Your little one is growing up. It’s now time to make the transition from the bottle (or breast) to a toddler cup, but how do you know which one to choose? We’ve rounded up the best tips, sippy cups, and straw cups for toddlers.
Before going straight into which cups are best for your toddler, it’s important to understand why we use them in the first place. By the age of 12 to 24 months, your little one should be ready to transition to a sippy or straw cup, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.1
As a baby, your little one grows used to sucking on their bottle nipple or breast to get the milk they need. As they get older, they no longer need to work so hard to get the milk or food they need because they have not developed the motor skills to consume whole foods, but sometimes old habits die hard. Not to mention, learning a new task is never easy work. We’re talking spills, cups being dumped over, and lots of mess to clean up!
With the use of a training cup, you can minimize some of the mess/spills, prepare them for the use of open cups, and support hand-mouth coordination development. From experience, transitioning to a spill-proof training cup was the best thing I ever did when they turned one. Fewer bottle parts to wash, fewer spills to clean up off the floor, and my boys loved using their new toddler cups too!
The Difference Between Sippy Cups and Straw Cups for Toddlers
When my first son was ready to ditch the bottle, I failed to realize that sippy cups and straw cups inhibit a different set of skills for your child to succeed. Sippy cups are the closest option to a bottle — often requiring your little one to still suck from a nipple-like spout to get liquid out. On the other hand, straw cups are much thinner, allowing your child to make that “O” seal with their lips for them to suck the straw for their liquid. There are also open cups, a miniature leak-proof version of an adult open cup (my personal preference).
How to Choose a Sippy Cup for Your Toddler
Regardless of which cup you choose, the end goal should be an open cup. That means all sippy cups and straw cups are tools to help them gain and develop the skills they need to eventually use an open cup with ease.
When it comes to finding the best sippy cup, you’ll want to select one with features your child will likely take to the easiest. Typically, those large soft-spouted cups tend to be easiest for most kiddos. There is also:
- Hard spouts
- Sippy cups with or without handles
- Cups with more or fewer pieces to clean
- Environmentally friendly sippy cups
- Leak-proof sippy cups
How to Choose a Straw Cup for Your Toddler
There are fewer options for using a straw cup, but it’s another great alternative to the classic spout style that will help your child be one step closer to using an open cup. Things to consider when shopping for a straw cup for your toddler include:
- Spill-proof design
- Weighted straw (to prevent from falling out of the cup)
- Cup material (typically plastic, stainless steel, silicone, or glass)
How We Chose the Best Sippy Cups and Straw Cups
What plays a factor in being considered a “good” sippy cup? We like to look at the price, special features, age limit, and convenience. Between parent feedback and our trial and error of using various sippy cups and straw cups for our toddlers, we’ve rallied up the best of the best just for you!
Best Sippy Cups and Straw Cups for Toddlers
1. Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup
This BPA-free, 360-degree toddler cup is at the top of many lists, including ours. This cup skips the spout and straw altogether, offering your baby or toddler a way to drink their liquids like a regular cup (except this one is entirely leak-proof)! The Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup is such a favorite in our household that we have a variety of colors in the plastic cup and two of the stainless steel options (great for warm liquids when your little isn’t feeling well).
Why We Love It: Has the option of handles or no handles, is leak-proof, dishwasher safe, supports healthy dental development.
Key Features:
- Spill-proof design
- Comes in 4 colors (or stainless steel without handles)
- 360-degree lid that mimics drinking from an open cup
- Easy to clean
- BPA-free and top-rack dishwasher-safe
- 7 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 6+ months
2. ezpz Tiny Cup
The ezpz Tiny Cup is another great option for parents to teach their children how to drink straight out of an open cup. The small, soft, non-slip silicone design makes it perfect for small babies and toddlers’ hands to easily grasp and bring to their mouths. Tiny cup also has a unique weighted base to help prevent the cup from being knocked over and spilled.
Why We Love It: We love the tiny cup design and how it’s made to fit into our small toddler’s and baby’s hands. It’s also dishwasher safe, has a non-slip silicone grip, is designed to minimize spills, and is BPA, BPS, PVS, phthalate, and latex-free). It also comes in a variety of adorable colors.
Key Features:
- Non-slip silicone grip
- Weighted base to minimize spills
- BPA, BPS, PVS, phthalate, and latex-free
- Dishwasher safe
- 2 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 4+ months
3. Lalo Little Cup
Bringing together the spout, straw, and open-cup options — the Lalo little cup is an all-in-one training cup for toddlers. The soft silicone handles make it easy to grip for those little hands. This little cup that makes a big impact is conveniently top-rack dishwasher-safe and microwavable.
Why We Love It: We love that this cup combines all three drinking methods in just one small cup. It’s also BPA-free, easy to clean, and safe for teething babies.
Key Features:
- 3 in 1 training cup design (spout, straw, or open cup)
- Made from soft silicone safe for teething babies
- Top-rack dishwasher safe and microwave safe
- Silicone handles for easy grasping
- BPA-free silicone
- 4 oz drink capacity
4. NUK Simply Natural Learner Cup
If your little one is struggling to make the transition from breast or bottle to cup, this spouted training cup could be the answer. With its soft silicone spout, anti-colic vent, and easy-to-grip handles — your little one can transition over to drinking out of a cup in no time.
Why We Love It: What we love the most is that this cup features an anti-colic air vent to help your child prevent swallowing too much air. We also love how natural this cup makes it for little toddlers and babies to transition to a regular cup.
Key Features:
- Spill-proof soft silicone spout
- BPA-free
- Anti-colic air vent to prevent from swallowing too much air
- Anti-slip base and ergonomic handles make it easy to hold
- Dishwasher safe
- 5 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 6+ months
5. Munchkin Weighted Straw Trainer Cup
Munchkin does it again, this time with their weighted straw trainer cup! This cup does require a bit more effort to clean thoroughly, but its weighted straw design makes it easy for your little to drink at any angle. Plus, don’t fret about leaks or spills. The flip-down lid covers the straw keeping it clean and spill-free.
Why We Love It: We can’t get over how simple this cup makes it with its any-angle drinking design — making it perfect for bottle feeders who still want to hold their new cup like a bottle.
Key Features:
- Weighted straw allows for drinking at any angle
- BPA free
- Click leak-proof lock lid
- Easy to grab handles
- Top-rack dishwasher safe
- 7 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 6+ months
6. ezpz Mini Cup + Straw Training System
This is the toddler cup for you if you love the Lalo but don’t quite need the spout. Your little one gets the benefits of using a tiny cup they can easily hold onto, a soft silicone straw that promotes lip rounding and speech development, and can turn into an open cup when your child is ready.
Why We Love It: We love cups that provide options! It is small, soft, and simple to grab design, making it perfect for helping little ones gain the confidence needed in this new developing skill of straw and open cup drinking.
Key Features:
- Non-slip silicone grip
- Silicone lid and straw with strategic sensory bump placement
- Straw serves as a Beginner Training Straw and Advanced Training Straw
- Weighted base to minimize spills
- BPA, BPS, PVS, phthalate, and latex-free
- Dishwasher safe
- 4 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 12+ months
7. The First Years Take & Toss Spill-Proof Sippy Cup
These durable yet budget-friendly sippy cups are a great option for parents always on the go. They’re commonly sold in a pack of four, making it easy to have backups if you need to leave one at daycare or take it with you on an adventure! There are no special tricks to using this cup. It’s as simple as it gets.
Why We Love It: It isn’t 100% spill-proof, but the spout does have a lid that keeps most of the liquid contained in the event of an accident. Most importantly, it’s so cheap you can treat it as a disposable cup if it gets too dirty after a fun park adventure or simply throw it in the top rack of your dishwasher to be washed.
Key Features:
- Easy to use snap-on lids to help minimize spills and leaks
- Travel friendly (for both reusable or disposable purposes)
- Can write your child’s name on the cup
- Made with BPA-free plastic
- Has a straw cup option available
- 10 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 9+ months
8. Elk and Friends Stainless Tumblr
Are you tired of your toddler constantly yanking out their straws? With the Elk and Friends Stainless Tumblr, those troublesome days are a thing of the past! This cute little tumbler features an easy-to-grip sleeve and a wide straw with a stopper to prevent them from being yanked or falling out.
Why We Love It: We love the versatility of this cute mason jar-style tumbler for toddlers. Unlike other cups, this is freezer-friendly in the event you pack up some frozen treats you want to keep safe until later. Its unique wide straw design makes it easier for your child to form the classic “O” suction and drink from this straw cup.
Key Features:
- Cute design that toddlers cannot resist
- Easy to clean stainless steel cup and silicone straw and lid
- Easy to grip silicone sleeve for little hands
- Can be used for drinking and food storage
- Dishwasher and freezer safe
- 10 oz drink capacity
- For toddlers
9. Nuby Two-Handle No-Spill Super Spout Grip N’ Sip Cup
Help your baby or toddler make the transition from bottle to cup easily with the Nuby Two-Handle No-Spill Super Spout Grip N’ Sip Cup. Trust us when we tell you, leaks and mess are NOT a problem with this toddler cup. It also has a cool colorful design that toddlers simply can’t resist.
Why We Love It: No other cup comes close to preventing leaks and spills, as well as this Nuby toddler cup. However, we don’t love that the spout can be a bit tricky to remove and attach back on securely.
Key Features:
- Sturdy design that won’t leak when dropped or thrown
- Unique Touch-Flo valve that allows baby or toddler to control the flow rate
- Comes in a variety of colors
- BPA-free
- 8 oz drink capacity
- For babies & toddlers 4+ months
10. Re-play No-Spill Sippy Cups
These eco-friendly hard spout sippy cups are made out of recycled milk jugs. How cool, right? Not only are they 100% recyclable, but they’re 100% sturdy too! Yes, they’re also dishwasher-safe and microwavable-safe. What can’t these sippy cups do?
Why We Love It: We love that these toddler cups are easy to clean, they’re durable, and they’re great for the planet!
Key Features:
- 100% Recyclable
- BPA, Phthalate, PVC and Melamine FREE
- Very sturdy, durable, and spill-proof
- Dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave safe
- Stackable space-saving design
- 10 oz drink capacity
- For babies and toddlers 6+ months
When it comes to selecting sippy cups and straw cups for toddlers, there are lots of options for parents to choose from. Are any of your favorites not on this list? Let us know which sippy cups or straw cups you’ve used and loved for your littles.
