Learning to drink from a straw is a developmental milestone that can support a child's oral motor skills, providing key benefits for feeding, swallowing, and even the muscles that help produce speech. For young children, particularly those with weaker oral motor skills or a weakened ability to suck, making the transition to straw drinking can be a challenge.

In a world where baby development and parenting advice is abundant, we're here as pediatric therapy experts (SLP, OT, & PT) writing a guest blog post for ARK to help clear the muddy waters.

If you're a parent, an early childhood therapist, or someone who works with children who may have challenges with oral motor skills, you know the struggle is real when it comes to finding just the right way for them to drink independently.

That's where ARK's Bear Bottle steps in! As a great tool for parents to use during the transition from a breast and/or bottle to a straw, this adorable kit has plenty of perks to keep babies or toddlers engaged, support their oral development, and bring a smile to their little faces.

Here's the scoop on how this little bear makes a big difference in drinking skills, oral motor development, and even swallowing patterns!

 

 

The Basics:

The ARK's Bear Bottle Kit is an easy-squeeze bottle that comes with a special Select Flow one-way valve, which keeps the liquid right at the top of the straw. This little feature means tiny sips require only minimal suction, making it easier for beginning straw drinkers and those who might struggle with sucking due to weak oral motor skills. This action provides instant feedback and helps children understand the cause and effect of straw drinking.

With this setup, the Bear Bottle is typically great for kiddos who:

• Are just starting to drink from a straw

• Need a bit more help transitioning from bottle to straw

• Have weak sucking abilities or trouble keeping liquid at the top of a straw

In short, this bear is usually a beginner's best friend when it comes to straw drinking!

 

Why Go Straight to Straws and Skip the Sippy Cup?

Learning to drink from a straw can be a valuable skill that strengthens the mouth and tongue muscles, supports healthy swallowing patterns, and encourages the type of lip closure that is essential for future speech development as well as efficient eating and swallowing. Additionally, children who learn to drink from a straw are more likely to transition smoothly to open cups, developing their oral motor coordination and independence.

The Bear Bottle Kit's unique design aligns with the principles of early feeding therapy by encouraging children to develop the skills they need without relying on sippy cups, which can sometimes interfere with proper tongue positioning.

Why skip the sippy cup? While they're popular and convenient, many pediatric therapists, including our own Rachel Lynn, SLP, recommend transitioning straight to open cups or straws instead.

Here's why: Sippy cups often encourage a resting tongue position under the hard plastic valve, which can interfere with the natural tongue posture-ideally with the tip resting gently on the roof of the mouth when initiating a swallow. Unlike open cups or shallow-depth straw drinking, sippy cups don't engage the same muscle coordination needed for effective tongue retraction, cheek tension, and lip closure, all essential for speech and feeding development.

Now, this doesn't mean a child can't develop these skills with a sippy cup. However, children who use them exclusively may be more likely to adopt the habit of lowering their tongue tip when swallowing. This pattern doesn't provide the same strength or power as a swallow with an elevated tongue tip.

The ARK Bear Bottle makes transitioning from bottle to straw drinking a breeze! Designed with a unique Select-Flow one-way valve, it keeps liquid conveniently at the tip of the straw, while the Lip Blok mouthpiece ensures the straw stays shallow in your child's mouth - perfect for safe and effective practice. The Lip Blok comes in three fun, functional sizes to grow with your child: start with the yellow ¾" size as a beginner tool, graduate to the blue ½" size as skills improve, and aim for the teal ¼" size to fine-tune oral motor strength, coordination, and promotion of natural tongue tip elevation during swallowing-all while preventing straw chewing. With the Bear Bottle, you can skip sippy cups entirely and help your little one dive straight into healthy oral habits that support long-term development. Fun, practical, and developmental-let the Bear Bottle be your child's new favorite!

 

 

How It Works: The Bear Belly Squeeze

Simply give the bear's belly a gentle squeeze until the liquid reaches the top of the straw. Then, let go-the liquid stays at the straw's tip, so when your little one goes to take a sip, they don't have to work too hard to get that first drop.

As this is a one-way valve it doesn't just keep the liquid at the top; it also reduces the risk of backflow, so even kids who struggle with swallowing or have difficulty maintaining suction can drink more easily without having to re-suck with each sip.

From a developmental perspective, this cup is a great little problem-solving tool! Your child will learn that squeezing the bear's belly makes the liquid move up the straw, getting it ready for a sip - how fun is that?

 

What's in the Bear Bottle Kit?

You'll find everything you need to set up a straw-drinking superstar right in the box:

• One Bear Bottle - easy to squeeze, with a snap-close cap for convenience.

• Select-Flow Valve - ensures that liquid stays at the top of the straw.

• Two eight-inch-long tubing straws - reusable and durable.

• Yellow ¾" Lip Blok® - a smart little addition that keeps kids from shoving the straw too far into their mouths.

The tubing straws are made from durable, chew-safe materials that can handle some enthusiastic gnawing, if it accidentally happens, while the Lip Blok® is a genius tool to eventually encourage shallow straw use, which promotes a more typical, tongue tip up, swallowing pattern.

Plus, if you go for the Bear Bottle Kit Plus version, you'll get an extra pack of 12 regular drinking straws, because when it comes to kids, it's always best to be prepared for backups.

 

Tips for Using the Bear Bottle Kit

ARK's Bear Bottle is incredibly versatile, but here are a few helpful tips to get the most out of it:

• Stick to Thin Liquids: Water, milk, and other thin liquids are ideal.

• Prime the Straw: Squeeze the bear's belly to push liquid up into the straw. The Select-Flow Valve will hold the liquid at the top, making it easier for the child to sip without needing to generate significant suction.

• Include Your Therapist: If your child has specific swallowing challenges, be sure to loop in your feeding therapist or SLP. They can provide tips on adapting the Bear Bottle for your child's needs and make sure it aligns with their therapy goals.

• Experiment and Encourage: With some kids, a few tries may be all it takes, while others might need more encouragement. 

• Reinforce Good Habits with the Lip Blok®: To encourage proper straw positioning, use the Lip Blok® included in the kit. The Lip Blok® limits how far the straw can be inserted, helping your child develop a correct oral posture and avoid biting down on the straw. Notice as your child becomes proficient and graduate them to shorter, and more challenging Lip Blok® lengths/colors, with the end goal being the ¼" teal Lip Blok®.

 

 

Who Benefits Most from the Bear Bottle?

Let's face it, some children have more difficulty than others when it comes to mastering drinking skills. The Bear Bottle Kit is a great fit for:

• Infants and Toddlers: If signs of feeding readiness are there, infants as young as 6 months old can learn to use the straw with the Bear Bottle's help. It's a great way to transition from bottles to more independent drinking without the detour through sippy cups.

• Kids with Oral Motor Weakness: This includes children with conditions that affect oral motor function, affecting strength and/or coordination such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or other developmental delays.

• Children with Oral Dysphagia and/or Swallowing Challenges: For kids who tend to have challenges with lip closure, or who have difficulty creating and maintaining suction, the Bear Bottle's valve helps them access liquids with less effort.

Our own physical therapist, Amber Michelle, PT, DPT, used the Bear Bottle to help her own daughter learn how to drink from a straw at just 7 months old! Here's what she has to say:

"The honey bear cup was so essential in teaching my daughter how to drink from a straw! Compared to other cups that came highly recommended, I could see the ease of use for her as well as how quickly she was able to grasp the skill because of the thoughtful design of the product. After about 3-4 days of consistent use, she was drinking through straws without the squeeze assist!"

 

Built to Last: Made in the USA with High-Quality, Kid-Safe Materials

Durability is essential when it comes to products for kids-especially chewable ones! The Bear Bottle Kit is made from food-grade, non-toxic materials that are safe for your child. It's even dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, and it holds up to 8 ounces of liquid. Plus, it's proudly made in the USA, so you know it's made with care.

 

Wrapping It Up: Straw Drinking Made Simple (and Fun!)

ARK's Bear Bottle Kit is more than just a cute bear-themed cup; it's a fun, functional tool for introducing babies, toddlers, or older children to straw drinking in a way that supports their oral development. By making sipping easier, it helps build the skills they need for eating and strengthens the muscles they use for speaking. And it makes parents' lives just a little bit easier in the process.

So whether you're a parent of a little one just beginning their straw drinking journey or you work with children who could benefit from oral motor support, ARK's Bear Bottle Kit is a worthy addition to your toolkit. It's functional, durable, and a fantastic way to encourage kids to strengthen their oral muscles, all with the gentle squeeze of a bear's belly 

And hey, if your little one insists that this bear becomes their new favorite mealtime friend, we totally get it - he's the bear that keeps on giving!

 

Rachel Lynn, SLP, Amber Michelle, PT, and Amanda Rae, OT

Team NewDay Child Coaching: Interweaving Disciplines and Knowledge for the Benefit of All

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Rachel Lynn, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 15 years of pediatric experience. A University of Florida graduate, she has additional training in sensory processing, feeding, social communication, Hanen Coaching, and nutrition. Based in Sequim, Washington, Rachel and her husband enjoy spending time traveling, hiking, biking and just plain enjoying the great outdoors. Rachel is passionate about Early Intervention and empowering parents to help their children thrive. As the team's communication and swallowing/feeding expert, she is dedicated to guiding families toward success and having more FUN!

Amber Michelle, PT, DPT, is a pediatric physical therapist with 5 years experience. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a BS in Exercise Science. She specializes in early intervention services for families with children three years and younger. Currently, she lives overseas as part of a military assignment with her family and has enjoyed taking the opportunity to be a semi-stay at home mom who loves to travel! Amber has specialized training in pressure management, breath control, and developmental orthopedics. As the team's gross motor guru, she is passionate about making resources accessible to families and making therapy fun and functional!

Amanda Rae, OTR, is a pediatric occupational therapist with 18 years experience. She graduated with a BS degree in Occupational Therapy and a BA degree in Dance from Western Michigan University. She has additional training in pediatric feeding, SOS, and Beckman Oral Motor. While she's not at home enjoying her family in Colorado, she spends her time working as an Area Director of Therapy and has previous experience as a VP of Therapy Operations and Agency Administrator. Amanda loves to empower families to reach their fullest potential through coaching, mentoring and heart.

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