The summer holidays are finally here and that hopefully should mean plenty of fresh air and exercise.
As water makes up more of a child's body than an adult's it is vital they have plenty of drinking water as they are more prone to suffering from dehydration.
How much they need depends on each individual child, but health experts suggest 6-8 glasses each day. For younger children, the British Nutrition Foundation suggests servings of 120-150mls, and 250-300mls for older children.
As with all things child-related, expert advice is one thing, getting your child to follow that is quite another.
Top tips for keeping children hydrated over the summer holidays
Let them choose a water bottle
Sometimes it really is that simple. Younger children in particular will love having a new trinket to carry around. Let them help to fill up their new bottle with filtered drinking water and the prospect of feeling "grown up" should at least last a week or two of the summer holidays.
Make ice lollies at home
Invest in some lolly moulds then add flavourings or juice to filtered drinking water and fill up the moulds. At least you will know what is actually in the lollies - and that there is water in there!
Always have water on hand
Save yourself a fortune on drinks over the summer holidays by always carrying a refillable bottle of filtered drinking water. Pack well when heading out for the day with a bottle for everyone and frequently offer your children a sip of water.
Try to cut back on sugary drinks
The most important factor is keeping your child hydrated, so a glass of squash made up with filtered drinking water may help to keep fluid levels topped up. However, dentists advise keeping these to meal times to minimise sugar damage.
Encourage children to drink more when exercising
It can seem like young children are on the go all the time. If they've been whizzing around the park, or scooting about at the local beauty spot, keep offering them water to stop them becoming dehydrated. For older children heading out on their bikes or playing football, encourage them to take a bottle of filtered drinking water with them and remind them how important staying hydrated is to being at the top of their game.
And should the sunshine make an appearance?
Provide plenty of fresh, cool filtered drinking water to stop children getting dehydrated in the heat of the sun.
Most of all make sure they have plenty of energy to enjoy themselves over the summer holidays by staying hydrated with top quality, fresh filtered drinking water.
