About what age does a toddler learn to use a straw? How do you teach this?? My girl is 13 months old and does well with a sippy cup. She also likes to drink from my open cup, which she does fairly well with me holding it. I bought The First Years Take & Toss cups with straws yesterday. Is it too early to let her start trying?
Thanks for all of the replies!! When I told my mom that I had bought some cups with straws, she thought it was too early for that. But I think I will try anyways! My daughter is very smart and very curious, I think she will catch on. I like the idea of using a juice box! I'll have to try that, it makes sense! I just don't know if she will like the juice haha She doesn't like apple juice much yet.
My daughter is 2 years old. We went to McD's one day and one day she just picked up the cup and started sipping through the straw. At first we were giving the drink to with the straw and putting the finger on the other end of the straw. I think drinking with a straw comes on its own.
I hope this helps.
K.
As far as juice boxes goes go to Wal-Mart and usually in the juice aisle there are these plastic boxes (usually have dalmation dogs on them) that you sit the juice box in. That way the child can not squeeze the juice every where. Also, watch some straws. If too long the child will stick it too far down their throat and gag on it or scratch their throat with it. I know this from experience.
Yep, I agree with the previous poster- it's not too early, as long as you have the patience to teach her. And remember to expect a few messes.
Have fun!
J.
I tried to teach my daughter how to use a straw with no success....however, she started using one at 13 months old when she saw the kids in her daycare class drinking from juice boxes. I have to be honest....it makes me nervous about peer pressure when she is a teenager...but the peer pressure in daycare worked for good and not "evil" in this case :)
try a juicy juice and let them do it on their own and see what happens.
My 14 month old can use a straw. Each kid is different. If your baby is having a hard time learning how to use a straw, what we did with my son (who is 3) was just keep offering it. He learned really quickly. We did have to remind him over and over not to tip the cup up. There were a couple outfits that had juice spills, but he understood quickly. Just remember, every child is different, so if you feel this would be a good thing for her to know, go for it. If you don't, just wait, she'll get it eventually.
I taught my 7 month old to use a straw like this- you just get a full cup of water and put the staw in. Then take your finger and cover the opening and pull the straw out. Put the other end into her mouth and drop water into her mouth slowly. Work up to her sucking it to get more water. :)
Hey S.,
I don't think you really need to teach how to use a straw. I think it's something they get pretty easily. My now toddler began using a straw at restaurants before she turned a year old and now uses them a lot. The only problem is that she pulls them out and turns them upside down and plays with them, etc. So, I still prefer sippy cups--especially in the car. She is almost three and still uses a sippy cup most of the time. There are some cups that have a straw built in so it cannot be pulled out and I like those cups, too.
L.
I taught my oldest to drink out of a straw using thick smoothies. She was used to turning a bottle up and drinking from it so I could turn up a smoothie (with the lid on) and she would suck once she started sucking I slowly tilted the cup down and she was drinking out of a straw it took all of 2 minutes to teach her. I honestly don't remember teaching her younger sister to drink from a straw, but I am sure I did something simular. She drank out of a straw from 13 months on I beleive.
i wouldn't worry too much about the straw yet. They have so many things to master & she will learn in time!!!
your daughter is at the right age to start learining to use a straw. The best way I have learned is to put your finger over the top of the straw and and let a little drip into her mouth and then stick the tip of the straw in her mouth she will eventually figure out herself that if she sucks on the straw she will get somthing out. It just takes time and alot of patients.
everyone says it takes patience... well maybe, but at first she will want to turn it up like a sippy cup... (arghhh...)but the glee in thier eyes and on their face when they master the skill of drinking with a straw...you will never forget. Oh course they think it's a big trick :)
S.,
She can learn now! My son learned at 12 months. I suggest using juice boxes. You can help her understand that the jusice comes through the straw by giving it a small (very small) squeeze. My son caught on the first time! Just don't let her hold the box! The smaller the juice box the better.
Hope that helps!
S. B
My 16 month old started drinking through a straw when he was 7-8 months old. It wasn't a difficult concept for him to learn, and he does fine with a regular cup, straw, or sippy cup. He started a sippy cup at 6 months, per doctor's and nurses orders.
you don't teach them they just do it. at my sons 1st b-day there was a boy that was 14 mths old and he could do the straw thing. i tried with mine but he did not get it then one day i was drinking out of a straw and my son said "drink" so i tgave him my drink and he did it. he was about 15 mths then.
My daughter has been drinking from a straw since she was about 13 months old an our doctor was very excited that she was off the sippy cup because he said a straw was much better for her teeth. I don't remember "teaching" her to use a straw, I always drink from a straw because I drink a lot of tea and the dentist suggested it to keep from staining my teeth, she just started using my cup when I had one and learned herself.
Honestly I don't know that there is a way to teach them how to use a straw. I gave both of mine a straw several different times but told them to suck on it like they would their sippy. lol after a few times they were drinking from one. They were at different ages, so i just say, give her one every few days and just let her try. she will pick it up quickly once she gets that first taste. Good Luck, just be patient
my son which is 14 months old already drinks out of a straw.. my husband has always gave him water from the other end of the straw since forever it seems... so one day i had him try it and he did it!!! so no i don't think it's too young. gl!!
Kim
We tried and tried and tried to teach my oldest to use a straw and he never would. HE would suck on it when we held it up with our finger on the other end but not when it was down in the cup. Then one day he just started. I hope the cups go over well with her! It's never to early to offer something. =)
