Are Your Kids Not Drinking Enough Water? Here’s How to Encourage Them

Accessibility

Sometimes young children "get lazy" about getting water when they need to put in effort for it. For instance, when water glasses are on the counter and they can't reach them, or when they need to serve themselves. Therefore, it is important that water is accessible - for example, placing the glasses in a lower spot in the kitchen or filling a bottle of water for them each time.

Lead by Example

A child is a "tabula rasa" - meaning they are a blank slate that imitates everything they see their parents do at home. If parents make it a point to drink water themselves and explain to the child the importance of drinking (especially on hot days), the child learns that drinking water is important, essential, and positive - and gets used to drinking from an early age. The chances that such a child who is accustomed to drinking water will suddenly want sugary or harmful drinks like Coca-Cola are almost nonexistent.

Prize Contests

The language that children speak and understand best is the "experiential" one. Therefore, a prize contest about drinking water can greatly help raise awareness of the topic's importance, as well as encourage actual water drinking. This way, kids "hit two birds with one stone" - they drink water and also receive prizes.

Decorated and Interesting Cups

Since it is summer vacation and many parents are looking for creative projects with their kids - buying a set of cups specifically for decoration and crafts with various materials is a great option. A child who puts effort into decorating a unique cup that is the fruit of their imagination and is theirs alone will be excited to drink from it.

"I Don’t Like the Taste of Water". What to Do in This Situation?

There are several ways to break through this solid barrier surrounding kids who don't like the taste of water because it is "boring," "not sweet," "not tasty," etc. If the children are older and have already gotten used to sugary drinks, persuading them to switch may be tough. However, if we are dealing with toddlers who haven't yet gotten used to the sweet tastes of industrial drinks, we can encourage them to choose a fruit they love such as melon, apple, pitted cherries, strawberries, watermelon, grapes, and more.

You can put the fruits in the water glass and wait a while until the water absorbs the taste of the fruits. Moreover, you can also squeeze citrus juice to make the water more "interesting" and tasty.