Who knew that getting kids to like water can be this hard?
We can understand when they don’t want an extra serving of tasteless veggies but for some parents, keeping their kids hydrated is an extra issue that they have to deal with.
Children know that water is important but it doesn’t have the same fizz and flavour as soda, milkshakes and juice have.
This makes it very hard to convince them to have a couple of glasses a day when there is so much competition from other unhealthy alternatives.
But, you can’t give up because either way, they need water to survive and function properly.
You can use these five tips below to help you out if you’re struggling to keep them hydrated:
1. Have a standard routine
Having a specific routine is one of the most effective ways to get kids to learn something. If there is no particular order, it will be harder for them to keep up with certain habits.
When you let them know that they need to have a glass of water first thing in the morning or at specific times during the day, they will always know what is expected and gradually embrace this routine on their own.
You can even install some apps to remind them when they need to drink water.
2. Get them special cups or bottles
Small details like the types of cups and bottles they’re using can make things easier for you. This is a technique that turns a boring task like drinking water into a fun activity.
You can take them shopping and let them pick out the cups and bottles they would like to use for water. They might be more eager to drink water so try this out soon.
3. Don’t stock up on juices and sodas
Most parents would choose to do bulk shopping so they won’t have to keep going to the supermarket throughout the week. This is understandable because we don’t really have time to pass by the store all the time.
But, one thing you can change is the number of juices and sodas you keep around the house. You can buy enough for their school snacks if you need to so that they don’t have an excess supply of unhealthy drinks. This will force them to choose water more.
4. Add more fruit to their diet
You can also think outside the box by using fruits. Fruits add more water to our bodies indirectly and it’s a great idea because they will love the flavours.
You can get more watermelons, oranges, pineapples and other fruits that have a lot of water content in them.
5. Add your own interesting twist
You can also take the fruit idea further by presenting water in interesting ways. You can chop up some fruits at the bottom of the glass so they can be eager to munch on them when they’ve drank the water. You can even freeze berries into ice cubes and add them to their water to make them look colourful.
How you present the water also matters and that is why this would work for kids.
