Drinking from an open cup: how the skill grows from 12 to 24 months
Drinking from an open cup means drinking from a cup without a lid, at first with an adult holding it and later alone. Open-cup drinking builds lip and hand control and takes some spilling to learn.
Updated
Drinking from an open cup: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Two hands with help. Holds the cup with both hands while you guide it.
Activities that fit this step
- Two-Hands Open Cup Sip · 12–20 months · 2–5 min
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink · 16–24 months · 3–8 min
- Ice Tray Pour-and-Fill · 22–34 months · 5–15 min
Next step: Drinks alone. Lifts, sips and puts the cup down alone, spilling sometimes.
Activities that fit this step
- Two-Hands Open Cup Sip · 12–20 months · 2–5 min
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink · 16–24 months · 3–8 min
- Ice Tray Pour-and-Fill · 22–34 months · 5–15 min
Next step: Puts it down gently. Sets the cup back on the table without banging it.
Activities that fit this step
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink · 16–24 months · 3–8 min
- Ice Tray Pour-and-Fill · 22–34 months · 5–15 min
- Small-Pitcher Pour at Snack · 24–34 months · 3–8 min
Next step: Drinks from different cups. Drinks from a regular cup at a friend's home or cafe.
Activities that fit this step
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink · 16–24 months · 3–8 min
- Ice Tray Pour-and-Fill · 22–34 months · 5–15 min
- Small-Pitcher Pour at Snack · 24–34 months · 3–8 min
Top of the ladder (drinks from different cups). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink · 16–24 months · 3–8 min
- Ice Tray Pour-and-Fill · 22–34 months · 5–15 min
- Small-Pitcher Pour at Snack · 24–34 months · 3–8 min
The drinking from an open cup ladder
5 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 12 to 24 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
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Sips while you hold
Takes a sip from an open cup that you hold to the lips.
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Two hands with help
Holds the cup with both hands while you guide it.
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Drinks alone
Lifts, sips and puts the cup down alone, spilling sometimes.
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Puts it down gently
Sets the cup back on the table without banging it.
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Drinks from different cups
Drinks from a regular cup at a friend's home or cafe.
When drinking from an open cup usually shows up
Sipping from a cup without a lid while you hold it is a CDC 12-month milestone; drinking from a cup without a lid alone, sometimes spilling, is an 18-month milestone.
This page follows drinking from an open cup from 12 to 24 months, a window that spans the 12-month, 15-month, 18-month and 24-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 4 activities practise drinking from an open cup (2 as their main skill), for ages 12 to 34 months. One of them needs no prep and takes 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 2, 4 and 5 of the 5-step ladder.
Related items appear on the CDC checklists for 12 months and 18 months.
Related milestones
CDC checklist items (paraphrased) that involve drinking from an open cup. Checklists are for monitoring, not a test.
| Checklist | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 12 months | Sips from a cup with no lid while you hold it. |
| 18 months | Drinks from a cup with no lid, sometimes spilling. |
Activities that practise drinking from an open cup
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 3 practical life and 1 fine motor. Quickest to start: Two-Hands Open Cup Sip (2–5 minutes).
Step 2: Two hands with help
Step 4: Puts it down gently
Step 5: Drinks from different cups
Skills practised alongside
The activities for drinking from an open cup most often also work on pouring (2), imitating actions (1), tidying up (1) and taking turns (1). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Start with a small cup and a tiny amount of water so spills are small.
- Drink from your own cup next to your child so they can copy you.
- Keep a cloth nearby and treat spills calmly.
What to avoid
- Filling the cup to the top; a few sips at a time are easier to handle.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
If your child cannot sip from an open cup with your help by 12 months, or by 18 months often chokes or coughs when drinking, mention it to the pediatrician.
Worried about drinking from an open cup between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start drinking from an open cup?
Sipping from a cup without a lid while you hold it is a CDC 12-month milestone; drinking from a cup without a lid alone, sometimes spilling, is an 18-month milestone. The first step to look for: takes a sip from an open cup that you hold to the lips.
How can I help my toddler with drinking from an open cup?
Start with a small cup and a tiny amount of water so spills are small. Drink from your own cup next to your child so they can copy you. A good first activity is Two-Hands Open Cup Sip (12–20 months).
What should I avoid when practising drinking from an open cup?
Filling the cup to the top; a few sips at a time are easier to handle.
When should I mention drinking from an open cup to the pediatrician?
If your child cannot sip from an open cup with your help by 12 months, or by 18 months often chokes or coughs when drinking, mention it to the pediatrician. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.