Cup Holder

The Cup Holder was designed for a particular classroom as a means to solve the problem of overuse of plastic cups. The idea for the design came from spotting a box-looking-like stand which was used to hold small jars with acrylic paint and tall brushes in them; the stand prevented jars from tipping over easily.

Similar design was applied onto what would become a cup holder for the reuse of plastic cups for drinking.

The cup holder had to meet different requirements such as: it had to have enough holes for each individual child to place their cup in it and preferably remain as one piece of an item, it had to be able to endure water in case of accidental spilling, and each of these holes had to be clearly marked and visible in order for children to distinguish their own from other's.

Challenges were several. The number of children in the classroom was oscillating so it had to be decided on the maximum number of holes. However, it was important to keep in mind that the size of the item in total, height especially, when placed upright might affect the manner in which children can reach their cups in the holder.

Another measurement of size was equally important as the one of the item in total. Those were the measurements of the holes themselves together with the space between them. Different types of plastic cups were supposed to fit inside the holes which meant both the width and height of the hole needed to be right. No cup was allowed to touch or lean onto one another in any case scenario.

During the design time, it was necessary to try and imagine, almost predict, the whole process of how the routine that involved children drinking water on their own will look like and what would be the best possible position and the location of the cup holder in the classroom. This was crucial and it influenced the final shape and look of the resource in the making.

The use of disposable plastic cups was a kindergarten policy, and for hygienic reasons the children were taught to cast these away after having only one cup of water. And even though they were also being taught to recycle, the expenditure of plastic cups per day in one class with up to 25 children was beyond (all) reason.

Because it was not possible to avoid the use of disposable plastic cups in the first place, reusing them or prolonging the time span of the usage had to be acceptable solution and possible to achieve. The routine in which children were given a new clean plastic cup in the morning which they would then take and place in the hole marked as their own, reuse it whenever they had the need to drink, and then recycle it at the end of the day before going home - was remarkably quickly established.

What must have been the fun factor for children to learn and accept this new routine was also a product of nothing more but an aesthetic answer to the question of how to label each hole with an individual child's marking. Since the children were very young and already had signs instead of names defined as their own marking, and because sticking or gluing of any sort onto a wooden surface was not the best way to go about, something else had to be thought of. So the space for the bottom insert was designed. It is a simple thick paper board with different signs on it belonging to an individual child.

In addition to avoiding label sticking, inventing the insert and placing children's markings onto the bottom of the cup holder which were then covered with cups, made children engage. They had to pay attention to where and which cup is theirs. It was remarkable to see how quickly they were able to memorize the position of not only their own but their friends cups too.

The usefulness of the Cup Holder is simply rewarding. It promotes well organised space, teaches rules of use, enables independence and is eco-friendly.

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Learn more about this item if interested in getting one

Handmade cup holder for kindergarten use

Materials:

The cup holder is made out of wood and painted with transparent lacquer paint as a protection from the water.

Measurements:

This particular item with 25 cup holes is 42 x 42 x 6.5 cm (16.5 x 16.5 x 2.5''). The size of one hole is 6 cm (2.4'').