5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Kids Hydrated in the Summer

CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT Fifty/Fifty.

Summer is here and with it comes more sunlight! These longer days mean many of us have more time to explore nature and spend time together as a family outside. Whether you are hiking, biking, walking through your neighborhood, swimming, enjoying summer sports, or meandering tourist attractions, you know it will be hot. And with the hot weather comes the need to drink lots of water. 

Unfortunately, the need to stay hydrated and the desire to run, play, and explore often do not go hand in hand with our kids. With this in mind, we have a few tips to help keep your family hydrated all summer (really all year) long!

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Kids Hydrated in the Summer

• Get everyone their own water bottle. This is such an easy way to not only encourage your children to drink more water (who doesn’t love a fun water bottle?), but it also helps you monitor how much water they are drinking each day. Fifty/Fifty has a ton of really beautiful water bottles available that are not only perfect for keeping you and your family hydrated all year long but are priced well too! Pro-Tip: When adventuring with younger children, leave your child’s water bottles in the car and just carry extra water with you to share. This way, when you are done they have an easy source of water to drink on the drive home. 

• Make fruit-infused water. Adding a little fruit to water is sure to encourage everyone to drink more water simply because it tastes good and it's different. Berries, cucumber, mint, and citrus all taste amazing when added to water.

• Serve lots of high-water-content foods. Foods like watermelon, berries, citrus, and cucumbers have a lot of water in them and will help keep you and your children hydrated. Pack these foods when you go adventuring and use Fifty/Fifty’s insulated containers to keep those water-filled foods from leaking.

• Add a straw. This is such an easy way to encourage kids (and some adults) to drink more water. Not only do people generally drink more sips of a beverage when it comes from a straw, but straws also allow us to take larger sips than we would without them.

• Model drinking water all day. We know children watch our every move and want to do what we do, so use this to your advantage. Drink water from your new water bottle all day long or refill your water glass more often and drink it in front of your kids. Make sure to take water breaks when hiking or exploring and ensure your children not only drink water but see you doing it too. Model the behavior you want to see and you may see it more from your kids. 

Photos by Jenn Canjar and Kim Ives

What are some ways you help keep your kids hydrated?

ABOUT OUTGROWN

OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org 

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