How to Encourage Your Child to Drink More Water

Ever realized that you’re repeatedly reminding your kids to drink water? This is a situation in almost every household. Water, as simple as it sounds, is often the last thing kids reach for when they're thirsty. Instead, sugary beverages, juices, and sodas have grabbed up most of their attention. So how can plain water compete?

The reality is that hydration is an essential aspect when it comes to children’s health. Water helps with digestion, regulates body temperature, boosts concentration, and can even improve their mood.

Despite the fact, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 20% of children and teens don’t drink any plain water on a given day. And this is indeed a serious concern!

Read below this article to explore some of the top tips on how to encourage your little one to drink more water throughout the day.

Did you know that kids who use water bottles at school increase their water intake by 60%? Yes, as per a study by the Harvard University. So all you need to get them is a straw and a funky, cool water bottle to make drinking effortless.

Give them a fun cup or water bottle with their favorite cartoon characters or 3D stickers that are just theirs. You will be surprised to know that their water intake will significantly increase.

The kids psychology is—once it feels personal, it becomes more fun to use.

Did You Know? Flavored water can increase a child’s likelihood to drink it by 45%, according to the Journal of Nutrition.

So, if your child finds normal water boring, its time to spice things up by infusing it with some natural fruit flavors. You can also add slices of cucumbers, strawberries, oranges, or lemons to make it even more appealing.

Of course, when kids get involved in something personally, they are likely more interested in it. And the same goes for their personalized water blend.

According to the Institute of Medicine, kids aged 4 to 8 should drink around 1.2 liters (5 cups) of water per day, while older kids aged 9 to 13 should aim for 1.6 liters (7 cups) for girls and 1.8 liters (8 cups) for boys.

However, this water requirement isn’t usually met. Therefore, just like there’s a brushing routine, scheduling a schedule for drinking water can actually do the magic.

From breakfast to evening snacks, insert reminders for water breaks in between. Apps, such as Plant Nanny, are fun when it comes to water reminders—where the kid needs to water a virtual plant by drinking more water themselves.

Another cool approach to getting your kids to drink more water is to serve water alongside every meal and snack. The next trick is to make water the first option on the table before they reach for the juice or soda. Ultimately, over time, this will become their second nature. 

And there’s a reason why we say so! According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, offering water instead of sugary drinks at mealtime can reduce a child’s risk of obesity by almost 33 percent. In short, a win-win! 

Drinking water is not the only way to stay hydrated. Instead, many fruits and vegetables are rich in water content too. Foods like watermelon, cucumbers, oranges, and strawberries are all excellent hydration boosters.

According to the National Institutes of Health, foods can contribute up to 20% of your daily water intake. So whether you serve them up alongside the main course meals or as snacks, you are eventually making sure your little one stays hydrated enough throughout their day.

Water is an often overlooked element when it comes to kids’ health. However, it is indeed the most important aspect. The benefits of hydration—from boosting concentration to preventing illness—are too important to ignore. Therefore, it is important to focus on how you can increase the daily water intake of your kids to ensure your little one gets all the benefits. With some fun approaches, soon enough, reaching for water will become second nature for them.