The long summer days can get really hot and we tend to sweat more profusely as a result. Dizziness, fatigue, and headaches are very common conditions in the summer, and the ones who suffer the most from such hot weather are children. This is especially true in the case of children at daycare centres since they tend to focus more on playing with other children their age and partaking in activities rather than drinking a glass of water every now and then.

Fortunately, there are some tips on staying hydrated that you can follow in order to encourage the little ones to increase their water intake.

Help Them Drink More Fluids – And Not Just Water

Encourage the children to drink more often and frequently. This does not necessarily mean just water, but fluids in general. They can also consume more fruits and vegetables that have high water content such as watermelon, cantaloupes, cucumbers, lettuce etc. A fluid rich diet will help them keep hydrated and active for prolonged periods.

Make It Fun

Make drinking fluids a fun activity. Reward the kids for drinking regularly by giving them a little extra play time or a new drinking cup. Engage the kids in an arts and craft activity to decorate their own drinking cups, straws and make them participate in making the drinks and deciding the flavors. You could also get exciting glasses, jugs and decorative items such as tiny umbrellas, straws and stirrers.

Make It Tastier

If you find it difficult to make the children drink more water, then make the drinks tastier, more interesting and fun to drink. Chilled, filtered water is sweeter than warm tap water. Add more flavors and colors. Purchase fun and interesting ice cube trays and add fruit slices and mint leaves to the ice cubes to make them more interesting.

Find Fluid Alternatives

Find new ways of keeping them hydrated. Make fluid-rich fruit ice-blocks, juice shots, and fruit salads and encourage the children to increase their water intake.

Set Reminders

Set alarms and create reminders for the children to help them remember to drink water and fluids. Create records and monitor their intake by charting the amount consumed by them at each time of the day.

Make It Easy To Drink Water

Install remote water coolers in different areas of the daycare centre to provide chilled, filtered water. Connect to a trough with bubblers to ensure a regular supply of sweet tasting filtered water. Also, remember to make the coolers and water dispensers easily accessible and reachable since children might want to drink more water if they can actually reach the water dispenser themselves.

These are just some of the fun ways to ensure that children at daycare centers keep hydrated and drink sufficient amounts of water to cope with the sweltering heat. The more creative and fun you make it, the more they will drink their fluids.