what age should a child be able to drink from an open cup alone?

[ilovetochat]

DD was at a playgroup last week and when offered a drink they gave her an open cup, i had to ask for a lidded cup for her as she spills it everywhere, they looked a bit shocked and when i looked round she was the only 1 with a lidded cup except the babies. she is 22 months.

I assume she is your first, in which case I dont think it is at all unusual for her still to need a lid. My second could use (insisted on using!) a cup without lid from about 20 months, but I think my first was more like 2 and a bit before I let them loose without the lid!
Often at playgroup they used to have ones without lids and I just had to watch them like a hawk - I dont think playgroups are big on lids - too much washing and hygiene issues i should think. hope that helps!

When I worked in a toddler room (1-2 years) we started them at around 16/17 months with minimal water, to see how they would do - most would be drinking with out a lid by 20 months.

DS3 is just trying to drink from one now (with varying degress of success) - he'll be 2 at the end of this month,

DS1 and 2 were both over 2.

ok thanks, she occasionally had a beaker with no lid at my moms and can drink out of it but when she has had enough she takes it away from her mouth without tipping it back straight so it goes everywhere, im glad everyone didnt say 18 months, i was worried i should have done it ages ago.

Have you seen the Doidy cup? DD learnt to drink without a lid from one of these.

Blimey at our playgroup it's all beakers with lids. Nothing odd at all about a 22mo having
one IMO.

DD is just learning, we got a doidy cup and a normal plastic one, and she has a go from our mugs and glasses sometimes.

For us the plastic beaker seems to work best - she can't get the hang of the doidy - I expect it's like a lot of other things different children prefer different things and it's trial and error

she has a doidy but never liked it. i feel better now you all reassured me.

yes dont worry about it at all
my first couldn't do it till she was 2 and a half but gecko has been doing it since about 20 months

I wouldn't worry too much, as long as you realise that they do have to drink out of a cup at some point and not wander around with a bottle of juice/pop/tea/insert your own sticking out of their mouth at 3 or 4.