Which sippy cup suits a child just learning to drink?

Is your little one just starting to drink from a cup? Then pick a sippy cup with a soft silicone spout and an adjustable valve. That combination feels closest to the bottle and keeps spills down. Removable handles help your child hold the cup without help.

Why a soft spout works better at first

The first cup is a big change. Until now your child only knows the teat or the breast. A soft, flexible spout therefore feels familiar.

The Difrax Non-spill sippy cup with soft spout is suitable from 6 months. Its conical shape keeps the drink flowing towards the spout. Your child does not have to tilt the head back. That makes swallowing easier and more comfortable.

Set the valve to your child's pace

Most parents brace themselves for the first mess. A non-spill system genuinely helps here. The Difrax sippy cup has a valve with two settings. Choose 'slow' for thin drinks and slow drinking. Choose 'fast' for thicker drinks and faster drinking.

Start a beginner on the slow setting. Your child then takes small sips and learns to pace itself.

Honest about the downsides of a sippy cup

A sippy cup is practical, but it is not the final step. Your child still sucks, just as it does from a bottle. Child health clinics therefore advise practising with an open cup alongside it. That teaches your child to swallow without sucking, which supports oral development.

Also avoid letting your child sip sweet drinks from a cup all day long. That is less kind to those first teeth. Water between meals is the safest choice. Unsure about chewing, swallowing or speech? Talk it through with your child health clinic or a speech therapist.

Which cup suits which stage

• From 6 months: a sippy cup with a soft spout, or the Difrax LOVI Genius Training Cup with its slow-flow insert.
• From 9 months: the 360 degrees cup, as a step towards an open cup.
• From around 12 months: the cup with straw, for a new sucking technique.

An age is an indication, not a rule. Browse all Difrax drinking cups and look mainly at what your child can already manage.

Practical tip: let your child practise in the bath or over a bib the first few times. Spilling is part of it, and the pressure drops straight away.

Frequently asked questions

From what age can you give a sippy cup?
From around 6 months. The Difrax Non-spill sippy cup with soft spout is suitable from 6 months. Can your child sit upright and reach for your glass? Then it is ready.

Soft spout or hard spout?
A soft spout works better when your child is just starting, because it feels most like a teat. The current Difrax range has a sippy cup with a soft silicone spout.

How long do you use a sippy cup?
For as short a time as you need it. Use the sippy cup mainly on the go and practise with an open cup at home. Read more about when your baby is ready for an open cup.