Schools are back and with the new terms, we’re hopefully heading for warmer weather. This means our children are more active and consequently, the need to have easy access to drinking water throughout the school day.
The good news here is school water coolers are pretty much de rigeur in schools across the U.K.
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, the amount of fluid a child needs depends on many factors including age, gender, weather and how much physical activity they get but generally children should aim to have six to eight drinks per day which should ideally be water (on top of the water provided by food in the diet).
Younger children need relatively small servings (e.g. 150ml per drink) and older children need larger servings (e.g. 250-300ml per drink).
Children should be encouraged to sip fluids at regular intervals throughout the day – often children drink fluids at the end of the day when dehydration has already begun.
Practical tips that help children to keep hydrated
- Ensure children have a drink before school i.e. with breakfast, and during breaks/playtime. An effective method to kick-start good hydration habits is to lead by example. If you as an adult, parent or guardian are seen to be drinking water often, your children will soon pick up the habit – young children love to emulate what mom or dad is doing. Moreover, you’re doing not just your kids but yourself a favour too.
- During current circumstances, parents may not be able to tour the school. Ask if the school – especially if it’s a new school – can advise how many water cooler stations are on the premises and if these can be shown to the child, so they are easily able to top up their water bottles or drink water between classes.
- It’s worth remembering that many foods have a high water content and can contribute to fluid intake. i.e. fruit, vegetables, soup, yogurt.
At AquAid, we supply Water Dispensers specifically designed to suit the school environment, including the recent addition of our wide range of Touch-Free Water Coolers. These dispensers, equipped with anti-bacterial taps and various drainage options to reduce overflow and spillage also feature contact-free dispense points thereby ensuring a safe, hygienic and constant supply of fresh drinking water throughout the day.
