5 Fantastical Ways for Kids to Drink More Water

Did you just say fantastical is not a word? Ask a 5-year-old and their amazing imagination will tell you it is. Either way, it’s the perfect word to describe these fun ways to get younger kids to drink more water.

7 out of 10 kids are dehydrated. Why? Because children are always on the go; playing, learning, and exploring. Their little bodies are constantly moving and burning off water, but they’re not drinking enough water to replace it. Kids should be drinking at least 4 cups of water a day, and more as they get older, to replace the water they’re losing.

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As adults, our bodies are composed of about 60% water, but kids have an even higher water percentage. Water is essential for overall health, and every part of our body needs it to function properly.

But try to tell a toddler why their muscles, cells, and brain need water and you may just get a major melt down. All they hear is blah blah blah… boring water.

Why would they want to choose water when they are surrounded by marketing for colorful and sweet sugary drinks?

Millions of dollars are spent on advertising, so parents have to be more creative and work harder to raise healthy children in today’s world. If you want your child to grow up making healthy choices, then start teaching them healthy habits when they’re young.

But healthy doesn’t mean boring, right? Time to get creative!

Make drinking water fantastically fun and delicious so they’ll want to drink it!

1. Silly Straws and Honey Bear Bottles

Who remembers these when you were growing up? They made drinking anything so much more fun! Add a colorful and crazy silly straw to a cute little honey bear, and you have a match made in water heaven. Let your kids pick out a silly straw, and then each time they come back to fill their bear back up with water, they can pick out a different straw.

2. Frozen Watermelon Ice Cubes

Kids love watermelon! It’s bright and colorful, which attracts their eye, plus it’s sweet and refreshing. Turn it into ice cubes and now you’ve added some fun color and taste to their plain cup of water. Make it a fun project by getting them involved. Let them scoop out the watermelon using a melon baller or use a small cookie cutter to make shapes. Place the watermelon shapes on a small cookie sheet and then place in the freezer. Watermelon is 92% water, so they’ll be frozen and ready in a couple of hours. Now let them add the frozen melon shapes to their water cup, and tell them they can eat the watermelon cubes when they finish the cup of water. It’s a win-win!

3. Fresh Fruit Ice Cubes

This is another great one for the little hands to help with. All you’ll need is an ice cube tray and some assorted berries. You can use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Cut up the strawberries into quarters. Have your kids put the berries into the ice cube tray and then let them fill the tray with water. Freeze for about 3 hours until frozen. They can add the fruit cubes to their water and then eat the berries later when they melt. It’s also a great way to get some fruit and vitamins in their diet, but shhhh… don’t tell them that.

Another easy shortcut is to just add fresh fruit to their water cup. The fruit will infuse the water with a little sweetness and added vitamins, but the kids will just think it looks fun.

4. Colorful and Creative Water Bottles

Let you kids express their personality by picking out their own water bottles. Camelbak’s Eddy line of bottles is especially made for kids. They are BPA free, dishwasher safe, and best of all… they come in a bunch of really fun designs. Buy a few cups that your child gets to pick out themselves. This way they will feel ownership in their special cups. Then each morning let them pick out which cup they want to use for the day.

5. Be Their SUPERHERO and Lead by Example

Children watch and learn from their parents. Are you setting a good example for them by choosing to drink water ever day? It will be easier for your kids to drink water if they see you drinking it also. Be a good role model and live the life you want your kids to grow up to have.

They say if you want a child to grow up and continue to have healthy habits, you need to start them young. Having teenagers myself, I totally agree with this. It’s much harder when they’re older to get them to eat healthy and enjoy drinking water when bad habits have been formed.

Never underestimate the importance of simplicity and convenience when getting your kids to take on a new healthy habit. Make sure to keep their water bottles in a convenient location in the fridge so they can grab them whenever they get thirsty. Keep the sugary stuff hidden, or out of reach, so that water is the clear and easy choice.

Make drinking water an easy and fun part of their day to develop a healthy habit that will last a lifetime.

Water often for health and happiness. xx