Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Made from medical grade materials that are FDA compliant - free from BPA, latex, lead, phthalates and PVC This is a great choice of straw cup for any child, but I especially like it for kiddos who seem to struggle with figuring out how to drink from a straw.
While there is a broad range for when a child will achieve this skill, the American Academy of Pediatrics' Ages and Stages Questionnaire classifies independent cup drinking with minimal spillage as an 18-24 month skill. Expect occasional small spills even through 3 years old, which should further improve as your child's graded fine motor control and focus improve. That said, many children can independently use a spill-proof straw cup much earlier than this, closer to 12-18 months old if they started practicing at 6 months. When to seek help My daughter was born 13 weeks early and has had difficulty with her feeds from the beginning. At 20 months old she was still only wanting the preemie bottle until her OT suggested the honey bear. Such a game changer and my daughter has done amazing with it. Wish we started this so long ago to help transition and advance her feedsXXT / Super Firm - this is the toughest level, which we call XXT ("Xtra Xtra Tough"); It still has some “chewability” to it, but it’s fairly rigid / pretty firm Step 1: Bring the straw trainer with water, breast milk, or formula to the table and offer the straw to your baby by holding it in front of their mouth. Often babies who may have already decided that they hate straw cups will happily accept this cute little bear! The take and toss cups are brightly colored and fun as well.
You can buy the honey bear cup through ARK Therapeutics, but you have to make sure you get the kit that has the tubing and not just the straw because you get a much better seal with the tubing, so it works better. Plus it is more bite proof and won’t collapse like a regular straw. If someone does chew through things, it’s possible they may need the toughest XXT level eventually. XXT is super firm, though, so we don't always recommend getting it right off the bat (some people find it uncomfortable chewing on something that firm).
The Bear Bottle holds approximately 8 ounces of fluid (225ml). The bottle measures approximately 2" x 2.5" x 6" (5cm x 6cm x 15cm) Completely optional! Some babies take really well to some of these features, but they are totally a personal preference. That said, we strongly recommend against using only one type of cup, especially one with distinct features that aren’t common in adult cups (such as two handles on the sides). Your baby will have to learn to use an open cup without handles or an angled or cut-out rim eventually. We don’t recommend parents seek out these features, but if you are using one of these and your baby likes it, there’s no harm done. Just make sure your baby also gets lots of exposure to other types of cups along the way. How to teach baby to drink from an open cup Step 1: Using a straw (a standard plastic restaurant straw will do), use your finger to trap a *small* amount of liquid in the bottom.
Mini Tip - This is a smaller version of the Probe Tip, designed for smaller mouths (about 2.5 years and under). This age recommendation is not a hard-and-fast rule though - we've seen younger kids use the Probe Tip and older individuals use the Mini Tip. Step 2: Sit down, smile at your baby to catch their attention, and then bring the cup to your mouth to take a small sip. (You can use the same cup if you are comfortable with that or two cups, one for you and one for baby. Just make sure you are drinking out of the same looking cup.)In some therapy circles, the honey bear is an obvious adaptation that is used to help kids learn to drink from a straw. I was unaware of this great use of a honey bear for many many years, and it was kind of a “duh” moment when I learned about using it. You don’t actually have to use a honey bear, and I have used condiment squeeze bottles as well because I did not want to wait until I finished all of the honey and I could buy an empty picnic condiment bottle at walmart. Usually we recommend going with the softest/standard level by default. Unless someone chews through or causes damage to anything else they chew on (chews through pencils, chews holes in shirts, etc.), in which case the XT level would be longer lasting. A small reminder: learning to drink from a cup is a skill, and like all other skills, this will take time and practice to develop. Stay calm, supportive, and patient as your baby learns. What age should a child drink from an open cup?
Great Deal 
New Comment