Get Kids to Drink More Water: 4 Simple Tricks From Moms
It’s probably easier for moms to list things they don’t worry about when it comes to their children. From skinned knees to infections and keeping up with the growth curve, there’s almost no end to the worries ready to occupy a mom’s mind.
Find a fun water bottle, or take your little one shopping for just the right water bottle for the
Getting enough water into your kids for proper hydration is probably something that might also make the mom-worry list, especially during the summer months. But just because the weather is turning doesn’t mean helping kids get enough water into their little bodies should take a back seat. After all, it’s one of the few things we can help with that will go a long way not only for our kids’ health, but their attitudes as well.
Drink More Water Tip 1: Make it Fun
Any way to make hydrating fun will probably help coax your little one to consume a bit more water. Here are a few of our favorite picks to get your child to drink more water:
- Pick up a few silly straws, or some with your child’s favorite character, to pop in their next water glass.
- Add some interesting ingredients: from cucumbers to fresh fruit or mint, flavored or infused water makes a big difference in how much both kids and adults are likely to consume.
- Similarly, try adding some interesting ingredients to your ice cubes for a cooling treat.
Drink More Water Tip 2: Empower Kids
It’s an old tip but it holds true: engage kids in the desired behavior, and they’re more likely to commit to it. So if you’re making infused water at home for example, bring them along to the grocery store and have them help you pick out ingredients, or let them try their own combinations of flavored water at home.
When they’ve had a hand in the process, they’ll be more likely to be invested in trying the final results. Plus you might even discover some new and delicious ways to stay hydrated yourself!
Drink More Water Tip 3: Model the Behavior
As the saying goes, you are your child’s first and best teacher. And it’s also true that they learn best by watching what you do, so it’s key to set a good example for kids to observe when it comes to drinking plenty of water. The good news is, there are lots of easy and fun ways to do this, and many of the ways to get kids to drink more water can help you stay motivated to drink your daily dose as well.
So find a great water bottle, plop out a funny straw in your own water cup, or just make it obvious how you’re helping yourself to a big, cold glass of water after exercising, with your next meal, or simply whenever you get thirsty. Before you know it, your child will be parrotting your hydrating behavior right beside you.
Drink More Water Tip 4: Get Better Tasting Water
It may be that the tap water you’re used to drinking just doesn’t taste great. Maybe it has a slightly chlorinated taste or smell, or it just isn’t as fresh as you’d like. A great way to encourage kids and adults to drink more water is to make sure it’s the best tasting, highest quality water to start with.
There are a number of ways you can filter your water at home, from an undersink filtration system like our Aqua-Cleer® Advanced drinking water system to pitcher filters or whole home systems that treat all the water before it reaches your taps. Getting fresher, better tasting water in your home doesn’t have to be a headache.
Contact your local Culligan of Ponca City & Stillwater to see what kind of filtration system or treatment plan would be right for you and your household to start drinking more water, today!