As strange as it might sound, toddlers need to drink as much water each day as an adult does.
Toddlers between that age of one and three need to drink around 1.3L of water each day. If you actually look at the body weight of the average toddler and the amount of water they need to drink compared to an adult, then they need more than an adult.
The reason why drinking so much water is important to a toddler, is because they are growing so rapidly at that age. Their bodies need water to transport all the nutrients and supplement their muscles and cells need for all the growth taking place. Water makes up the majority of the mass of our bodies and it is important for proper brain development and mental growth. If you teach your child to drink water at an early age, you will be able to get them to drink water more regularly for the rest of their lives, without having to struggle to compete with soft drinks.
It is therefore important that parents, teachers and child minders make sure that these little ones get sufficient water each day. Many day care centres and schools are installing water coolers into their facilities to ensure that their children and staff can stay hydrated at all times.
With winter just around the corner, it is important to remember that your toddler has sufficient water intake during the colder days as well. Young children are at the highest risk of dehydration due to their small size. Even the slightest percentage of fluid loss can lead to dehydration. Encourage children to carry a water bottle with them, even from a young age. Make it a game to see if they can drink all their water each day and reward them when they do. This will teach them the importance of water and the value of it. Tests have proven that children who are correctly hydrated will have better mental and physical performance than children who do not stay properly hydrated.
Teach your child to enjoy drinking water from a young age and you can aid in their health for years to come.
