How to encourage your child to drink water
Children need enough water every day stay happy and healthy! Here's how to ensure your child drinks enough of the good stuff.
It may surprise you to learn that a child’s body is made up of 75% water. Water is essential to life and kids need plenty of water in order to feel good, focus, concentrate, and think. Water will also give your children the necessary energy and brainpower to help them learn easier and better. Research studies have indicated that children who are encouraged to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, like soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit juice drinks can avoid becoming overweight. But what if your child refuses to drink water? Try these tips to encourage your kids to drink water:
Lead by example
Water should be the main drink available in your household. Limit fruit juices and other drinks containing added sugar. Tell your children about the health benefits of water, and lead by example.
Make water easily available
Have bottled water on hand for when your child feels thirsty, and make sure there’s always a jug of cold water in the fridge, or a bottle of water next to you in the car when you go out.
Entice your child to drink more water
Kids love ice. Whether it’s the coolness or the clinking sound it makes, it doesn’t matter. It’s exciting, so add some ice and see if that does the trick. You can also add slices of cucumber, strawberries, or lemons to the water to give it a little bit of flavour.
Recommended for daily water intake
- Ages 5-8: Five glasses of water each day
- Ages 9-12: Seven glasses of water daily
- Ages 13+: Eight to ten glasses of water each day
