If you’ve ever asked your kids to go and get a glass of water, you may have also dealt with the argument that you suggested something that wasn't sweet or sugary - it happens! Kids often expect water to be the least exciting beverage on the planet, except that water is deliciously crisp when it’s done right - and cold.
Staying hydrated - as you know - is essential for growing bodies and you need to make sure that your kids are drinking as much water as any other drink in the day. Not only is it good for their skin and eyes, but it keeps them healthy on the inside, too. With a few clever tricks and a lot of cajoling, you can make it happen. So, how do you get your kids drinking water without too much drama?
Make it a game. You could create paper jugs of water with eight small glasses, with velcro on the back. For every glass, they can stick it to their assigned jug on the wall and they can then build up to having enough water in the day. For every full jug, they get a star or a sticker and build up to a treat. This is a great way to give your kids a shot at having fun drinking water.
Try adding a water cooler to the house. You know those water coolers you have in the office? There’s nothing stopping you from having one at home. You can make drinking water way more exciting with one of these because kids are drawn to gadgets. It becomes less of a chore and way more exciting when you have easily accessible cold water on tap at the house. The water is clean, filtered and cool, and it happens to come out of something that looks fun to play with.
Make water exciting. While we don't suggest you add fruit juices to water at any given opportunity, there is nothing wrong with adding a squeeze of orange or a few slices of cucumber into a glass of juice. Not only will the water taste refreshing, you can’t call it boring - and neither can the kids! You can give them nice glasses and twisty straws, too, to make the water look fancy.
Let them choose their own bottle and cup. Sometimes, the sense of ownership over their beverages is what gets kids excited to drink more water. Taking them shopping to choose their own water cups and bottles can really make all the difference to their excitement to drink it.
Lead by example. If you want your kids drinking more water, you have to do it, too. Kids watch everything we do far more than they listen to what we say. It’s annoying, but it’s one of those uncomfortable truths that you as a parent will need to get used to. If you carry your own water, they will match that and do the same. It’s all monkey see, monkey do, when it comes to your little monkeys!