conclusion: the first cup starts the learning, it does not replace the bottle

The right moment arrives at around 6 months, when a child sits with support, starts solids and takes an interest in objects at the table. Do not expect independent drinking or large volumes in the first weeks.

Choose a light cup with sensible flow, a soft part at the mouth and parts that can be cleaned thoroughly. A weighted straw can smooth the beginning, but it is not compulsory. Practise the open cup in small amounts at the table.

The best first cup is not the one with the most features. It is the cup your child can drink from safely, and the one you will keep offering calmly and regularly.

Choose a first Grosmimi cup →