As you plan your summer adventures, remember to include drinks. Ensure your children are staying hydrated, especially on hot days.
- Children need proportionally more fluids than adults do.
- Kids need about 6-8 glasses of liquid a day, but more when it’s hot and dry.
- Water, fruit juices, milk and yogurt are healthy, nutritious ways to get your kids to drink more liquids.
- Water can sometimes satisfy a child’s thirst before they are fully hydrated. Juices are absorbed more slowly, so children drink more and are likely to be better hydrated.
- When kids are busy playing, they don’t want to think about taking a drink. That’s when they are most at risk of dehydration. Inviting them to rest with a cool drink, such as root beer milk or lemonade, gives them the opportunity to rehydrate.
- We will all voluntarily drink more when drinks are easily available, and if we enjoy the taste of what we are drinking. Adding in wholesome nutrition at the same time is a bonus.