From sporting events to playground adventures, there’s no shortage of ways our little ones work up a sweat. As a parent, you’re on top of fueling all of their fun and fitness ventures, but if you’re struggling to keep them healthily hydrated with good old H2O, you’re not alone. In fact, research shows that sugary drinks are the primary source of sugar in American children’s diets, with a staggering 61% consuming a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once a day. What’s more, reports show that even children as young as 2 to 4 years of age are guzzling these sugar-laden liquids, with 46% of all American toddlers drinking at least one sugary drink daily.

With childhood obesity on the rise & an increasing epidemic of inactivity and poor nutrition among youth, it can be difficult to convince little ones to swap out their favorite sugar-filled sports drinks, sodas, & fruit juices for mother nature’s finest, plain Jane water. However, with a few kid-friendly tweaks & fun hydration hacks, we’ve compiled our best sip tips to help you to encourage your little ones to love crisp, refreshing, mountain-sourced spring water just as much as they get juiced up for juice boxes.

Ready to make drinking water cooler than Kool Aid? Read on. 

Sip Tips to Get Kids to Drink More Water

Cube-it-Cool

There’s no better way to get kiddos on board with something than by adding a bit of fun and finesse. One simple & surefire way to spice up water is with funky ice cubes! You can purchase kid-friendly shaped ice-cube trays as one easy way to level up your little one's water. 

Another cool cube idea? Throw some naturally tasty mixins into the ice cubes prior to freezing! Some of our favorites include fresh mint, lemon, orange, & lime zest, rosemary, basil, or a touch of freshly grated ginger.

Make it Fun with Fruit

From big kids to tiny tots, everyone loves fruit-infused water. Commonly thought of as “spa water” by grownups, we’ve found this hip sip is a hit with little ones as much as it is for adults! Simply toss your kiddos favorite fresh or frozen fruits into their water carton, bottle, or glass & watch as they guzzle it down.

Our favorite kid-friendly fruity infusions? We’ve found strawberries, watermelon. peaches, raspberries, and fresh citrus to be the top picks of little tykes, but feel free to experiment & mix it up with your family’s favorites.

Keep the Sparkle, Skip the Soda

We know kicking a soda habit can be difficult, especially if it’s something your family is accustomed to drinking on the regular. One easy trick to wean off the pop is by replacing it with naturally flavored, fruit-forward sparkling water, like JUST Bubbles. That way, your kiddos can still enjoy a delicious sparkling sip without the added sugar, without the added sugar, flavors, dyes, & other harmful ingredients that ultimately pose a risk to their health.

Make Drinking Water Straw-some

Kids are naturally drawn to novelty, no matter how small and simple it may seem. One easy way to get your little ones to drink more water is by giving them a fun silly straw to use whenever they’re drinking their water. From bold colors to wacky shapes, there are tons of kid-friendly reusable straws available to make drinking water a fun and exciting experience.

Serve Kid-Sized Sips

When you delineate something as “just for kids”, it immediately becomes more interesting and special in the eyes of a little one. One easy way to do this is by keeping your refrigerator stocked with junior-sized waters that are just for the kiddos, like JUST Still 11.2 oz variety. Even better? Make sure to keep your supply of grown-up sized JUST waters full so your kids can enjoy their mini-waters while they watch mom and dad sip on their own adult sized version.

Taper Off with a Touch of Juice

If you’ve got a particularly strong-willed kiddo on your hand who’s struggling to let go of their juice box, here’s a tip–simply add a splash of natural, 100% juice to their water. This way, they think they’re still getting their juice, but with significantly less sugar than a full glass. Over time, you can slowly transition from a splash of juice, to fresh-sliced fruit infused water, until eventually, they’ll welcome plain old water in its natural state.

Be their H2Hero