Our Favorite Therapeutic Cups for Feeding and Speech Development
At Expansion Speech Therapy, we believe that the right tools can make a big difference in supporting oral motor development, speech clarity, and safe swallowing. One of our most commonly recommended tools is therapeutic cups.
Choosing the right cup isn’t just about spill-proof convenience. It’s about promoting the best oral posture, encouraging mature swallowing patterns, and reducing stress during mealtime.
Here’s a breakdown of our favorite therapy-friendly cups, what makes them helpful, and who might benefit from each one.
Why Cup Choice Matters in Speech and Feeding Therapy
From infancy through early childhood, the way a child drinks can influence tongue placement, lip strength, jaw stability, and breathing patterns. Open cups and straw cups are typically favored over sippy cups because they:
- Support oral motor skill development
- Encourage lip closure and tongue retraction
- Reduce the risk of tongue thrust and immature sucking patterns
- Help manage drooling, messy drinking, and oral fatigue
Research supports these principles. Drinking from open or straw cups promotes mature oral motor patterns that are more compatible with speech development and safe swallowing than spouted cups (Overland & Merkel-Walsh, 2013; Morris & Klein, 2000). Sippy cups, especially hard-spouted ones, may contribute to poor oral postures, including tongue protrusion and persistent sucking behaviors (Bahr, 2010).
Our Top Therapeutic Cup Picks
1. TalkTools Honey Bear Straw Cup
Best for: Teaching straw drinking and supporting lip rounding
This classic therapy tool helps children learn to drink from a straw with gentle assistance. The squeezable bear allows you to control the liquid flow, which is especially helpful for children with low oral tone or poor suck coordination.
Therapy tip: Use this to teach initial straw skills before transitioning to firmer straws or less supportive cups.
This cup is recommended based on assisted drinking techniques and straw progression outlined in Overland and Merkel-Walsh (2013).
2. Reflo Smart Cup
Best for: Transitioning to open cup drinking without spills
The Reflo looks like a regular open cup but includes an internal insert that slows the flow of liquid. It’s great for toddlers learning to drink independently while encouraging mature oral motor patterns without the risk of choking or large spills.
3. Bear Bottle with One-Way Valve Straw
Best for: Children with weak oral suction
This version of the honey bear includes a one-way valve that keeps liquid in the straw between sips. It’s ideal for kids who struggle with suction and need help getting fluid with less effort.
This method aligns with early feeding therapy strategies used to reduce oral fatigue (Morris & Klein, 2000).
4. Recessed Lid Cups (e.g., Nosey Cup)
Best for: Children with head and neck positioning challenges
These cups have a cut-out on one side to make room for the nose. This allows a child to drink without tipping their head back, which helps maintain safe swallowing posture. They are especially useful for children with motor delays or dysphagia.
This design is consistent with safe swallow practices described by Groher and Crary (2016).
5. EZPZ Mini Cup + Straw Training System
Best for: Toddlers and young children learning open and straw drinking
Designed by a pediatric feeding specialist, this silicone set is soft, small, and just the right size for little hands and mouths. The weighted base provides stability, and the textured straw gives helpful sensory feedback.
This cup reflects modern approaches to responsive feeding support for early drinkers (Peterson et al., 2020).
Cups We Avoid in Therapy
We usually recommend avoiding hard-spout sippy cups or 360 cups as a long-term solution. Although convenient, they can:
- Encourage tongue thrust and immature sucking
- Disrupt speech sound development
- Delay the development of chewing and swallowing skills
Non-functional oral behaviors associated with prolonged sippy cup use can negatively impact feeding and oral muscle coordination (Bahr, 2010).
Final Thoughts
Each child is unique. Choosing a cup should be personalized based on a child’s development, sensory preferences, and oral motor skills. At Expansion Speech Therapy, we collaborate with families to find the best fit through hands-on trials and coaching.
If you’re concerned about your child’s drinking skills, feeding development, or oral motor patterns, a feeding therapy evaluation can help.
📩 Contact us today to schedule a feeding or speech-language evaluation.
🌐 www.expansionspeechtherapy.com
References
- Bahr, D. C. (2010). Oral Motor Assessment and Treatment: Ages and Stages. Pearson.
- Groher, M. E., & Crary, M. A. (2016). Dysphagia: Clinical Management in Adults and Children (2nd ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Morris, S. E., & Klein, M. D. (2000). Pre-Feeding Skills: A Comprehensive Resource for Mealtime Development (2nd ed.). Therapy Skill Builders.
- Overland, L. L., & Merkel-Walsh, R. (2013). Functional Assessment and Remediation of Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs). TalkTools.
- Peterson, M. C., Ziegler, A. M., & Moore, M. R. (2020). Choosing feeding equipment for toddlers: Developmentally supportive designs. Pediatric Nursing, 46(2), 71–78.
