Drinking water is extremely important for good health, especially for children, but for some parents, it can be a real battle.
The amount a child needs to drink daily can vary depending on their age, weight, body fat and what physical activities they do but in general, kids aged between 5-12 years should be drinking at least 5-7 glasses of water a day.
Establishing good water drinking habits for your child is essential but if you're struggling to get your kiddies to drink enough, worry not, here are six simple strategies that will help encourage better hydration.
How to get your kids to drink more water.
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Make it fun.
Kids thrive when exercising their independence, so why not take advantage of that with these little tried and tested tips:
Use colourful and reusable twisty straws.
Let them pick out their own snazzy sippy cup, beaker or water bottle.
Give them a daily target and reward their efforts with a storytime or a walk in the park.
Let them try both sparkling and still water. -
Add some flavour.
Add a flavourful kick to their water with some infused fruit or veggies. Simply add some berries, kiwi, cucumber or lemon slices to their drink. Alternatively, you could give them sugar-free fruit squash from time to time.
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Lead by example.
What monkey see what monkey do. Your children take in everything you do so if you don't drink water regularly, there is a high chance they won't either. Encourage them naturally by drinking water in front of them during mealtimes and when you are out and about.
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Offer water-based foods.
If you think your children are not drinking enough uisce, offer water-based fruits and vegetables. Not only are they super healthy but they also contribute loads of water to our diet. Melon, cucumber, lettuce, peaches, tomato, peppers and strawberries are great options.
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Make it accessible.
Remove any unintentional barriers by giving your children permission to access water whenever they are thirsty. Either keep water visible or if it is stored in the fridge, ensure it is within arms reach.
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Try something different.
During the warmer summer months, you could add pieces of fruit to an ice cube tray and or work together to make fruit-based ice pops to increase their water intake and to prevent dehydration.
Have you any tips, tricks or parenting hacks to encourage children to choose water over sugary alternatives? Be sure to let us know!