Straw Cup vs Open Cup: Which Should Your Baby Learn First?

Straw cup vs open cup: most babies can start learning both around 6 months. See the benefits of each, which to try first, and easy ways to teach cup skills.

July 24, 20264 minute read

Good news: this is not really an either or decision. Most feeding professionals suggest introducing an open cup around 6 months, when solids begin, and adding a straw cup around the same time or shortly after, since both skills support healthy oral development. If you want a single starting point, begin with a small open cup at mealtimes, because open cup drinking is the more foundational skill, then layer in a straw cup for convenience and outings.

Here is how the two cup styles compare, why many families skip traditional sippy cups entirely, and simple ways to teach each skill without a lot of spilled milk (there will still be some spilled milk).

Why cup skills matter

Drinking from a bottle uses a sucking pattern that babies are born with. Drinking from an open cup or a straw uses more mature patterns: sealing the lips on a rim, sipping, controlling the flow, and swallowing without the tongue thrusting forward. Practicing these skills during the second half of the first year supports the oral motor development that also underpins eating and, later, speech sounds. It also makes the eventual transition off bottles much smoother, which many pediatric groups recommend working toward around 12 months. As always, check with your pediatrician about your child's specific timeline.

The case for the open cup

An open cup is the most natural way to drink and the skill your child will use for life. Benefits of starting here:

It builds the most complete skill set. Baby learns lip closure on a rim, sip sizing, and tilt control all at once.
Nothing to unlearn. There is no spout habit to break later.
Simple to clean. No straws, valves, or hidden parts.
It works from the very first week of solids. You hold and tilt the cup at first; baby gradually takes over.

The trick is size. A regular cup is far too big for a 6 month old. A tiny cup that holds an ounce or two, like the First Cup 2oz, lets baby practice with a manageable amount of water and gives small hands a realistic chance of controlling the tilt. As skills grow, a slightly larger cup with a flexible rim, like the Silicone Training Cup, is a natural next step because the soft rim bends to baby's mouth and cues a good lip seal.

The case for the straw cup

Straw drinking is also a mature, development friendly skill, and it has one enormous practical advantage: portability. Benefits:

Far fewer spills. Straw cups with lids travel well in diaper bags, strollers, and daycare cubbies.
Good oral motor practice. Sucking through a straw builds lip and cheek strength and keeps the tongue in a healthy resting position, unlike hard spouted sippy cups.
Independence sooner. Many babies manage a straw cup on their own before they can reliably self serve from an open cup.

A short, soft straw is easiest for beginners. The Training Cup with Straw 5oz pairs a soft silicone straw with a lid for outings, and the cup works as an open cup when you remove the lid, so one cup covers both skills.

What about sippy cups?

Traditional hard spout sippy cups are convenient, but they essentially recreate bottle drinking: the spout rests on the tongue and encourages the same immature suck pattern. Many feeding therapists suggest treating hard spout cups as an occasional convenience rather than the primary training cup, and prioritizing open and straw drinking instead. If you already use a sippy cup, no need to panic; just add open and straw practice alongside it.

How to teach each skill

Teaching open cup drinking

Start with a small amount of water in a tiny cup at one meal a day.
Hold the cup to baby's lips, rest the rim on the lower lip, and tilt slowly until the water just touches the lips. Let baby do the sipping.
Expect dribbles and coughs at first; keep sessions short and relaxed.
Gradually let baby hold the cup with your hands guiding, then solo.

Teaching straw drinking

Dip a straw in water, cap it with your finger, and release a few drops into baby's mouth so they connect the straw with liquid.
Try a squeezable straw cup or a short straw so early weak sucks are rewarded quickly.
Once baby draws liquid up independently, switch to the regular straw cup.

A simple combined plan

Around 6 months: tiny open cup with water at meals, parent assisted.
6 to 9 months: add straw practice; keep open cup sips going daily.
9 to 12 months: baby increasingly self serves with both; straw cup for outings, open cup at the table.
Around 12 months: work with your pediatrician on weaning from bottles, with milk offered in cups.

FAQ

Should a baby learn an open cup or straw cup first?

Either order works, and many families teach both in the same season. If choosing one starting point, begin with a small open cup at mealtimes around 6 months, since open cup drinking is the foundational lifelong skill, then add a straw cup for convenience within a few weeks or months.

What goes in the cup for a baby under 12 months?

Small amounts of water with meals are the standard choice once solids begin, alongside breast milk or formula as the main drink. Most pediatric guidance holds off on juice and cow's milk as a primary drink until after the first birthday; confirm specifics with your pediatrician.

My baby just chews the straw or dumps the open cup. Is that normal?

Completely normal. Chewing, dumping, and blowing bubbles are how babies explore a new tool. Keep amounts small, model drinking yourself, offer brief practice daily, and the functional skill usually emerges within a few weeks of consistent exposure.