We are just weeks away from Summer here in Australia, and
for those in Western Australia, we all know that it gets HOT! We lead a very outdoorsy lifestyle, lots of
time in the pool, at the beach, playing at the local park and plenty of fun in
the sun.
But once the temperatures start to rise, and we are spending
so much time in the sun, it is important that our little ones drink enough
water, and stay hydrated. And the best way to do that, is to drink filtered water.
Kids will often get caught up playing, and simply forget to
drink enough water. And they often don’t like the taste of our heavily
chlorinated tap water and opt for fruit juices, or other sugar laden drinks
that taste better. The scary thing is, that once your child has told you they
are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. This is why it is important to drink water regularly throughout the day,
and not wait until you are thirsty. This
rule really applies to everyone, adults too, not just children.
How much water should my child be drinking?
This is always a well debated topic. A lot of factors come
into play. You need to consider how much time your child spends in the
sun? Are they active? Do they play sport? Do they live in a hot
climate? Most places in Western
Australia get particularly warm in the summer months, especially if you live in
the Pilbara, in our State’s North.
Based on our research, and advice from Health Direct, the
recommended daily intake of water for children is:
5 to 8 years old: 5 glasses (1 litre)
9 to 12 years old: 7 glasses (1.5 litres)
13 year and older: 8 to 10 glasses (2 litres)
Health Direct advise that your child should also drink water
before, during and after physical activity.
Why is it important that water be our first choice of
drink?
There are plenty of drinks on the market and available to
our children. But not all are healthy
choices. There are plenty of “sport style” drinks marketed at children that claim
to replenish lost nutrients, and will somehow hydrate them better. The truth is that these drinks are often
expensive, high in sugar, and simply cannot replace the benefits simple water.
There is also a misconception that fruit juice is a healthy
option for our kids. The truth is that
fruit juice is very high in sugar, and is not a suitable alternative to
drinking water. It will not quench their thirst.
But how do you actually get your kids to drink more
water?
We have put together our top tips to help you keep your
little ones hydrated, and make sure they are drinking enough water every single
day.
Make sure they always a water bottle with fresh filtered
water.
Choose water rather than fruit juice, or fizzy sugary drinks.
Remind your child to drink water before, during and after
physical activity.
Choose a special water bottle that they will love to use. Maybe even let them pick their own so it is
extra special to them.
Add frozen fruit to their water, not only will it add a
touch of natural sweetness to their water, it also looks pretty. And the colour and taste combinations are
endless! Frozen berries, lime, cucumber and watermelon are always winners.
Consider buying your young one a fun reusable straw. It
could have their favourite character on it, be a super twirly straw, or for a
bit of a laugh, why not get a moustache straw and everyone can have a laugh
too.
Create fun ice blocks to go in their water. There are so
many fun designs available, let them pick one to help them get excited. Tip – make sure you use your filtered water
to make the ice blocks so they don’t go cloudy.
Use a double walled stainless steel water bottle to keep
their water cold and fresh all day long – no one likes to drink hot water that
has been sitting in the sun all day. Blah!
Be a good role model for your kids, and make sure you also
drink plenty of fresh, filtered water throughout the day yourself. They will watch and learn from you.
Let your kids fill their water bottles themselves from your
Waterchoice filtration system. They will
love the independence of filling their bottles themselves.
Make sure that you have fresh water that tastes good
available to your kids whenever they need it. The best way to do this is to have a water filtration system installed
from Waterchoice. Each system can make
up to 300L of fresh, filtered water every day, so you will have plenty of water
always available.
What do you do to ensure your little ones are drinking
enough water?
Have any fun tips or tricks that we haven’t
thought of? We would love to hear from you!
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