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Encouraging Kids to Drink Water

Kids’ growing bodies need a steady supply of clean, filtered water, but getting your children to drink the recommended amount can be an ongoing battle. To many kids, a glass of water is a substitute for sugary fruit drinks and sodas, neither of which provide more than empty calories and, in the case of soda, a caffeine high. So how can parents help children choose water over its sugary and caffeinated competition?

drink waterStart Early

Plan ahead for your infants or toddlers. Make water part of their lives early on, and your children will be more likely to choose it as they grow older.

Make it Fun

Kids are more likely to drink filtered water if they find it fun. If they love crazy straws, restrict their straw use for water-drinking only. Invest in some shaped ice cube trays and fill their glasses with letters, animals, and cartoon characters made of ice. If your child has a favorite cartoon character, buy him or her a water bottle featuring that character.

Add Some Taste

Fruit infusion bottles such as Pelican’s H2GO Sports bottle add flavor to water without adding processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or caffeine. Have the child choose which fruit to put in the easily removable infuser cage, fill the bottle with water, close the lid, and shake to release the flavor. Letting the bottle sit overnight in the fridge produces an even stronger flavor.

Teach Kids to Use the Water Dispenser

Many parents who use home or countertop water filtration systems forget to teach their child how to use the water dispenser. Kids love feeling independent, so if they’re given permission to use the dispenser when they want, chances are they will. The child has to be old enough to use the dispenser properly, of course, or you’re risking a kitchen awash in water. And with kids, who has time to mop?

Wean them off Soda

If your kids are already part of the soda brigade, you may need to wean them off of it. Every time they drink soda, add a little more water into it. Adding lots of ice made with filtered water is a great way to water down soda without kids noticing.

Limit their Options

If there’s no soda or juice in the house, children will have little choice in what to drink. When a thirsty child opens the fridge and sees no sodas but a large pitcher of water infused with delicious fruit, he or she will more easily make this healthy choice.

Getting your children to drink more water is both beneficial and attainable. By adopting good habits from an early age, they will be on their way to a cleaner, healthier lifestyle.
