Avent Natural Toddler Drinking Cup Review

What do you do when you have a toddler who refuses a sippy/sprout cup but still not able to drink from a straw, prefers to drink from a cup but messes up big time in the process?

I had the dilemma with DC as she totally refused to drink from a sprout cup. I got her both Avent and Pigeon sprout cups but can say it has gone to waste. However, since she had shown preference and ability to drink from a cup, I let her do that but most of the time it is closely supervised or else she will spill the entire contents out from the cup.

Recently I came across this new product from Avent online. It is called Avent Natural Toddler Drinking Cup, and is what I think may be the perfect solution for DC! Or is it? I bought the red colour cup from First Few Years shop in Paradigm Mall.

Highlights (per Avent website)

Easy transition to grown up drinking
Drinking from all around the rim, just like an adult cup
Spoutless and strawless drinking

Unique spill proof valve
Lip activated valve encourages grown up drinking

Hygiene lid
Protective hygiene lid always keeps the cup clean

For independent drinking
Trainer handles help your toddler to hold the cup


My Review
The cup consist of 6 parts, inclusive of the valve mechanism. Cleaning and assembly is rather straight forward. 

At first glance, the cup looks big when DC was holding it. However I am surprised she is able to hold it well even when the cup is full. She might need a little bit more effort to tilt it up and drink though, partly she is small-sized for her age.

How the cup works is this - the valve in the middle controls the liquid coming out from the cup. Once the toddler press his/her lips against the cup, they will also press down the valve which will allow the liquid to flow out from the cup.

While Avent claims that it is spill proof, there are occasions that shows the cup isn't entirely spill proof. One is that whatever balance liquid in the valve which is not drunk by the toddler; the other is when the toddle attempts to press down the valve then turn the cup around concurrently.  

Avent could also do something to improve the lid cover design, perhaps to attach a hook or fastener to it. Why I say this is because I noticed DC loves to pick up the cover and try to close the cup with it. 9 out of 10 times she ended up throwing it out of frustration or accidentally dropping it. I have to ended up picking it up and cleaning it. If we were outside having dinner and that happens, she can't use the cup anymore as the lid would have been contaminated. Yes, I can be that paranoid about her taking things on the floor and putting it in her mouth.

During her first try using the cup, DC had some difficulty understand how to drink from it. I had to put the cup onto her lips, allowing the valve to be pressed down so she could drink water. She got it within the next couple of tries. DC also understood how the valve mechanism works. Sometimes she would just press the valve and pour out the water. I have to stop her before she gets entirely wet! Nowadays, she will ask for the cup so she could practice drinking from it. Sometimes she just wants to play with the valve though...

Drinking, or playing?

I am happy to have bought this cup for her. At least she can drink water while we are outside having dinner or just strolling around the shopping complex. It is also a good training ground for her until she is able to drink from an adult cup without spilling. If only now she can also learn to use the straw cup...