At roughly what age do infants usually begin drinking from a cup?

At roughly what age do infants usually begin drinking from a cup?

• A. 5 months
• B. 9 months
• C. 12 months
• D. 2 years

Answer: (A)

Introducing a cup is tied to an infant’s oral-motor and postural development. The ability to sip from a cup emerges as infants gain better head and trunk control and show interest in liquids separate from bottles, which generally happens as solids are being introduced around about six months of age. Because of the natural variability in development, teachers and test writers often say “roughly” within this early window, recognizing that many infants may begin incorporating a cup around five to six months with guidance from caregivers. That makes the earliest option the closest fit in a format that uses rounded timing, since you’re looking for the point at which cup use starts rather than when a child is fully proficient. The later ages listed would typically be too late for the initial introduction of cup drinking, since the goal at this stage is to begin the transition from bottle to cup and promote independent drinking as part of weaning.

Introducing a cup is tied to an infant’s oral-motor and postural development. The ability to sip from a cup emerges as infants gain better head and trunk control and show interest in liquids separate from bottles, which generally happens as solids are being introduced around about six months of age. Because of the natural variability in development, teachers and test writers often say “roughly” within this early window, recognizing that many infants may begin incorporating a cup around five to six months with guidance from caregivers. That makes the earliest option the closest fit in a format that uses rounded timing, since you’re looking for the point at which cup use starts rather than when a child is fully proficient.

The later ages listed would typically be too late for the initial introduction of cup drinking, since the goal at this stage is to begin the transition from bottle to cup and promote independent drinking as part of weaning.