I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but Jake is six years old and still using a sippy cup sometimes. Not the kind made for the really little babies, but still more or less a sippy cup. The thing is, Jake has always had sensory issues when it comes to his mouth. He’s tongue tied, meaning his tongue is attached really close to the front of his mouth rather than the back. I didn’t find out until he was two (he was a preemie, and so much other stuff was going on, apparently no one ever thought to check for this), and there were multiple reasons why we decided not to clip it at that time, but I wont bore you with all the details (if you are interested though, feel free to email me, as I did a ton of research into it before making the decision). I’m not sure if this caused the sensory problems, and I’m not sure if it has anything to do with why my child refused to give up the bottle until he was almost three, or why he still prefers sippy cups. The point is, I’m always trying to find cups that still fit his personal preference but are at least a little more grown up.
Contigo Autoseal Kid’s Trekker Mug
When I came across Contigo’s Kid’s cups, I figured I finally hit the jackpot. I emailed them, and they were kind enough to send me their Autoseal Kid’s Trekker Cup to try out. Jacob has been using it for two days and he loves it. First, it’s bigger than his usual cups, it holds up to 14oz as opposed to the 6oz cups he’s used to. Second, it ‘s just plain cool looking as far as he’s concerned. I love it because it’s completely spill-proof. I even took a picture of Jake holding up upside down (I apologize for the slightly blurry photo, my camera chose to focus on the background for some reason, I’m a writer, not a photographer). Note that there isn’t a single leak. He could, theoretically, toss it into the air and do a little acrobatics routine with the Trekker Mug and it wouldn’t spill a single drop. The single-piece lid is designed to automatically seal back up after each sip, so there is no way Jake can accidentally leave the lid open and end up spilling. I’m not sure what more I could ask for in a cup. It’s designed for kids ages 4-12, so for Jake, it really is a big kid cup. The Trekker Mug is the perfect alternative to regular sippy cups, and since there is no control valve in the lid, it’s a regular drinking mug, which makes it great for transitioning to bigger cups.
Additional Details About the Trekker Mug
- It’s 100% BPA-Free
- Dishwasher safe on the top rack
- No messing around with screws or caps, so it can be used with one hand.
- Also available with a wide-mouthed Snack Chug container for a complete “on the go” solution.
- Comes in a variety of colors
The Contigo Auto-Seal Kids Trekker Mug comes in a variety of colors and retails for $5.99, but if you like them on Facebook, you can get 15% off your order on their website. I’m not sure how long that promotion lasts, so be sure to take advantage of it as soon as possible. Contigo is also on Twitter. In addition to the Trekker Mug, they sell several other different types of kid’s cups, a vacuum insulated food jar, and numerous products for grown-ups.
I got some cups similar to this for my kids last year, mine didn’t have the nifty little grip towards the bottom. But they love them and so do I.. No more spills in the car because they think they are old enough to hold a regular cup!