Alternative to a plastic sippy cup for toddlers?

[Angelette]

I've been using plastic sippy cups for my dd, and though weird, I've actually tested some of these cups out, and the water tastes horrible!!! No wonder dd won't drink much water! I've tried just letting her use a glass with a straw in it (also plastic, yes i know) and she'll drink more out of that. Is there something better out there for toddlers, safe, but not plastic????

[grethel]

Kleen Kanteen makes a small stainless steel bottle with a sippy spout. We use those and Thermos Foogo stainless straw cups, and her water tastes great. The Foogo cups are insulated too so the water stays really cold, which is nice.

[hildare]

we've never used a sippy cup or anything like one.. we helped dd when she was little, but now that she's a toddler (and starting at around 15 mos or so) she can handle a small glass carefully on her own.  she's not supposed to leave the dining room with it, and we try to keep it filled on the table for her.. eventually, we'd like to do this, though....  letting the kiddos use real glasses & help themselves is a montessori thing i really love...

[lifeguard]

We have always done small glass glasses at the table (we helped at first) & then we have kleen kanteen bottles for elsewhere (with a strict rule of water only in them). Ds LOVES his water bottles (we keep one in bed, one around the house & generally one with us) & now that he is older I have replaced the sippy tops with sports tops (except in bed).

[OldFashionedGirl]

I never used sippy cups with my kids (one of those bizarre things I have very strong opinions on .  My kids are 3 and 4, and for at least the last year, probably closer to 2, they've each had their own water bottle.  Nothing special, just a Rubbermaid thing; I made sure it was something they could open and close on their own.  They tote it everywhere and both drink water like it's going out of style (which is fine by me).

[Angelette]

oh wow! some excellent suggestions...will definitely look into the links and the stainless steel cups! thanks!!! I never felt right giving my dd a sippy cup in the first place...now that my son needs additional water b/c of eating solids, I was looking for some alternative. Both were exclusively breastfed and never had a bottle, so it seems logical to just go straight to a cup. 

[crunchy_mommy]

Yup, we've never used the plastic sippies either, at home we use stainless steel cups (DS is a thrower and has broken almost ALL our glasses) and when we're out he has a couple of straw-top stainless steel water bottles. The one he likes best is this one (got it half that price at Target last year) -- it's half the size of a regular water bottle and the straw part flips up and the loop in the top makes it really easy for him to carry & handle. He also has a Safe Sippy which he really likes.

Oh and if your DD is already hooked on the 'sippy' top, there are options like this which are stainless steel inside.

[Katc8910]

LifeFactory glass sippy bottles with silicone sleeves. US/European-made, dishwasher safe. I don't like stainless steel as it makes the water taste funny.
http://www.lifefactory.com/kids.html
You can get them from Amazon with free shipping.

[JudiAU]

Plastic really does change the taste of the water. Yuck.  Stainless steel does a little bit too, after a day in the car. We use some plastic (but refill before meal), Siggs for in the car, and also these small glass cups which both kids (4,2) prefer:

Also, this is great. We set up a little table during the summer with a rag for wiping up: http://www.forsmallhands.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_4_28 http://www.forsmallhands.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_4_27

My son doesn't really care, I switched to open cups as a developmental thing, but my young daughter has never really liked any kind of sippy.

[Angelette]

wow, love all of the help! Those glass water bottles rock!!! I think I'll try those out! I just switched DD to a glass cup for home, and she took to it like a pro! I guess she was ready, I just never got the hint. I've been feeding my one year old small sips of water out of a glass too, and amazingly he drinks out of that better than the sippy (he would always cough and sputter b/c he's not used to a sippy spout) Thanks for all the help!