If you’ve ever stood in the baby aisle staring at a wall of cups thinking “just tell me which one,” you’re not alone. The good news: there are so many “good” cups out there and some of them may already be in your kitchen or just need a small tweak to boost the positives. A small set of features—plus a few simple habits—can set your child up for healthy oral function, safer swallowing, and easier weaning from bottles.

Supporting oral development and function—without the overwhelm.

As a pediatric SLP, infant + toddler feeding therapist, myofunctional therapist, breath and holistic sleep coach, I’m team simple, functional, and developmentally sound. You don’t need a cabinet full of lids and parts. You need a cup (or two) that supports the way your child’s mouth, tongue, and jaw are meant to move.

Transitioning to cup drinking doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Let’s simplify this process and promote happy, healthy, thriving cup drinkers:)
The TL;DR
**Best picks:** a **small open cup** for meals + a **free‑flow straw cup** (no internal valve) for on‑the‑go.
**Limit/skip:** hard spouts and suction‑activated “no‑spill” valves.
**Goal:** confident open‑cup drinking by ~**2 years**.
**Habits:** water between meals; short sips; frequent practice.

Why this matters (and why the market feels confusing)

“Sippy cups” are big business, which is partly why the options feel endless. Depending on the analyst you read, 2023 global sales estimates range from $1.8B to $9.7B, with forecasts pointing up through the next decade. DataHorizzon Research+1 https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/sippy-cups-market/

Big market = lots of marketing. But pediatric guidance is simpler: think of sippy cups as temporary tools on the way to open and straw drinking, not a long-term destination. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes it’s healthiest for children to be drinking from an open cup by about age 2. HealthyChildren.org And to make it even more simple; I would take that a step further and encourage skipping the sippy cup altogether and giving your baby the opportunity to learn free flow straw and open cup drinking from the beginning of their cup drinking journey.

What we know (and don’t) about cup design & oral development

Hard spout + closed valves can keep a “suck” pattern going. When a spout/valve requires suction, children don’t have to develop the same lip, tongue, and jaw patterns used for mature sipping. Dental and pediatric sources advise avoiding valved designs that mimic bottles, encouraging cups that allow fluid to flow with gentle sipping instead. MouthHealthy+1
Hard spouts may limit tongue elevation in the palate space. Many therapists and pediatric practices caution that rigid spouts can block the spot the tongue needs to elevate, potentially reinforcing immature patterns—one reason many SLPs recommend moving to straw or open cups. (These are clinical, mechanism-based concerns; high-quality randomized trials are limited.) TherapyWorks+1
Evidence caveat: A 2021 evidence review for clinicians highlighted that direct scientific evidence linking specific cup types to speech/feeding outcomes is limited, even if some designs plausibly encourage less mature patterns. Translation: don’t panic if you’ve used a sippy; just transition toward open or straw and healthy drinking habits. theinformedslp.com

*My clinical experience supports that cup selection DOES play a large role in oral structure and function even when the current body of research has not yet shown a causal relationship. Here’s what I know: When we have the opportunity to positively influence structure and function… we take it!

Why your choice matters

Healthy oral function is about patterning—how lips seal, how the tongue elevates to the palate, and how the jaw opens with control. Cups that demand a bottle‑like suck or park a hard spout in the space where the tongue needs to lift can keep immature patterns around longer than we’d like.

What I look for clinically

Promotes lip seal (not lip gripping or biting)
Allows tongue tip and body to elevate toward the palate
Encourages a gentle sip pattern (vs. strong suction)
Supports graded jaw opening (no excessive jaw jutting, pumping, or deep seating of the cup into the mouth)

Quick Buy Checklist

Look for:

Open cup: 2–5 oz, stable base, grippy or slightly weighted. Silicone or stainless work well.
Straw cup: free‑flow straw (no internal valve), short/soft straw that sits just past the lips. Leak control via a flip top is fine.
Materials: Food‑grade silicone, stainless steel, BPA‑free plastic. Easy to disassemble and truly clean.

Avoid/limit:

Hard, long spouts that sit deep in the mouth
Suction‑valves that only release with a strong suck
Lids that require biting for the liquid to flow

Everyday habits:

Offer water between meals; reserve milk for meals; skip sugary drinks
Practice short sips—put it down—repeat to build pacing and breath coordination
Start practice around 6 months (in coordination with transition to solid foods) with tiny open‑cup sips; build toward open‑cup confidence by ~24 months

Sidebar: “Therapy‑Tested” Features I Love (not brands)

Mini open cup (2–3 oz): stable, easy to tip without over‑pouring
Soft silicone open cup: gentle on emerging teeth and good grip
Weighted open cup: adds stability for new drinkers
Short, soft straw: encourages lip closure; reduces cheek‑activation
Flip‑top lid: mechanical leak control without stimulating suckling
Wide cleaning access: no hidden valves or all the crazy parts

If you already own valved sippies, don’t panic. Use them strategically (e.g., the car), and make open + free‑flow straw your daily default. You can also trial removing the valve to create a free flow; just try it out yourself first and then monitor your baby while they test it out!

Common Questions

Do I need to toss all the sippies?
Not necessarily. If your baby has feeding challenges then you may want to make the switch with more fervor; if not then you can make a slower transition. Re‑purpose them sparingly and transition toward open and free‑flow straw for skill‑building.

What about spills?
Spills are part of learning. Be prepared to get messy. Try a thinned puree from the cup for ease in flow from the cup at first and then move to thin liquids (water or your choice of milk). For out‑and‑about, choose a flip‑top or slider lid (mechanical seal) instead of a suction valve.

Will a spout cause speech problems?
There isn’t strong evidence that a single cup causes speech issues. But designs that block tongue elevation or require bottle‑like suction can reinforce immature patterns. Choosing open or free‑flow straw supports the patterns we want.

My Practice Standard (how I coach families)

Introduce tiny open‑cup sips around the time solids start.
Add a free‑flow straw cup for water on the go.
Keep portions small, practice often, model slow sips and nasal breathing.
Sit the cup down on the table/tray between sips to help with rate and breathing coordination.
By ~2 years, use open cup as the everyday default.

The Overwhelmed Parent’s Guide to Cups: How to Choose a Cup that Supports Oral Development & Function