When it comes to raising healthy, happy children, what they drink is just as important as what they eat. At Journey Early Learning, our Future Foodies program encourages healthy choices every day – and hydration for children is a top priority.

Why Hydration Is So Important for Children

Water helps children stay energised, focused, and well. It supports digestion, helps regulate body temperature, improves circulation, and even boosts mood and concentration. Unlike adults, young children may not always recognise the signs of thirst, so offering water regularly is essential.

Signs of Dehydration in Young Children

Dehydration in children can show up as tiredness, dry lips, headaches, crankiness, or lack of concentration. If a child is noticeably low in energy or complains of stomach aches or dizziness, it may be time for a water break.

The Hidden Sugar in Common Children’s Drinks

Juices, cordials, flavoured milk, and soft drinks may look harmless, but they often contain large amounts of added or natural sugars. Even 100% fruit juice—though it sounds healthy—is highly concentrated and lacks the fibre found in whole fruit.

Sugary Drinks vs Water: What Parents Need to Know

Too much sugar from drinks can lead to tooth decay, poor appetite at meals, and longer-term health concerns such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. That’s why water should be the go-to option for hydration, with sugary drinks kept for special occasions only.

Why Water Is the Best Drink for Kids

Water hydrates without sugar, additives, or calories. It supports every system in the body and lays the foundation for healthy habits into adulthood. Simply put, water is the safest, healthiest and most essential drink for growing children.

How to Encourage Healthy Drinking Habits at Home

Supporting hydration at home doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, making water more accessible and appealing can become part of your daily rhythm.

Tips for Making Water More Exciting for Children

Let your child choose a special water bottle or cup. Add colourful reusable straws, or drop in some frozen berries or mint leaves to make drinking feel fun and new. Turn it into a game or a creative roleplay—water can become a superhero drink or a potion of power.

Role Modelling: Drink Water Together

Children watch what we do. If they see you drinking water throughout the day, they’re far more likely to pick up the habit themselves. Make it a shared activity and talk about how good it feels.

Simple Ways to Make Water Fun and Appealing

Offer water before snacks to help your child tune into their real needs—sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. Use playful language like, “Water keeps your brain strong,” or “It helps you run fast at the playground!” to build positive associations.

What We Do at Journey to Promote Hydration for Children

At Journey, we keep fresh water accessible throughout the day—in classrooms, in the dining area, and outdoors. Our educators offer gentle reminders and model good hydration habits themselves. Children are encouraged to drink before and after meals, during play, and especially after outdoor activity.

Helping Children Choose Water Every Day

Through our Future Foodies program, children also learn why water is important. We explore how food and drinks help our bodies feel strong, focused, and happy. This learning is reinforced with hands-on experiences like cooking, gardening, and storytelling that connect health with real-life joy.

Encouraging your child to choose water might not happen overnight. But with consistency, creativity and a bit of role-modelling, it becomes second nature. And that’s a life-long healthy habit worth forming.

So here’s to raising healthy, hydrated little humans—one sip at a time.

For more tips an follow Future Foodies on Facebook and/or Instagram.