3 year old constantly pouring drinks on the floor

[Cherrybakewellflapjacks]

In most respects he’s pretty good but I find this so frustrating and I really don’t know what to do about it as I can’t really deprive him of drinks! Have tried a variety of things to drink from like sports bottles and open cups and they just get spilled on purpose. At a party yesterday he knocked his squash all over the table. I wouldn’t mind if it was an accident, it happens, but it’s so incredibly annoying. Has anyone else had this and how did you deal with it?

Don't give him drinks in the car. If you are doing short trips he waits until you reach your destination and drinks it outside the car under your supervision. If the journey is longer then you have a drink break where you sit next to him while he drinks.

Basically do not leave any cups unattended. You are either near enough to grab it off him or you hold the container.

As pp suggested make a pour area. He doesn't have to just play in the bath, get him a bowl of water on top of a decorating plastic sheet and different sized mugs etc, or even two bowls so he can pour from one to another. Or a step so he can play in the sink. This is on the understanding he doesn't leave the sheet/step and you are close by, plus you say that if he pours away from the bowls he won't be allowed again. Emphasis that very strongly.

I don’t know @SoundTheSirens , maybe not to the point of danger but certainly to the point of hard poos, bit of constipation etc. he has been better at asking for drinks which is good but I suppose there’s a downside to everything. It seems it’s one I just have to wait out and to try to reduce opportunities to pour drinks in the meantime.

@GrumpyPanda be generally does only have water but used to have milk in the morning, I may need to stop that though!

It is a longer journey @AutumnFroglets - I don’t know that stopping every hour or so for drink breaks is practical. Part of me was tempted to leave him in a wet top but a bit cruel.

Something like Novo Spill Proof Cup might help. It's a mobility aid, but would be fine for a child. It would be a very bad idea to going back to a bottle.

Just stop letting him have the drinks unless you are ready to grab the cup in time. No child needs a car stop every hour to have a drink unless you have the car heater on roasting hot. You should be stretching your legs every couple of hours anyway so use it as a drinks break too.

Offer a drink, then take it away. Every single time. Yes it is effort, yes other parents might not do this but just remember you won't be doing it when he's a teenager so grit your teeth as it will pass eventually.

You need the munchkin 360 miracle cups, they genuinely do not spill.

Yeah definitely don’t want to be going back to bottles. Thanks for the link

Try these

Foxberry 500ml Reusable Water Bottles - 4 Pack - Hands Free Lid - Spill Proof and Leak Proof Spout - BPA Free - Dishwasher Safe - Kids - School - Sports - Clubs amzn.eu/d/3L3bS7S

Also the phase does stop :) just try a cup every 3 months but those bottles between. I use a specific one for milk and soak in hot water after each use then Chuck it after about a month. They do work for mine :)

They are the ones he has @HAF1119 ! he must be determined if nothing else

Set up a water tray with various pouring options. He's exploring. Once he 'satisfies' that curiosity, he'll move on.

You can create coloured water with food colouring. Have a look at Montessori methods for teaching pouring. Use real ceramic and glass jugs and cups. The weight will help.

Use a baby bottle - he can't pour that, unless he can unscrew the top. Give it to him without comment - the less said the better. The more you draw attention to it (when you are a big boy you can have a cup etc.) the more he will do it.

As others have said - outside of the drinking give him lots of water and other pouring play.

Once you draw attention to it he will do it for effect.

It really does not matter that he is not using a cup - he has the rest of his life for that!

Mine can definitely pour drinks out of the 360 cups and baby bottles.

These bottles are the ones that we use, not the standard sippy cups from tommee tippee.

https://www.johnlewis.com/tommee-tippee-superstar-insulated-sportee-bottle-266ml/p6197645?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9ourBhAVEiwA3L5RFizO18RmXZA_Ci5wwHE5AzIIV0IRgo__m54q5OZv1XXsAk0hNq029xoC8bUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The only time they spill is if we don't put the inner cap bit on properly but my son hasn't worked out a way to pour it. He even has one in bed with water in that he cuddles sometimes. Absolutely toddler proof.

Let him have a drink of milk in the bath?

But yes just water the rest of the time.

Also there are foods with liquid in, like fruit and cucumber.

Seriously! I mean mine was a shaker and a thrower.. he did manage to smash that one on a wooden floor 🤣 but never spill more than a few drops other than that!

Is it bad im a little impressed by the skills!