Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
Cheers! Open-Cup Clink is a calm life skills activity for toddlers aged 16–24 months (corrected age). Everyone at the table lifts an open cup, clinks gently, sips and sets it back on a taped spot, so your child practices open-cup drinking by copying. It takes 3–8 minutes, needs 2 minutes of prep and works indoors.
Updated
Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
Everyone at the table lifts an open cup, clinks gently, sips and sets it back on a taped spot, so your child practices open-cup drinking by copying.
- Ages (corrected)
- 16–24 months
- Time
- 3–8 min
- Prep
- 2 min prep
- Where
- Indoors · Calm
You need
- small unbreakable open cups for everyone
- a little water in each
- a strip of painter's tape
Steps
- Stick a small tape circle on the table where your child's cup lives.
- Pour a little water into every cup, then lift yours: "Cheers!"
- Clink gently, take a slow sip and set your cup down with a soft "Down."
- Wait for your child to copy; steady the base with one finger only if it starts to tip.
- Point to the tape circle as their cup comes down.
Safety first
- Unbreakable cups only, and keep hot drinks well out of your child's reach.
- Everyone stays seated while drinking.
No level picked yet. The 0–4 scale is a learning log, not a test.
Not yet: show it once, then let them explore
Watch for the first sign: lifts the cup when others lift theirs.
Not yet is information, not a verdict. Do it once yourself while they watch, pause, and offer it again in a few days.
Simplify one step
Next time: skip the clink and just sip at the same moment as your child.
Give the least help that works: wait first, then point or show, and guide hands only briefly.
Repeat the same version and fade your help
As you step back, watch for: sips and sets the cup down without tipping it.
Pause a few seconds longer before you model, and swap showing it for a point or a gesture.
Offer it once more, then add one change
When it is easy again: stop pointing to the tape circle and let them find it.
Change only that one thing and keep everything else the same.
Ready for one step up
Stop pointing to the tape circle and let them find it. Or carry it somewhere new: toast with a grandparent or a visiting child at their table.
Starting it on their own or using it in a new place is the strongest sign. Still change one thing at a time.
Stop and rest this one
In 2-3 days, come back with the simpler version: skip the clink and just sip at the same moment as your child.
End with something calming together. One hard moment never means a delay.
Stop on a good note
Keep this version and keep it short next time: 3 minutes is plenty.
They can do it, but it was not fun today. Add difficulty only once it feels easy and enjoyable again.
How to play Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
5 steps, about 3–8 minutes of focus time, 2 minutes of prep.
-
Stick a small tape circle on the table where your child's cup lives.
-
Pour a little water into every cup, then lift yours: "Cheers!"
-
Clink gently, take a slow sip and set your cup down with a soft "Down."
-
Wait for your child to copy; steady the base with one finger only if it starts to tip.
-
Point to the tape circle as their cup comes down.
What you need for Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
| What you need | Small unbreakable open cups for everyone, a little water in each and a strip of painter's tape |
|---|---|
| Prep | 2 minutes of prep |
| Focus time | 3–8 minutes |
| Where | Indoors |
| Energy | Calm: good after active play or before a nap |
| Ages (corrected) | 16–24 months |
| Domains | Practical life, Social-emotional |
| Fits the day | Around a meal or snack |
Easier and harder versions
Change one thing at a time. Drop to the easier version when Cheers! Open-Cup Clink stalls; move one rung up only once it looks easy on a few different days.
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Easier
Skip the clink and just sip at the same moment as your child.
-
As written
The 5 steps above, for 3–8 minutes.
-
Harder 1
Stop pointing to the tape circle and let them find it.
-
Harder 2
Put a little more water in their cup.
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Hardest
Wait for your child to start the toast before you lift your cup.
What to watch for
The signs of progress in Cheers! Open-Cup Clink, mapped to the 0–4 learning scale the family plan uses (a tracking aid, not an assessment).
| Level | What it looks like here |
|---|---|
| 2 · After a model | Does it right after you show it or point. Watch for: lifts the cup when others lift theirs. |
| 3 · Independent | Does it when offered, with no demonstration. Watch for: sips and sets the cup down without tipping it and puts the cup back on the tape spot. |
| 4 · Spontaneous | Starts it unprompted or in a new place. Watch for: says or signs "cheers" or starts the toast. |
Try it somewhere new
Level 4 means the skill travels. Once Cheers! Open-Cup Clink is easy, change the place, the person or the material:
- Toast with a grandparent or a visiting child at their table.
- Clink cups of water outside after a run around the yard.
Words to model
During Cheers! Open-Cup Clink, say “cheers”, “sip”, “down” and “my turn” at the moment they happen, one at a time, then pause so your child can answer with a look, a gesture, a sign or a word.
Safety for Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
- Unbreakable cups only, and keep hot drinks well out of your child's reach.
- Everyone stays seated while drinking.
Why it works
Drinking from an open cup is on CDC's 18-month checklist; the shared toast gives your child a clear model to copy instead of an instruction to follow.
Evidence rating: Consensus: sensible practice in line with pediatric guidance. Cited: CDC milestones by 18 months.
Skills and ages
Cheers! Open-Cup Clink practises drinking from an open cup, imitating actions and taking turns and fits ages 16 to 24 months. Each month below opens more activities for that age.
Skills practised
Activities by month (16–24 months)
Milestone checklists nearby
Activities like Cheers! Open-Cup Clink
Pot Drum Echo Turns is the closest match: it also practises taking turns and imitating actions. It suits 15–26 months, takes 4–8 minutes (about as long as Cheers! Open-Cup Clink) and needs no prep. For a younger child, Two-Hands Open Cup Sip starts at 12 months; for an older child, Pour-and-Rub Garden Hand-Wash runs to 32 months.
Ranked by shared skills, materials and ages
Frequently asked questions
What age is Cheers! Open-Cup Clink for?
Cheers! Open-Cup Clink suits 16–24 months, using corrected age for a child born early. For a younger or hesitant child, start with the easier version: skip the clink and just sip at the same moment as your child.
How long does Cheers! Open-Cup Clink take?
About 3–8 minutes of focused play over 5 steps, with 2 minutes of prep. Stop while it is still fun and repeat it on another day.
How do I make Cheers! Open-Cup Clink harder?
Change one thing at a time. First: stop pointing to the tape circle and let them find it. Then: put a little more water in their cup. Hardest: wait for your child to start the toast before you lift your cup.
How do I keep Cheers! Open-Cup Clink safe?
Play it only with an adult within arm’s reach. Unbreakable cups only, and keep hot drinks well out of your child's reach. Everyone stays seated while drinking.
Related
More with the same materials
Cited guidance
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.