Hydration Hacks to get Kids Drinking More Water

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Let’s face it: getting children to drink throughout the day can feel like an ongoing battle for most parents! That's why natural mineral water brand Aqua Pura and mum-favourite Sarah Louise Merrygold are on hand to offer parenting tips to ensure your child’s thirst is easily quenched.

Aqua Pura, meaning ‘pure water’ is a natural mineral water brand sourced from the rolling hills of Cumbria. The water is filtered through ancient mineral-rich rocks which delivers a consistently pure and refreshing taste. 

Sarah’s top tips for helping children stay hydrated:

1. Have a drinking routine

As soon as my children wake up, we offer them a drink. We make sure water is included at mealtimes, next to them in the car and taken with them to activities. If a drink is always available, it becomes a natural habit for them to reach for it.

2. Talk about the importance of staying hydrated

I’ve found that my boys like to feel in control and responsible for tasks, so we talk a lot about the importance of staying hydrated and how much they need to drink each day e.g. they need to drink two of their bottles full of water.

3. Make water accessible

We encourage them to help themselves to water. We place cups by the tap and have a bottle or jug of water on the table at mealtimes.

I’ve also tried quirky straws or bottles that they will enjoy drinking from to encourage them to drink more. Sometimes an item with their favourite character on is enough of a motivation to help them increase their water intake. 

4. Lead by example

I think it’s really important that the boys see us taking care of ourselves and keeping ourselves hydrated is part of that. If they see us drinking water, they’ll copy.

5. Experiment with different flavours

Often kids say that water tastes boring so I’ve experimented with infusing water with different flavours like orange and lime slices, berries or mint and cucumber, just to mix it up a little. Another trick is to make fruit shots or smoothies, so children are consuming their water intake via fruits and vegetables. Or how about making fruit ice cubes by freezing blueberries or lemon slices into water filled ice cube trays? 

6. Take water with you

If water is always on hand, they’re more likely to get into the habit of drinking regularly. Try tasking them to fill up their own water bottles to take with them when they leave the house or keep multi-packs of water in the boot of your car so you’ve always got some to hand.

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If you’re heading out for a day in the Lakes, ensuring you’re well stocked up with water is key. Aqua Pura has been bottling water at source in the beautiful Eden Valley for 30 years and is proud of its Cumbrian heritage - making it a great addition to a day out in the Lakes. Learn more about Aqua Pura here.