Encourage your children to eat water-rich foods

At home and in the lunchbox, encourage your child to eat water-rich foods like grapes, watermelon, cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes.

 

Float slices of fruit (such as lemons or limes) in a jug of water

Or be creative with strawberries, clementine segments and any other colourful fruit.

 

 Let your children drink what they want – within reason

Water is always going to be the healthiest drink for both children and adults, but if plain water makes them turn their noses up, give your children a little more freedom. Milk, natural juice, and flavoured water all work. However, to help them avoid a caffeine or sugar addiction early in life; never let them try fizzy drinks (or worse, take one to school). Hydrated children are happy children.

 

Give your child a straw.

It may sound strange, but we actually drink more when we’re drinking through a straw. With a straw, kids will be encouraged to drink more fluids, and they may enjoy the fun factor of having a straw in their favourite colour.

 

Use ice cube trays that make fun shapes and use those ice cubes in your child’s water

Nothing quite like the fascination of watching an ice cube shape melt while drinking your water and should the ice cube drop or fall, no mess apart from a little puddle!

 

 Take your child to pick out a new, special cup

Young children are big on ‘ownership’, especially when there are siblings, so once they have their own individual drinking cup, this will encourage them to use their cup for drinking from.