As the weather warms up more and more of your child’s time will be spent outside being active! This means they will need more hydration, and will be asking more often for something to drink.

The healthiest drink choice for children is water. Juice is full of sugar, caffeinated beverages are unhealthy for children and can cause jitteriness, stomach problems and more. But… for some kids drinking water is a battle, and some just downright REFUSE it!

Do you have a child who just will not drink water?  Finding creative ways to get your child to drink water is key. Here are some ways that may work for your family!

• Buy Flavored Water– there are tons of great options out there when it comes to flavored water. Some are carbonated (which does not work well in sippy cups), but there are other options as well. Many come in bottled form as well as gallon.
• Pack Drink Packets– These individual packets are great to take with you on trips. They also color the water to make it look more like kool aid or something else that is not water. In other words-you can totally trick your kids into thinking that it’s NOT water 😉
• Dilute Juices– Start out using ¼ water and the rest juice, and then slowly change it to ½ water, then ¾ water. This is an easy way to get your child’s taste buds accustomed to water before making the full transition.
• Start Them on Water to Begin With-Okay, you may not be able to go back in time and do this…. But remember this for future kids 🙂

With warmer weather coming up, NOW is the time to get your child used to drinking water. If you have had problems in the past, try out one or more of these ways and hopefully your kids will be drinking water soon! It is the healthier option and one that is also the most cost efficient.