Montessori for Babies - Cup Training

Learn how to cup train your baby the Montessori way… starting as early as 6 months! With this simple method, baby will learn how to drink from a cup and eventually wean off the breast or bottle, skipping the skippy cup and straws entirely.

The method:

Introduce your baby a child-sized cup (“weaning cup”) as early as 6 months. Offer them many chances to handle it; also regularly model its use. After meals, offer baby sips of water from the cup. You can hold the cup at first, but let baby gradually take control. Accept that spills will and should happen. Have a towel ready to dry any messes up.

Another thing to keep in mind is that cup learning happens in stages:

First, baby must learn to pick up and grasp the cup with both hands.

Second, baby must learn to lift the cup to his mouth.

Third, the baby must learn to control his speed and aim.

Fourth, the baby must learn to take a sip.

Fifth, the baby must learn to lower the cup after drinking, and place it back on the table!

As you can see, cup training requires a lot of practice!

Luckily, cup training can be fun — especially if you start early.

Many of you might be wondering about older babies and toddlers who resist drinking from open cups, and prefer bottles or sippy cups.

Is there a fun and respectful way to get them to drink from open cups, too?

Yes! You can use fun cups, slow-flowing liquids, and a systematic approach to help overcome their resistance, as you’ll see in the short video above.

Recommended readings:

Understanding the Human Being, by Dr. Silvana Montanaro

The Joyful Child, by Susan Mayclin Stephenson

This is an update to our previous video, which you can see here:
   • Montessori Cup Training