When the temperature rises, we all need to make sure we’re drinking a lot of water. Kids will often drink when they’re thirsty, although they might need some prompting. But sometimes they still don’t drink enough, even if they are drinking throughout the day. One of the problems you might have is trying to get them to drink water. You’re so worried about them not getting enough liquids that you give in and let them have juice or, even worse, soda. But what you really want is for them to drink plenty of healthy water, so they don’t get a sugar rush with every drink. Try these tips for younger and older children.
Make Drinking Fun
Toddlers can be tricked into drinking more water if you’re willing to make it fun. One of the first things you should consider is getting special cups or bottles. Let them pick their own cup or bottle to drink from whenever they want. They’ll love having a special drinking receptacle just for them. You can also add things to their cups to make them more interesting. Give them a silly straw or add some ice frozen into fun shapes. You can even challenge them to a game to drink a certain amount of water. Of course, that works better if there’s a prize for winning.
Make Water Taste Better
Some children don’t like the taste or water, or water from the tap. If you want to avoid bottled water, you can still make your water taste better. A filter from The Berkey or a similar manufacturer will purify your water. It will still be as healthy as before, but the filter will remove some of the things that make your water taste less than desirable. It might seem chalky or metallic, which will put many kids off. Filtered water can taste cleaner, and you can put the filter in your fridge too.
Add Fruit
Kids often find the taste of water boring too. You don’t have to add sugary syrups or lots of juice to their drinks to make it taste better. There are ways to add flavor and keep everything healthy. One of the easiest things to do is to add fruit or a little bit of fruit juice. A couple of pieces of fruit will have much less sugar than juice and will flavor the water. You can even add frozen fruit to keep it cool. Another option is to squeeze in a bit of fresh juice, such as lemon or orange juice.
Rewards
You might not want to ban sugary drinks completely. If you’re willing to let the occasional treat slide, make it a reward for drinking water. Tell your kids they can have a small cup of fruit juice or soda if they drink a big cup of water first. If you want to make sure they’re drinking plenty, give them a water bottle and tell them it has to be empty by the end of the day.
It can be hard to get kids to drink water, but it’s essential in hot weather. Keep them hydrated to ensure they’re healthy.
