For licensing:
We are required to have milk at lunch (or milk alternative if a child can't have milk)
Juice is allowed 1 serving a day (though we don't offer it at all)
and water must always be offered and available all day.
Each child has their own cup- sippy cups (provided by parents) for younger children and "snackies" cups (provided by us) for older children. This cup is on a shelf throughout the day with water (occasionally with a small bit of flavoring added)
At lunch, milk is provided in regular open cups, or cups with straws/lids.
No age is allowed to carry cups around. They remain on the shelf and even the little ones figure it out
(we have ages 18m and up)